Q&A with CIO Jamie Nelson, Part 1: “The Technology Is the Easy Part.”

It’s not about getting things done quickly; it’s about getting things done right. Doesn’t exactly sound like the type of statement one might expect from a leader in healthcare IT, one of the most rapidly changing industries in the world. And it certainly isn’t what one would expect from a CIO based in New York City, where everything seems to happen at the speed of light.

But for Jamie Nelson, who has amassed decades of experience leading successful IT teams, it’s never been about speed. Especially during the eight years she has spent with HSS, which has been ranked number 1 in orthopedics for 10 straight years, according to US News & World Report. Recently, she spoke with healthsystemCIO about the “slow, deliberate approach” her team has employed (and will continue to employ going forward) in adopting technology, and how they’re working to ensure a consistent experience as the organization expands. Nelson also talks about what it means to be a “pilot organization,” what HSS is doing to help curb opioid abuse, and why she believes promoting more diversity should be a priority for everyone — not just women.

Part 1:



* HSS’ growth to meet the “extremely high demand”

* Deliberate approach to expansion – “We want to provide the same experience.”

* IT’s role in planning

* “We’re thinking about what the requirements will be when that building opens.”

* Ongoing infrastructure assessments

* Consistency with IT support

* “Slowly walking” into telemedicine



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Bold Statements

We’re very thoughtful about how we open new facilities because we want to provide the same patient experience and the same level of clinical expertise that we do on our main campus.

We’re thinking about how to increase exposure to our services beyond our physical walls and beyond brick and mortar, and looking at digital solutions to really extend our reach. That’s our main focus from a hospital standpoint, and IT is helping to foster that.

Technology is changing so rapidly. We’re making our best guess to ensure that whatever we put in there is scalable and flexible so that as things change, we can change as well.

You have one chance to make an impression with your patients and with the community, and if you don’t get it right, it’s hard to rebuild that trust. And so our philosophy has been very deliberate and very thoughtful.

The technology is the easy part. The hard part is having physicians free up appointment slots to make telemedicine worth it, figuring out the reimbursement behind it, figuring out the support if a patient or a clinician has trouble logging in.

Gamble:  I know you have a lot going on, but let’s start by talking about what you consider to be the top initiatives on your plate right now.

Nelson:  IT or hospitals initiatives?

 

Gamble:  I’m sure there’s alignment there, but let’s talk about the hospital initiatives. There’s a lot of expansion happening, for one thing.

Nelson:  We just opened an ambulatory surgery facility in West Palm Beach. We’ve had a physical expansion strategy in the tri-state area, which includes New Jersey, Long Island, and Connecticut; this is our first expansion outside of the Greater New York area. We’re partnering with United Surgical Partners International, which is a subsidiary of Tenet. It’s a whole new venture for us. The outpatient facility is open, and we’re going to start doing surgeries shortly.

We’re very thoughtful about how we open new facilities because we want to provide the same customer/patient experience and the same level of clinical expertise that we do on our main campus. So it’s been a very thoughtful, long buildup to what I believe will be a really excellent addition. In fact,