Q&A with CIO Nader Mherabi, Part 2: “There’s So Much More We Can Do.”

The CIO role hasn’t merely evolved; it’s become “a lot more complicated than it used to be,” says Nader Mherabi, “because it’s multifaceted.” Whereas in the past, the focus was largely on applications and infrastructure — two extremely important concepts — now, CIOs are helping to set the strategy for the organization.

But with that added responsibility comes greater expectations, whether it’s being able to convey the critical role technology plays in patient care, stretch dollars, or command the respect of senior leadership. It is, in some ways, an entirely different set of skills that what was required even a decade ago. To Mherabi, however, it’s a welcome change, particularly when you’re part of an organization that’s moving the needle with digital health and pushing the limits with artificial intelligence.

Recently, healthsystemCIO spoke with Mherabi, who services as CIO and Vice Dean at NYU Langone Health, about the work his team is doing to create “one patient, one record” across the system, what it takes to establish a foundation for digital health, and how leaders can foster innovation. We also talked about the enormous potential (and biggest misconceptions) of AI, his soft spot for applications, and the skills CIOs will need going forward.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2



* 10-year digital health journey

* Providing the “same technology experience” in every location

* Optimizing Google search to improve patient experience

* “Innovation is everyone’s business.”

* AI as “another tool” in the clinicians’ arsenal

* NYU Langone’s regional focus

* Evolving CIO role: “You have to be at the table. You can’t be an afterthought.”



LISTEN NOW USING THE PLAYER BELOW OR CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR iTUNES PODCAST FEED

Bold Statements

We also have folks whose job is to ask, ‘What does the patient want?’ We did a lot of market research. We talked to patients, we talked to families, and we talked to our clinicians. We did a lot of work to figure out the areas we want to focus on, and it has paid dividends.

We tell people, ‘Everyone has the power to innovate. Go innovate. Think of better ways to do things.’ But it’s important to create a channel for good ideas. I believe how you foster innovation is more important than actually creating those titles or groups.

It’s not going to replace people. And it’s not just for clinicians and scientists. We think this technology can help other staff and workforce become could be more efficient and add insight into the type of work they’re doing.

Every 12 to 15 months, you have to reinvent your role, and you have to be connected to the institution’s priorities. You have to be at the table with leadership to help shape those priorities.

Gamble:  As far as being able to provide digital health services, is that something that was years in the making?

Mherabi:  Digital health is something we’ve been working on for the past 10 years. We had to do so much to become paperless. Everything is thought through; whether you go into a hospital or an ambulatory practice, you experience technology the same way. We have palm recognition technology we put in nine years ago. A lot of these foundational things are 10 years in the making. But with patient experience, we’ve had an accelerated focus during the past two years, because the technology allows us to do that. For example, wireless is improving; having 5G would improve it further.

We’ve focused a lot on patient and family experience, from the time they engage with us to the time they come to our facility — even when they’re hospitalized.