When healthcare systems fail, lives are on the line. That’s why CIOs can’t just be operational—they must lead.

In this episode of Go Beyond the Connection, Julie Dearinger-Smith, Founder & CEO at Contingency Health Solutions, discusses how CIO leadership in healthcare resilience is reshaping patient safety, business continuity, and cross-functional alignment.

Julie brings 25+ years of experience in nursing informatics and IT leadership to the conversation, revealing why the CIO is no longer a behind-the-scenes tech role. Instead, today’s CIO is a strategic partner, capable of translating complex systems into boardroom decisions—and helping entire health systems plan for the unexpected.

Key takeaways:

• A resilient network starts with contingency planning, not just infrastructure.
• Wireless must be strong enough to be invisible.
• Leadership must ensure technology is adopted—not just implemented.
• Downtime is inevitable. Preparation reduces its impact.
• Cross-functional trust creates true resilience.

Julie emphasizes that people—not just platforms—create stability. “Even the best technology is completely useless if it isn’t adopted,” she says.

• 🎧 Go Beyond The Connection
• 📖 Read the blog recap
• ▶️ Watch more episodes
• 📬 Subscribe on LinkedIn
• 👤 Guest on LinkedIn: Julie Dearinger-Smith
• 🏥 Guest Company: Contingency Health Solutions