Rapid changes in health care technology have led to new challenges and expectations for chief information officers (CIOs) at hospitals, according to reports.
A March 4, 2019 article in HealthTech Magazine examined how the rise of electronic health records (EHRs) and closer collaboration between business and IT leaders are forcing CIOs to evolve.
Mary Finlay, lecturer in Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Department of Health Policy and Management, said that CIOs have recently shifted their focus to three key areas: Optimizing EHRs, helping the hospital or health system better leverage its data, and examining the potential of new technologies, including artificial intelligence and blockchain.
Finlay added that CIOs shouldn’t view chief digital officers or chief innovation officers as competition, but rather as collaborators.
“It comes down to building those relationships and determining how you are going to work together to bring value to your organization,” she said. “The CIOs don’t have to come up with all the ideas themselves. Innovation happens throughout the organization. You want to figure out how to foster and support that.”
Read the HealthTech Magazine article: Healthcare CIOs Face New Pressures and Novel Opportunities