Roundtables

rally, we all must continue our focus on the successful delivery of highly visible initiatives such as meaningful use and ICD-10; however, we are in a new era where healthcare organizations are in pursuit of new revenue streams and reducing operating expenses through technologi- cal innovation. In addition, the consumerization of healthcare is rapidly evolving and a differential service experience is becom- ing the expected norm. ese changes are requiring the CIO to develop new skillsets if the IT organization is to remain relevant to the business environment we're now operating within. We will continue to see these themes play out for the foreseeable future, requiring a new level of strategic partnership between the CIO and the rest of the executive team. Q: What is the most useful skill a CIO can have? Mr. Canfield: is must be building the right team. No one CIO is going to have all the skills necessary to manage the technol- ogy, set the strategy, be an active part of the senior leadership team, manage the vendors, keep up with regulatory changes and a myriad of other responsibilities. Knowing your own strengths and weaknesses and building a team to adequately cover all the re- quirements is necessary. Mr. Hess: e healthcare CIO needs to have an ability to see the big picture and the small details that make up that big picture. Many IT leaders can see the big picture or the small details, but I feel the best CIOs have the ability to see both. e ability to create strategy and oversee execution to help remove barriers is incredibly important. Mr. Kinsella: In my opinion, teamwork is the most important skill. Note that it does not always mean team leadership — though it oen does — but sometimes, being a sounding board or a good follower is equally important. Part of teamwork is having the experience to appreciate how individuals con- tribute effec- tively to team objectives, which requires communication, process standards, etc. But it's recognizing that on our best days we are lead- ers of the band — not soloists. Mr. Lewkoski: CIOs need to be involved in the strategic planning process. at requires large, vi- sionary thinking that doesn't get tangled in the weeds. We must be able to think beyond the chal- lenges of operations, high-de- mand integration issues and deadlines. You need to surround yourself with a great team to not only handle the day-to-day but [to be] ready to tackle the ever- increasing project load. Mr. Ong: I'd say one of the great- est skills a CIO can have is an understanding of the healthcare business. Our business of being a CIO is to align the technology with the goals of the organiza- tion, and if you don't understand how a hospital operates, the value you can bring is dimnished. Mr. Richardville: ere is not just one, but several. [A CIO] needs to be a strategist, teacher, student, collaborator, contrib- utor, challenger, thought leader — many of the same skills any senior executive needs to have. You can't just bring the technolo- gy knowledge. Mr. Smith: e ability to com- municate up, down and sideways is arguably the most important skill for CIOs today. Helping the business understand the critical role technology must play for en- abling effective care coordination, managing the health of popula- tions, fostering business intelli- gence, removing variation and cost and providing a great cus- tomer experience is a tall order. To make that case in non-tech- nical business terms requires that the CIO and IT organization learn how to communicate in business terms. Managing strong relationships is a close second. Q: What do you see as the most "disruptive" technology in healthcare today? How are you responding or how do you intend to respond to it? Mr. Canfield: e ubiquitous Healthcare CIOs: Past, Present and Future 4

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