IAHCSMM’s 2020 Annual Conference & Expo Cancelled Due to COVID-19 Concerns

For weeks, the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) has been carefully monitoring the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation and its impact on the upcoming IAHCSMM Annual Conference & Expo, which was to be held in Chicago, Illinois, April 25-29, 2020. Today, the IAHCSMM Board of Directors made the decision to cancel the conference due to health and wellness concerns for attendees and the community. On March 12, Illinois governor Pritzker officially ordered a 30-day shutdown of public events in the state that would draw more than 1,000 participants, and he encouraged cancellation or postponement of all private and social events of 250 or more people until May 1. This recommendation aligns with recommendations from epidemiologists and other health experts regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The health and safety of our attendees, speakers, vendors and community has always been IAHCSMM’s top priority. Cancelling our conference and expo was determined by IAHCSMM as the only prudent option and is in keeping with the Association’s mission and values of improving patient safety and meeting the needs of the healthcare environment. We understand many of you will have questions about IAHCSMM’s next steps, including the refund process and the potential for alternative educational opportunities. Please be assured, we are working to address any concerns and provide more information as soon as possible. Please be patient as we sort through this rapidly evolving situation. Additional updates will be posted on this page as they become available. We will also communicate updates about changes or contingency plans via email to registered attendees, exhibitors, presenting speakers and other conference constituents.