Welcome back to Optimum Healthcare IT’s “4 Questions with…” series, where we interview top executives in the Healthcare IT space. We search for the leaders with track records of service excellence, who are passionate about their work and make patient safety their top priority. In this installment, we have four questions for David Chou, MBA, CHIO, Healthcare Principal Analyst at Constellation Research, Global Healthcare Advisor, and CHIME Board Member.
David Chou: Security is definitely top of mind for the CIO, but the challenge is that it involves the organization’s effort to take it seriously and put it on the same priority as hand washing. The CIO has to influence the organization to change behaviors along with getting the right level of investment since security, and core infrastructure has been under-invested historically in the hospitals. Frankly, organizations should be placing security above all else within the organization. One of the toughest jobs that the CIO has is to help the organization understand that security is not just avoiding data breaches, but that it is about patient safety and social responsibility. The financial ramifications of a data breach are high, but when you factor in the loss of personal health information and having a community lose faith in the organization, the costs are much higher.
David Chou: The role has shifted to be more strategic, and the great CIOs are helping new organizations create new business models utilizing the latest technology. Historically the CIO has been viewed as the technical expert in the organization working in the back office, and while that theme is still prevalent in most organizations, it takes a strong board and CEO to understand that the CIO can be a competitive advantage. The CIO’s role in the future is to be the influencer. CIO also means 'Chief Influence Officer.'
David Chou: The Future of Healthcare Signals a Shift From One-Size-Fits-All to Mass Personalization at Scale
David Chou: As I mentioned above, the role of CIO has shifted to be more strategic, and CIO needs to be an influencer. With that in mind, my first five priorities would be: