Perhaps no industry has been hit harder by the great resignation than healthcare. And if qualified technology and clinical people aren’t quitting altogether, they’re being lured elsewhere by bigger paychecks and more flexibility.

That being considered, it may seem surprising that Hospital Sisters Health System, a 15-hospital network spanning multiple states, has made it a goal to grow 70 percent of leaders from inside the organization. If you look at the facts, however, it makes perfect sense. According to Ray Gensinger, MD, the IT team boasts the lowest turnover rate in the company, and the second-highest engagement scores.

Clearly, they’re doing something right, and it’s all about the people. HSHS prides itself on choosing individuals who are “compassionate” about patient care and willing to do hard work, said Gensinger. In a recent interview, he talked about what makes the organization unique (both in its makeup and vision), how he transitioned from CMIO to CIO, why support is such a critical part of implementations, and his thoughts on remote versus in-person work models.

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Key Takeaways

* Although there are myriad benefits to being a CIO, having “a high level of control” isn’t one of them. “You still have a lot of governance to work with and hurdles to go through from a budgetary perspective.”

* “When you’re a CMIO, you’re pitching clinical and safety.” Being a CIO means doing that while also being “able to give the very detailed financial value points.”

* The most important attributes in a future leader? Compassion and a willingness to listen. “If you’re talking, you’re not learning.”

* One way in which HSHS is battling the great resignation (which hit the organization hard last fall) is by growing leaders from within, starting with internships.

 

Q&A with Ray Gensinger, MD, Part 2 [Click here to view Part 1.]

Gamble:  So you were a CMIO prior to becoming a CIO. What was it like to make that transition?

Gensinger:  I’ll start with the short story. It really was a fantasy that there would be a higher level of control than in previous roles. I changed organizations in order to pursue that. And there are many things make me happier in the position I’m in, but the idea that there’s any more control is a fallacy. You still have governance to work with and hurdles to go through from a budgetary perspective. For example, you want to replace your secretary; well, it’s been a tough year, so you can’t. Or, you have 10 analysts — can’t you get the work done with 8 analysts and start cross-training them?

Interestingly, I went from being a CMIO reporting to the CIO, to, at my current organization, a CIO reporting to the chief financial officer. It’s not totally uncommon, but it took Mike Cottrell and I two years to have a level of confidence and trust where if I came in and said I needed something, he would back me up. I also had to learn how to pitch things to him.

When you’re the CMIO, you’re pitching clinical and safety. As CIO, you have to pitch clinical and safety while also giving a detailed picture of the financial value. In many ways, it improved my skillset tremendously. I’m definitely glad I did it.

 

Gamble:  What did it take to build that rapport with your CFO?

Gensinger:  You have to be able to pitch; and by that multimillion-dollar-initi...