Women in HIT Leadership, Part 4: A Call to Action

Women and men are inherently different.

Men are better negotiators, more confident, and more likely to take risks. Women, on the other hand, are better team players and are more mission-driven.

We’ve heard these sentiments so many times — and for so long — that they’ve become widely accepted as facts. The reality, according to a Harvard Business Review, is that there are differences between men and women. “But they’re not rooted in fixed gender traits,” it states. “Rather, they stem from organizational structures, company practices, and patterns of interaction that position men and women differently, creating systematically different experiences for them.”

In other words, the reason women occupy fewer leadership roles in fields like healthcare IT is more about nurture, and less about nature. It can be a very discouraging thing to hear. But it also can be inspiring, according to Women in Health IT Leadership panelists, who believe it’s time to move past the (justified) anger many women feel and work to forge change.

Recently we spoke with three influential women about the challenges they’ve faced in their careers, what they consider to be core competencies for female leaders, and why diverse representation is so critical in today’s environment. The panelists — Sarah Richardson, California Market CIO, Healthcare Partners; Julie Bonello, CIO, Rush Health; and Tressa Springmann, CIO, LifeBridge Health — also share their thoughts on how to encourage a healthy work/life balance, how to build a safe culture, why mentoring matters so much, and the discussion that needs to happen on a wider scale.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4



* M&A reality – “I don’t see female CIOs getting the top jobs.”

* Calling on professional associations to further the discussion

* Benefits of the “female mindset of entrepreneurship”

* Job satisfaction – “It allows us to do greater things.”

* Moving past the anger

* “We want the role because we’ve earned it.”

* Looking ahead: “We need to lead with grace and safety and equity.”



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Bold Statements

I believe some of the technical complexities that have come to the advent with telehealth and cybersecurity really require the rigor of a technologist and a leader, at least in the CIO role.

The purpose behind blockchain is to protect what’s yours — that really takes more of a female mindset of entrepreneurialism. ‘Why do you do that? What’s the purpose behind it?’ It’s interesting to find a space where women have a greater footprint.

It’s really how we’re not separate — how we really need to combine all the perspectives and embrace all the different capabilities so that we have the right kind of leadership in our organizations.

We’re not just talking about it, we’re bringing solutions and ideas forward. We’re talking about it and we’re acting on it. When you bring these things together with individuals who should have a shared purpose, you really do start to see amazing things come out of that.

Springmann:  I absolutely agree with the optimism expressed by the other speakers, but I actually see something different happening specific ...