Ken Lawonn, SVP & CIO, Sharp HealthCare, Chapter 3

To say that security has gained traction as a priority is quite an understatement. In fact, Ken Lawonn gets more questions about security from his CEO and board than any other topic. And so it should come as no surprise that Sharp has changed its entire approach, creating an IT risk management department and recruiting its first CISO. In this interview, Lawonn talks about the rapid evolution of Sharp’s security strategy, how the organization looks to leverage its managed care expertise to thrive in the population health world, and his thoughts on integration — including what his team is currently doing to provide a unified view of data, and how this plan may change in the future. He also discusses what it was like to go from being the acquiring party at Alegent Health to being acquired, why he made the move to San Diego, and what it’s been like to fill Bill Spooner’s shoes.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3



* 13 years with Alegent Health

* Epic selection process

* Learning the business during M&A — “It helped me to be better leader.”

* National standardization vs local integration

* Filling Bill Spooner’s shoes — “Could I really continue to build on the legacy?”

* Learn and understand first



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Bold Statements

We went through an evaluation there and decided to move Epic, so I had the chance to evaluate and move down the path of trying to build out something with one partner and then having to make the difficult decision to switch and go to an integrated solution.

It was really helpful to understand the strategy and business perspectives, and to try to balance the need for controls that IT was always trying to put in place, and standardization, along with the need to be innovative and to provide services.

As we look at the continued consolidation in the healthcare space, you always have to look at what’s in the best interest of trying to leverage scale and efficiencies versus what’s in the best interest of providing a good integrated service and solution as we become more and more judged in a consumerized model.

My style when I went to Alegent and when I was coming here was these are great organizations that are doing some great things. Your objective is to come in and learn, and before you start making decisions, make sure you really understand the implications.

You have these initiatives you want to move along, but you have to be patient enough to make sure you work through the cultures. I think it’s always a challenge to understand how are decisions made — who do you need to engage? You could have the greatest idea in the world, but how do you make sure you’re talking to right people?

Gamble:  You’ve been with Sharp since early 2014, correct?

Lawonn:  Yes, about 22 months.

Gamble:  So then before that, you spent awhile at what was then Alegent Health?

Lawonn:  I spent 13 years at what was Alegent Health, which became Alegent Creighton Health when we acquired Creighton Medical Associates and Creighton University Medical Center. And then as I was leaving, it was acquired by CHI and now it’s called actually CHI Health. But it was an integrated delivery system in Omaha, Nebraska. I spent 13 years there.

Gamble:  And that covered a really interesting period as far as the changes in going to electronic, I’m guessing.

Lawonn:  It really did. We went through some pretty significant strategies and different changes. When I got to Alegent, it had been formed through a joint operating agreement of two small syste...