Contributed Content
Interview with: Kristin Darby, Chief Information Officer, Cancer Treatment Centers of America by marcus evans
“Chief Information Officers (CIOs) should always keep the consumer at the center of their decision-making process and lead from a business strategic perspective,” advises Kristin Darby, Chief Information Officer, Cancer Treatment Centers of America. “In healthcare, CIOs are pivotal right now in the transition the industry is undergoing, primarily because of how patient expectations are changing. Consumer preferences will be one of the largest disruptors,” she explains.
Darby is a speaker at the marcus evans Chief Information Officer Summit 2016 in Los Angeles, California, June 27-28.
What value can CIOs bring to their organizations?
The CIO has become much more of a business partner than a service delivery executive. The focus on technology is increasing more than ever, and with that the role of the CIO as someone who is at the table to drive the organization and better understand what consumers want, while leveraging technology to enable different types of business transformations that have not been possible in the past.
What innovative technologies can they use to drive better outcomes?
In the area of cancer care, technology is the way to unveil new treatment options that are multiplying within the world of precision medicine. As we map the human genome, the rate of discovery around an individual’s biology is increasing so fast that physicians can no longer keep up in traditional ways.
The Physician’s role today is more one of a coach who guides the patient through understanding available options based on the analysis of his or her particular disease.
How can they leverage big data?
In healthcare, CIOs can develop a datadriven culture that results in large datasets of similar patients. These statistically significant samples of patient populations can help us better understand behaviors, compliance and secondary effects of treatment plans. Big data is guiding patient care in ways that were not possible in the past.
Why must CIOs think of patients as consumers? What lessons do you have for all CIOs?
We always consider how patients value particular services and processes before we offer them. Patient expectations and the types of services they value have changed dramatically with the shift to digital. We must continue to challenge old ways of approaching our consumers and ensure our value proposition still provides the offerings that our patients value.
A large consumer-led disruption is occurring around scheduling medical appointments and accessing healthcare. The expectation is shifting from “when can a doctor see me?” to “Which physician near me has an appointment at the most convenient time and with a performance rating and price point that meets my needs?”
This will become the norm in a few years, but at the moment physician offices are accustomed to controlling the intake process.
CIOs need to educate their physicians and ensure they are putting the right technologies and talent in place to transition to a consumer-led technology platform that maximizes patient empowerment and engagement.
The Chief Information Officer Summit is the premium forum bringing leading IT executives and solution providers together. The Summit offers an intimate environment for a focused discussion of key new drivers shaping information technology. Taking place at The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey, Los Angeles, California, June 27-28, 2016, the Summit includes presentations on the next generation of CIO leaders, data breaches and security, staying ahead of user convenience trends and mastering big data.
