To describe the current state of the healthcare CIO role, Jim Turnbull uses the military-inspired acronym VUCA: Volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Turnbull, CIO for University of Utah Health Care, says it's an "intense" time for hospital IT departments. As a result of the federal meaningful use incentive program, most have been busy with electronic health record (EHR) implementation. Most have hired outside help for this purpose as well. IT teams have had their heads down for the last three years, he says. "When they lifted up their heads, they realized the world had changed dramatically."
