CIO status rising as health IT projects become central

With state and federal legislators, employers and health plans clamoring to see health organizations adopt more and better health IT, the status of CIOs who must get the job done has risen, according to one executive recruiter. 

In particular, with everyone from President Bush to local leaders pushing health systems to adopt EMRs, hospital boards have been looking to CIOs for strategic leadership, according to Bonnie Siegel, vice president of CEJKA Search's Healthcare IT Practice. Meanwhile, some hospitals and health systems are upgrading their director of IT position to a CIO slot, especially hospitals with 200 to 500 beds, she said.

With the new level of esteem and influence comes new responsibilities, including a need for the CIO to be a highly effective communicator who works well with stakeholders across the hospital. Meanwhile, given its critical nature, hospitals are doing more to support the CIO, adding positions like Chief Medical Information Office, Director of Medical Informatics or Chief Nursing Office to the CIO's team, she said.

To learn more about this trend:
- read this Healthcare IT News piece

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