Like many leadership positions in healthcare, the role of the CNIO is constantly evolving. Whereas in the past, the conversations revolved primarily around workflow, now it’s about being a “thought leader” — someone who can help influence decisions as organization delve further into digital transformation.

And while this certainly requires a deeper skillset than in the past, one criterion has remained the same: the ability to listen. As leaders are learning, moving the needle forward with value-based care and creating a better experience for both patients and providers can’t happen without building buy-in. And that, according to Brian Norris, means taking the time to truly understand pain points and explain why metrics are being collected — and how they will be used. “There’s a lot of low-hanging fruit in terms of optimization.”

During a recent interview, Norris talked about how his team is leveraging data to help improve ease of use and reduce burnout; the challenges leaders face in meeting the changing needs of consumers; the non-traditional path that led him to the CNIO role; and his bold prediction for the future.

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Key Takeaways:

* One of the most important functions of the CNIO is to act as a bridge between clinical and IT. “My role is to hear what you need and help translate that back.”

* Norris predicts that in the coming years, automation will play a large role in nursing. “Whether it’s via virtual nursing or robotics, we’re looking at what tasks we can take off the plate of frontline nurses.”

* Collecting data is information, but what’s even more critical is “asking why we’re collecting this information and who is actually utilizing it” can produce tangible results in reducing the burden.

* “My goal has always been to impact patients. In the ICU, I could impact two patients at a time. As an informaticist, I can impact thousands of patients.”

* As organizations delve further into digital transformation, the triad leadership of the CIO, CMIO and CNIO need to be “working in concert to help drive forward.”

Q&A with Brian Norris, CNIO, IU Health, Part 2 [Click here to view Part 1]

Gamble:  What’s your relationship with the CNO? How does that work?

Norris:  I have a lot of CNO customers. At IU Health, we have a chief nursing executive and two associate chief nursing executives at the system level. Within each of our facilities, we have at least one CNO — some also have associate chief nursing officers — and we also have regional CNOs. Each one of them is a customer.

In my informatics group, we have about 80 informaticists across IU Health that work every day with them, as well as our physician leaders, to help advance our clinical workflow and practice.

Being the first CNIO here, I feel very fortunate to be part of that nursing leadership team. And so, while my role isn’t always as focused as theirs is on staffing or some of the nursing operations, I still get the opportunity to sit and listen to some of the challenges that they face. And then I can go back to the technology side and translate that back to folks that might be able to come up with solutions for those problems. I think it’s imperative no matter what role CNIOs play, that they are hyperconnected, not only with their CNO but their CME and their operational leadership.

 

Gamble:  So there’s somewhat of a bridge effect to what you do...