Myunghee Son of Samsung Medical Center Appointed to Board of U.S. Healthcare Information Management Association

First Korean Appointed to HIMSS Board
"I Will Promote the Digital Capabilities of Korean Healthcare"

Samsung Medical Center announced on July 17 that Myunghee Son, Deputy Director of the Data Innovation Center at the Digital Innovation Promotion Group (Professor of Emergency Medicine), has been appointed as a board member of the Healthcare Information & Management System Society (HIMSS). Her term will begin in July 2025 and last for four years.

Professor Myunghee Son of Samsung Medical Center is presenting at the 'HIMSS25 Conference' held last March. Samsung Medical Center

HIMSS (Healthcare Information & Management System Society) is a U.S.-based non-profit organization that integrates information technology (IT) into healthcare environments to improve the efficiency of healthcare systems, patient safety, and the quality of care. With over 100,000 individual members and more than 500 institutional members worldwide, it is regarded as one of the most authoritative organizations for evaluating the digital maturity and informatization level of medical institutions.

The HIMSS Board of Directors is the core decision-making body that leads the establishment of global strategies and policy development in the field of healthcare information. It consists of 11 experts selected from industry, hospitals, government, and academia around the world. These board members are responsible for setting the strategic direction of HIMSS, establishing governance systems, and making key business decisions.

Traditionally, the HIMSS board has included Chief Medical Information Officers from leading U.S. medical institutions such as Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic. Professor Son has now become the first Korean to be elected as a member of the board. According to the hospital, this signifies global recognition of the digital capabilities of Korean healthcare as represented by Samsung Medical Center.

Samsung Medical Center has achieved the highest Stage 7 in four out of six areas certified by HIMSS (EMRAM, INFRAM, DIAM, AMAM), and received a perfect score of 400 points in the Digital Health Indicator (DHI) assessment, demonstrating world-class digital maturity. In addition, at the 'HIMSS25 Conference' held last March, Samsung Medical Center President Seungwoo Park delivered the first keynote speech by an Asian medical institution, which is also seen as having had a positive impact on Professor Son’s election to the HIMSS Board.

Since 2023, Professor Son has served as Deputy Director of the Data Innovation Center at the Digital Innovation Promotion Group, leading the development and implementation of Samsung Medical Center’s digital transformation strategy. She stated, "It is very meaningful that our hospital’s vision for a world-class smart hospital has been recognized on the global stage," and added, "I will continue to work toward sustaining the hospital’s digital innovation and also contribute to global healthcare innovation through international collaboration."