CHICAGO – More than 70 vendors are participating in this year's Interoperability Showcase, an exhibition of integrated healthcare IT products and care coordination.

The showcase, presented by Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE), HIMSS and the global standards community, is located on a sizeable chunk of the Exhibit Hall here at McCormick Place. Patient care scenarios are simulated to demonstrate the advantages of interoperable IT, information security and adherence to standards established by participating organizations, which include HITSP, HL7 and Continua Health Alliance.

The docents of the Interoperability Showcase will lead as many as 12 simultaneous tours at any time over the course of HIMSS09.

John Donnelly of IHE guided Healthcare IT News through a scenario in which a patient is struck by a car and requires emergency medical attention. Through the participating vendors' solutions, the showcase demonstrates the integrated, secure transfer of the patient's information throughout the continuum of care.