Focusing on Patient Care Can Help IT Leaders Weather the Job’s Sometimes Painful Challenges

Nobody likes change. Unfortunately for CIOs, that means they’re rarely the most popular people in the building. For Dr. Zafar Chaudry, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital and Information Officer at Seattle Children’s, decades of experience has taught him that keeping the patient in mind goes a long way to staying positive. But it still can be a lonely proposition at times.

Scroll down to watch or listen to the full interview; or subscribe to healthsystemCIO on your favorite podcasting channel

During a recent conversation, he shed light on his journey, the challenges of leading change, and the unwavering focus on the mission of patient care.

From Physician to IT Leader: A Career in Transformation

Dr. Chaudry began his professional journey as a physician, but an early fascination with technology in the 1990s led him to a transformative career pivot. At a time when few clinicians ventured into the tech realm, he embraced the opportunity to address systemic inefficiencies in healthcare through technology.

This adaptability has defined his nearly four-decade career, during which he has worked in health systems across geographies and specialties. His role, however, has remained consistent: driving transformation. “I’ve found myself being hired to bring in change,” he said. “It’s about identifying what’s broken—whether it’s systems, processes, or cost inefficiencies—and fixing them. But that doesn’t make you popular.”

Indeed, being a change agent is challenging and often isolating. As Dr. Chaudry explained, “You don’t wake up every day wanting to be unpopular. But you have to think about what’s right for the health system, not just what’s comfortable for individuals.”

The Role of Change Agents in Healthcare IT

Healthcare IT leaders are no longer just operational overseers. The modern CIO is a transformative force, aligning technology initiatives with organizational strategy and delivering measurable outcomes. Dr. Chaudry described this evolution: “The CIO has gone from keeping the lights on and managing data centers to implementing and optimizing systems, and now to driving innovation with cloud computing and AI. If we don’t evolve, then who are we really?”

For Dr. Chaudry, being a CIO in 2024 means embracing the role of a change agent. This requires resilience and an unrelenting focus on the organization’s mission. “You have to believe in what you’re trying to achieve. Even when you take blows, you must keep going, focused on the true north,” he emphasized.

He also noted that being a change agent involves consistent communication, sometimes repeating the same message multiple times to gain traction. “The first step in the 12-step program is admitting you have a problem,” he joked. “And that’s really hard to do in any organization.”

Bridging Technology and Patient Care

One of the most critical roles of healthcare IT is ensuring that technology serves the broader mission of patient care. At Seattle Children’s, which serves pediatric patients across Washington, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho, this mission is paramount. Dr. Chaudry articulated the connection: “Everyone in this team is supporting the mission of their organization, even if they’re just fixing a server. If the server doesn’t work, systems can’t be accessed, and that impacts patient care.”

The stakes in pediatric healthcare amplify the importance of this work. “I’ve seen children with cancer in excruciating pain smile through it all. Their courage reminds us why we’re here,” Dr. Chaudry shared. This direct connection between IT operations and patient outcomes underscores the unique nature of healthcare IT and the profound responsibility borne by its leaders.

Managing Resistance and Building Buy-In

Transformational leadership in healthcare IT is as much about people as it is about technology. Change, particularly in healthcare, often meets resistance,