Q&A with Tom Andriola, Part 1: “We Want to Be Seen as a Source of Truth.”

As technology becomes more strategic to the mission of an organization — especially in the areas of research, education, and patient care — information technology needs to be represented at the cabinet level. In fact, discussions about data-driven innovations that can transform care delivery must involve CIOs from the start, said Tom Andriola. That was precisely the thinking at UC Irvine, where last fall he was named Vice Chancellor of IT and Data, after having served as CIO for both UC Irvine Health and the University of California system for six years. Now, the CIOs of UC’s six health systems report up to Andriola, who likens his role to that of a conductor whose focus is to “get the band to play together,” even though they have their own instruments.

Never has it been so important for the different sections of UC Health to harmonize than in the past few weeks, as the organization has banded together to create and implement a COVID-19 response. During a recent interview, Andriola talked about how the “dynamic environment” has shifted his priorities, why he believes virtual care should become “the new norm,” and the incredible opportunity organizations have to help educate the community.

Key points:



* Named UC Irvine’s first vice chancellor

* “The growing strategic role of technology and data is transforming the way we think.”

* Vision to become a “source of truth” for the community

* Ramping up telehealth incrementally

* Resistance to technology enablement – “Some of those barriers are melting away.”

* Relaxation of HIPAA rules

* Virtual care becoming “the norm, not a one-time event.”

* Public health risks w/ residents & med students



LISTEN HERE USING THE PLAYER BELOW OR SUBSCRIBE THROUGH YOUR FAVORITE PODCASTING SERVICE. 



Bold Statements

The way I’ve approached the CIO role over the course of my career has been very much about trying to add more strategic input into the conversation. For the organization, it’s a recognition that they need this role to be involved in every conversation, from the beginning.

Why is it important from the standpoint of ensuring that we reduce the number of deaths that we have? Because flattening the curve is not just about trying to stop people from dying from the virus; it also is about trying to not overwhelm the health system.

There’s always resistance — why are we doing this? Why do I need to change? Some of those barriers are melting away. But it doesn’t necessarily stop the barriers in trying to really understand how do we integrate this into the workflow of the clinician? Who are the real users we’re trying to create these interactions with?

A large residential community at a university is a lot more like a cruise ship than we’d like to admit. You have people living in close quarters, people sharing living spaces, maybe even bathrooms. There’s an inability to create social distancing.

Gamble:  I wanted to talk first a bit about your role as Vice Chancellor of Information Technology and Data. You’ve been with the organization since 2019, having previously held the CIO role. Can you talk about what your new position entails?

Andriola:  Sure. Just for some context, UC Irvine is a public research university, which includes an academic medical center. When you look across the university — and not just the healthcare component, but the way we’re educating students and doing research — the growing strategic role of technology and data is transforming the way we think about delivering on the mission of the university. The leadership at Irvine decided they needed a cabinet level role to be part of th...