CIOs are still running to keep up with the latest technology, but these C-suite leaders shouldn’t spread themselves too thin by overlooking basic functionality in the pursuit of pure innovation.
That advice comes from Jay Ferro, chief information officer for the American Cancer Society, detailing how the position of CIO has changed, at MedCity News’ CONVERGE conference in Philadelphia Wednesday.
“I think the role of the CIO, historically it was a back-office function,” he said. “And that certainly is not the case today. I think CIOs, most have to be not just the CIO but the chief innovation, chief infomatics and chief information.”
Equally important, he said, is a positive working relationship within the organization. In the case of American Cancer Society, it meant a strong collaboration with the chief marketing officer in order to get both goals and expectations on the same page.
“The CIO now has to be a convener, a collaborator,” he said. “There’s a lot of knowledge sharing – shared goals and shared outcomes within the organization.”
Any CIO has to have reasonable expectations of what they or the organization can achieve, he said, and it’s important not to over-promise, even if innovation is a CIO’s top priority.
“To me its all about transparency and shared strategic vision – CIOS have to be very honest about what they can and cannot do, and cannot be afraid to partner outside of the organization,” he said. “Technology is changing faster than you can ever adapt to, so you have to be willing to look at the all the tools in your belt, like partnering with different firms.”
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
That’s where startups can come in, but they need to fully understand an organization’s challenges and not over-promise, Ferro said.
“Getting into a CIO’s head and understanding what’s important,” he said. “It’s not a mystery what a CIO is trying to do – it’s trying to keep all the plates spinning. As much as we want to focus on innovation, we have to maintain (existing) systems.”
Established organizations are often open to working with outside startups, but there are a host of questions that need to be addressed.
So how does a startup get noticed, and what does a CIO look for in seeking outside help?
“There is legitimate concern on whether or not a startup will be long-term,” he said. “If you’re trying to get a CIO’s attention, you should be brutally honest. Be transparent about finances. On the flip side, the CIO has to recognize that not everything will be perfect.”
“Massive customization” can be more of a hindrance than helpful, he said, given that a lot of companies are still maintaining legacy systems. Be willing to start a pilot project instead of thinking you can come in and completely revamp operations in a short time frame.
“I think what has been great for us is proof of concept and partnerships and pilots – let’s stand up an instance of this and let me show you the value,” he said.
What are his priorities as a CIO?
“Simplification, getting rid of duplication and sunsetting legacy systems,” he said. “We have to be mindful that we keep our focus on operations improvement and looking toward innovation.”
