Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1523565
20 20 HEALTHCARE NEWS Why Ardent isn't focusing on 'technology just for technology's sake' By Naomi Diaz N ashville, Tenn.-based Ardent Health Services' chief digital information officer is focusing on three key pillars in 2024: cybersecurity, enhancing consumer experience and fostering purpose-driven initiatives. Anika Gardenhire, BSN, RN, was named to the role in October. Becker's spoke to her about what she is looking to accomplish at Ardent, her transition from payer to health system and the importance of collaboration. Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity. Question: What are some key things you're looking to tackle in your role this year? Anika Gardenhire: For everyone in my seat, a major and top priority is cybersecurity. Given the trust patients and consumers place in us with their sensitive data, ensuring its safety and educating consumers about its use are crucial. We are also focused on our consumer experience, and we've spent an incredible amount of time researching and working to understand what our consumers and patients want from us. We're dedicated to enhancing the consumer experience and we're not just focusing on convenience but on understanding it from the patient's perspective. Finally, aligning technology with the organization's strategic direction ensures purpose-driven work. We're focused on technology to solve health problems and not technology just for technology's sake. Q: How do you envision the partnership between the chief digital information officer and the CIO? AG: e collaboration between the CIO role and this role is incredibly important. Our digital initiatives are built upon the infrastructure managed by the CIO. e CIO's role encompasses infrastructure, large platforms and critical applications, all of which are essential for data integrity and performance. So when I think about the partnership with the CIO, it's about having that role be answerable to the rest of the technology team so that there's a mutual understanding that everything that we do is built on that foundation of work from our CIO. Q: You served as chief customer experience officer and chief digital officer at Centene Corp. What inspired your transition from a role in a payer organization to leading digital transformation in a hospital system? AG: I was incredibly fortunate to transition to Centene, and I think that there's no better education about health economics and advanced payment models than being inside of a payer. But I realized my passion Large health systems may need to rethink growth: Moody's By Laura Dyrda S crutiny on nonprofit health system mergers and acquisitions is intensifying and Moody's warned it could become a tougher exit strategy for distressed hospitals, and affect growth of large systems, according to an April 18 2024 Healthcare Quarterly report. While planned mergers, acquisitions, and joint operating agreements will likely continue to increase, Moody's cautioned that scrutiny from federal and state regulators has become a costly risk for even cross-market deals. "On the regulatory front, not-for-profit cross-market mergers have generally not led to the same degree of scrutiny as combinations in a single market," the report notes. "That scrutiny is intensifying as federal and state regulators increasingly have antitrust concerns and seek to control healthcare costs." The federal government is challenging more healthcare deals than in the past, and some have folded under the pressure. States are also reviewing healthcare consolidation and its impact on competition, quality and costs. Both Indiana and California state legislatures are working to expand review authority over hospital transactions, and Washington could follow suit. "Heightened concerns among regulators about consolidation carries particular risks for distressed systems seeking exit strategies because it could make it harder to find a buyer," the report notes. "If the number of merger denials increases, larger systems active in M&A may also need to reassess their growth strategies." n "When I think about the partnership with the CIO, it's about having that role be answerable to the rest of the technology team so that there's a mutual understanding that everything that we do is built on that foundation of work from our CIO." — Anika Gardenhire, BSN, RN