CIO Recession Survival Skills

There are two camps of technology leaders in healthcare. Chief information officers who are focused on more than technology (such as operations, construction, and strategic planning) versus IT directors who are exclusively focused on technology.

The CIOs who focus beyond technology are often the IT leaders who are part of the CEOs inner circle and a valuable member of the senior leadership team. They have demonstrated that they bring knowledge and a skill set to help the organization realize its overall business and clinical goals. The recession combined with the government's focus on health information technology has created a great opportunity for IT directors who are ready for more responsibility and an expanded role in the organization. Healthcare facilities are searching for ways to be more efficient and improve clinical outcomes and technology can play a huge role in improving hospital operations, which is the goal right now for many senior leaders. Surviving this recession in a manner that they can be successful on the other side.

A report by Scottsdale, AZ-based Carefx, the "Changing Role of the Healthcare CIO: Expanded Responsibilities in an Era of Economic Constraints" offers insight from five chief information officers on how to not only survive during a recession, but how to advance your career. Here's a sampling of the advice provided.

Understand how the economy affects your job. It is essential to demonstrate that you understand the big picture—how the recession is impacting the organization and that you are willing to help and contribute, even if that means putting a favorite IT project on hold. It's also the perfect opportunity to showcase what skills you have as a leader by driving efficiency and staying current on IT innovations that can help the organization save money or improve care. During the past several months, many hospitals have been forced to lay off staff members, a large portion of whom were from the administrative offices. Organizations are cutting back on the number of executives they have so it is essential for IT leaders to demonstrate that they can take on more than technology projects.

Emulate C-suite executives. IT leaders should ensure that their staff members know the organization's strategic goals by keeping them updated about its milestones and future projects. Portraying the role you wish to have is an important step in gaining the trust of and being viewed as a senior leader. For instance, CIOs should demonstrate skills in strategic thinking and planning, listening, communication and even empathy. How can IT leaders demonstrate these skills? By helping keep staff members calm in troubled times, fulfilling the role of a business enabler, operational driver, service leader, visionary and people motivator. Empowering people is how you can get the long term results the organization needs to be successful.

Focus on the whole organization. Identify ways that IT can help the organization run more efficiently. Are you deeply involved in strategic planning, so that you can help ensure goals and objectives are being adequately evaluated and met? CIOs also need to be able to empathize with the clinical and business processes of the organization. Put yourself in the shoes of the people who do the work and imagine you are running the business, the report advises.

Choose a CMIO who knows the physicians well. Chief medical information officers need to understand clinicians and be viewed as a trusted advocate on their behalf. They also need to be candid with clinicians and able to communicate what is and isn't possible when it comes to technology.

Optimize workflow in an electronic environment. Organizations need to make the transition to a paperless environment as soon as possible. The funding for HIT in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has made this transition even more urgent if organizations want to claim their share of stimulus funds. Having both paper and electronic systems does not work. It is the CIOs responsibility to transition to and leverage electronic medical records as quickly as possible. That means CIOs need to be able to articulate how technology can enable business and improve patient safety and quality by improving care delivery processes. CIOs need to relate to stakeholders that have varied levels of technological experience. It is important for them to avoid terminology and nuances of technology that staff members won't understand.

Embrace the seriousness of clinical IT implementation. CIOs should recognize the enormous changes that they are asking clinicians to make by switching from a paper-based system to a paperless environment. It is a fundamental change in care delivery and physicians need to completely alter the way they practice medicine. IT leaders should acknowledge what a huge undertaking this is and involve various stakeholders to make the transition as seamless as possible.

Look ahead. CIOs should be able to articulate a vision of the future and how technology fits into that vision, so senior executives and staff members want to help achieve that vision of the future. To accomplish that goal in the current economy means that CIOs will need to excel at doing more with less and prioritizing the projects that are the most important to the organizations overall strategy and performance.

IT leaders who can master these skills and make themselves an invaluable member of the team will not only have job security during this difficult time, but they can also become a valuable member of the senior leadership team.