Episode 2: Visionary Voices with Craig Richardville

Larry Kaiser:
Hello everyone, and welcome to Visionary Voices, Optimum Healthcare IT’s conversational thought leadership podcast that hosts digital and technology healthcare leaders to discuss IT, innovation and transformation. I’m your host, Larry Kaiser, Chief Marketing Officer at Optimum Healthcare IT. In this episode, I’ll be speaking with visionary Chief Digital and Information Officer Craig Richardville. We’ll be talking about the current and future positioning of the CIO role in healthcare organizations. Craig is an award-winning CIO who has held leadership positions at several health systems, including Intermountain, SCL Health, Atrium Health, and Promedica.

Craig, welcome to the show today.

Craig Richardville:
Larry, thank you. Good to see you.

Larry Kaiser:
You as well. So we’re gonna start off today with a fun segment that we like to call Bandwidth Banter. It’s our fun take on icebreakers for IT professionals such as yourself. So I know you and I talked a little bit, and I think I have two really exciting questions to ask you.
First: What was the last concert that you attended? I know you attend a lot of concerts.

Craig Richardville:
I do. I enjoy getting out and about, and concerts are one of the things I do enjoy. The last one that I saw was the Dave Matthews Band at Fiddler’s Green here in Denver, Colorado, and recently they were just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Larry Kaiser:
I’m a huge Dave Matthews fan. There was a period of time in the late ’90s into the early 2000s where I think I saw him about 12 years in a row. So I’m a big fan. That must’ve been a really fun show.
Now, my second question is probably a little bit more controversial. I have heard both sides of the aisle on this one, so I’m gonna get your take on it. Is healthcare one word or two words?

Craig Richardville:
Great question. Healthcare is one word with two meanings, is how I would say it. I’ve always divided healthcare into the two aspects: health and care. Historically, healthcare has focused mostly on the care component — you get sick, we fix you. In the last five years — maybe even as much as a decade — you’ve seen more emphasis toward the health side: keeping people healthier, well, more preventive, and early diagnosis of conditions. So it is one word, but you’re seeing a transition of both health and care coming together.

Larry Kaiser:
Yeah, that’s how I look at it. I appreciate your vision on that. I agree with what you said 100 percent. Thanks for participating in our Bandwidth Banter.
So let’s dive into the conversation today now that our audience has gotten to know you a little more. I want to kick off the discussion talking about the ever-expanding role of the CIO. It’s safe to say that the role has expanded to include a ton of new responsibilities — and that was even before AI took off in healthcare.
How does a successful CIO balance all the responsibilities they had while also adding the new responsibilities being given to them now, and align all of that with enterprise goals?

Craig Richardville:
That’s a great question. And you’re right — the CIO’s role is cumulative. It keeps growing. In the beginning, it was more about expense reduction. Then we evolved into operational efficiencies. In the last five years, it’s really focused on strategy. It has become a differentiator for many health systems, contributing back to the communities and populations we serve. That’s where things like data, analytics, and AI come in — the newer capabilities that really separate you from others. Today, alignment with enterprise goals is no different than before. We’ve always focused on the goals; it’s just that the number of goals we impact has grown. To be successful now, you’ve got to share the wealth. You’re no longer the single point of contact. You need a team with expertise to handle the traditional responsibilities — and grow with the new, advanced technologies coming in. Building that team allows you to step away from being a subject matter expert and more into a general manager or coach role. You’re putting the right people in the right positions and letting them excel — doing things you couldn’t do alone. Also, many of your peers within the company don’t give themselves enough credit for how much they already know about technology — how much they use it in their personal lives, and how easy that can be translated into the professional side. So continue to educate and allow them to share ideas and discoveries.
Lastly, external relationships matter — build strong partnerships with people who bring innovation to you early, whether as an adopter or directly from R&D. The combination of your team, your peers, and the right partners allows you to succeed.

Larry Kaiser:
Very interesting. From a timeframe perspective, when did this role start expanding — from just being Chief Information Officer into, say, Chief Digital Officer, which I know is part of your role at Intermountain?

Craig Richardville:
You’re seeing that across the board. Some organizations still use just “CIO” and fold data, analytics, AI, and other responsibilities into that title. Others have added the “D” — in my last two organizations, I held the title Chief Digital and Information Officer or Information and Digital Officer. Same responsibilities — just a different title to clarify the digital side. Sometimes analytics and data are separate from the CIO, separate from digital, and even marketing. Now you’re seeing consolidation. The CIO becomes a CDIO. The CDO now has inherent CIO responsibilities plus the digital ones. Regardless of the title, combining disciplines under one leader lets you gain synergies and leverage across roles.

Larry Kaiser:
Interesting. Would you say the basic CIO role is becoming extinct as the tech evolves — with the digital “D” becoming essential?

Craig Richardville:
I wouldn’t go that far. It depends on how the organization wants to structure the title. Sometimes it makes sense to split responsibilities — maybe it’s too much for one person. You might have separate leaders for digital, analytics, CIO duties, etc. Other organizations consolidate it all. Over time, I think the model will settle. It’s similar to how we used to say Chief Human Resources Officer, and now you see Chief People Officer. The responsibilities are often the same — just modernized titles. It’s still going to be blurry for a while. You have to peel back the title and look at the actual responsibilities.

Larry Kaiser:
That makes sense. I’ve been in the industry for 21 years now, and watching that evolution has been fascinating. So what pressures are CIOs really feeling right now with the rapid pace of tech innovation in healthcare? How do you overcome that pressure?

Craig Richardville:
The pressure is really on the health system — and the healthcare industry at large. As senior executives, we have our own pressures and our own ability to prioritize or bring things forward. But I don’t think the pressure is specific to the CIO or CDIO — it’s systemic. Your role as a senior executive is to bring ideas and opportunities that relieve pressure — while aligning with broader investments. So set the title aside — think like an executive first. That lets you focus on the overall organization. Build a team of leaders who can go deep in analytics, digital, AI, etc. Let them align their initiatives with enterprise goals. Help vet and prioritize the investments — does it rise to the top or not? We’ve also shifted from capital-intensive to more operating-based investments. That has pros and cons, but it’s a transition. We request fewer capital dollars now — using SaaS and IaaS models instead. It gives us predictability but changes the funding dynamics.

On the partner side, it’s about choosing the right technology firms. Some say healthcare is a tech industry delivering healthcare — and I think there’s some truth in that. There are tech-native companies delivering healthcare solutions, and those are the ones to partner with. Also, the peer network — it’s massive intellectual capital. Networking with other CIOs and CDIOs, both inside and outside of healthcare, is key. Throw out ideas, get critiques, learn from others. We don’t compete on tech — we compete on how we use it. Your senior leadership team is often very tech-savvy too, even if they don’t realize it. They can bring great ideas and networks to the table. So really, that network is a game-changer. It’s critical to have those relationships — to see what’s working for others, what might work for you, and how it all fits into your ecosystem.

Larry Kaiser:
Yeah, that’s some quality insight. As a marketer in healthcare IT, I’ve definitely seen that this is a relationship-driven industry. If you don’t have those relationships, even with your peers, it’s a struggle to succeed — or to even learn. My goal in life is to learn something new every day, and if I’m not communicating with peers in healthcare IT marketing, I’m not accomplishing that. I’ve definitely seen that same kind of connection across CIOs and health systems. It’s great to see, especially when there are organizations that help facilitate that.

What you just said leads perfectly into my next question: What makes a successful CIO, and how does that impact the organization? Sounds like, beyond building the best team, communication and partnerships across the industry are key.

Craig Richardville:
You’re exactly right, Larry. Everything we’ve talked about helps define what makes a CIO successful. A couple of virtues come to mind: being calm, cool, and collected — because there will be issues. From tech outages to cybersecurity events, or partner problems — these things happen. Being calm in those moments sets the tone for the team and for the health system. Everyone needs to feel like we’re in it together. When there’s a disaster recovery need, continuity still has to happen — people still need care. So, as a leader, it’s your role to provide that steadiness.
It’s also about being the general manager or coach who allows things to grow, who enhances what’s going well, and supports the team through tough moments. You’re the person they can go to — you’re the one helping give them the clarity they need to move forward.

Larry Kaiser:
Yeah, and from my perspective, one thing I’m really proud of is mentoring. I love to mentor people. And in healthcare, I see executive leaders like yourself committed to growing the next generation of leaders. Because if that doesn’t happen — if we don’t grow the next generation — patient care is going to suffer. It goes beyond just the tech; it goes back to healthcare being about care. If there’s no future generation ready, the quality of that care will go downhill. Mentorship is so important. I’ve seen you do that, and it’s great to see you touch on it here.

Craig Richardville:
Yeah, and just to add something there — That idea of mentoring and growing future leaders is essential. As a leader, one of your responsibilities is to grow other leaders. Sports fans see this all the time — think of Bill Belichick or Nick Saban. They’ve grown a whole legacy of coordinators and head coaches from their trees. And then you see others who didn’t. Some leaders only focus on today — others focus on tomorrow. Those of us with long careers, we have to make it better for those coming after us. That’s part of our legacy. Leaders growing leaders — that’s what it’s about.

Larry Kaiser:
Yeah, I agree. Nothing makes me happier — but also a little sad — than when a team member tells me they’re resigning. But it’s because of the mentorship I gave them, and they’re moving on to bigger and better things. That puts a mile-wide smile on my face — and then I dread starting the hiring process again. But I get it. So I have just one more question for you, and it kind of ties everything together. It’s about choosing the right partners, systems, software, platforms — all those decisions can push the organization forward, or set it back if the wrong ones are made. Can you give us a high-level view — not your secret sauce — of how you make those decisions?

Craig Richardville:
Sure. I think it comes down to a few key factors. First and foremost, your partner has to be competent. You can check Gartner’s Magic Quadrant or KLAS rankings — if they’re in the top 3–5, they’re likely competent. Then it’s about fit. Do they align with your culture? Are they a true partner — or are they just here to make a sale? That fit is critical. I’ve always said, if someone meets me and the first thing they realize is that I’m the CIO, I’ve failed. First and foremost, I’m a senior executive of the health system. I just happen to bring a CIO toolset to the table. It’s the same with a partner — they should feel like part of your team. People shouldn’t even be able to tell if they’re internal or external. They should know your corporate goals, your values, your behavior expectations. That’s when you know it’s a real fit.

Larry Kaiser:
That’s good insight. And again, being a relationship-driven industry — if you’re not a partner first, you’re just a vendor. And if you’re just a vendor, you’re not going to be successful. I really appreciate that insight. You’ve answered all my questions, which is great. Do you have anything else you’d like to add before we sign off today?

Craig Richardville:
Just two final points, and you touched on both. One is this idea of “leaders growing leaders.” Think of yourself as a professional parent. As a real parent, the biggest pride comes when your kids outgrow you — and all three of mine have. It’s the same professionally. When someone you mentored takes a seat that you yourself could’ve filled — that’s an amazing feeling. The second point is about learning. Once you think you know it all, it’s time to hang it up. I consider myself a student for life. I’m always learning, always applying what I hear and see. Those two takeaways — grow others and keep learning — that’s the heart of it. Thanks for taking the time with me, Larry.

Larry Kaiser:
Thank you, Craig. That about does it for us today here at Visionary Voices. I’d like to thank my guest Craig Richardville for joining us and talking through the role of the CIO. I definitely learned a lot — some really solid takeaways there. And to our listeners, thanks for tuning in to this episode of Visionary Voices, powered by Optimum Healthcare IT. And remember: The future of healthcare starts with a vision. We’ll catch you next time on Visionary Voices.