Health Information and Management Systems Society Settles Lawsuit Brought By Exhibitors for $2.8M
A year after it canceled its 2020 conference, the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) will pay $2.8 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by exhibitors. A U.S. district judge gave preliminary approval to the settlement on Friday, which includes a $2.8 million cash fund from HIMSS and a partial credit toward future conferences.
The class-action lawsuit was filed in June by HatchMed, a small company that sells medical devices and beds, which said it paid over $11,000 for tradeshow space at HIMSS last year.
HIMSS’ annual conference was canceled in early March, just days before it was slated to start after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that Covid-19 was heading toward pandemic status. Days later, the World Health Organization stated that Covid-19 was a pandemic, and the U.S. declared a national emergency.
