Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1539464
19 INNOVATION The next health system IT C-suite leader By Giles Bruce Over the past few years, chief AI offi cers have been the newest addition to health systems' IT C-suites. So who's up next? Becker's reached out to health system digital executives to ask who they think their next tech-focused counterpart in the C-suite will be. Here are their responses: Chief digital applications offi cer. " ey will have a comprehensive view of digital and applications, and be able to collaborate with operations, informatics, fi nance and clinical," said Anna Schoenbaum, DNP, RN, vice president and chief digital applications offi cer of Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine. "Especially in the world of AI, you need to make sure people are adopting the applications. And if they're not adopting them, you need to understand why." Chief human/AI collaboration offi cer. "We're already bringing AI into more workfl ows, but the real challenge is making sure people and technology work together in a way that actually makes life easier," said Crystal Broj, chief digital transformation offi cer of Charleston, S.C.-based MUSC Health. " is role would focus on rethinking jobs, training teams, and redesigning processes so AI doesn't just exist in the background — it actively supports our staff and helps them do what they do best." Chief intelligence offi cer. "Beyond the AI implementation and adoption focus of today's chief AI offi cers, this role embeds intelligence directly into agentic workfl ows that autonomously make decisions and act — from initiating patient outreach and optimizing care pathways to dynamically reallocating resources," said Divya Pathak, chief data and AI offi cer of New York City-based NYC Health + Hospitals. " is will be a leader who integrates human judgment with machine intelligence to build a continuously and autonomously learning health system across every echelon of care." Chief observability offi cer. "As AI, gen AI and digital all come to routine use, we will need good monitoring, value assessment, and ROI," said Nigam Shah, MD, PhD, chief data scientist of Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Health Care. "All of that will require observability of tech, people, processes, etc." Chief platform offi cer. " is role would be responsible for system integration and interoperability, considering the recent announcements from CMS and the White House, and recognizing that point solutions will continue to solve niche problems but create other challenges with integration and scalability," said Patrick Woodard, CIO of Rapid City, S.D.-based Monument Health. "I say this as a former chief digital offi cer myself (both that system's fi rst and last CDO), so unique IT C-suite titles are near and dear to my heart." Chief transformation offi cer. "Transformation offi cer is not a new role, but I think they're going to be more highly skewed to technology," said Michael Hasselberg, PhD, RN, chief transformation and digital offi cer of Omaha-based Nebraska Medicine. "I suspect fi ve years from now, we're not going to have a whole lot of chief AI offi cers in health systems because AI is just going to be a part of everything that we do. And folks who have a tech background, a clinical background, and potentially an academic background if you're an academic system, are really poised to be that transformative-type leader." Existing C-suite roles will evolve. "I'm sure new roles will emerge, but I also think many existing roles will need to be adapted for this new age of AI and automation," said Mouneer Odeh, chief data and AI offi cer of Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai. "For example, chief strategy offi cers will likely start to take on a bigger role in transforming workfl ows. Human resources will need to play a huge role in transforming the workforce. Technology leaders will evolve from service providers to drivers of transformation." e (next generation) chief information and digital offi cer. " ey will be an orchestrator of transformation — bringing together digital strategy, AI, advanced data capabilities, governance, and enterprisewide digital transformation, and operating at the intersection of clinical, operational and strategic priorities," said Sunil Dadlani, executive vice president and chief information and digital transformation offi cer of Morristown, N.J.-based Atlantic Health System. "In short, the CIDO is becoming the chief architect of the health system's digital future — blending innovation and responsibility into a single, cohesive leadership vision." n Why Mayo Clinic is launching new ventures By Giles Bruce R ochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic is creating and funding more companies as government support for research dries up, Global Venturing reported. The health system launched its Mayo Venture Partner program in May to commercialize Mayo innovations, coinvest in promising startups and build new ventures. "Mayo is at a time of tight capital markets and increased scrutiny from a [National Institutes of Health] funding perspective and a fl ight to quality in the capital markets," Audrey Greenberg, one of three inaugural Mayo Venture Partners, told the news outlet. "So Mayo is really doubling down and standing behind its innovative technology." The Trump administration has canceled billions of dollars of NIH grants this year, leaving academic medical centers scrambling for research funding. The Mayo Venture Partner program plans to focus on diagnostics, AI and digital health, and tech-enabled therapeutics, according to the Aug. 25 article. n