VIDEO | Innovation Isn’t Just About Technology — MedOne Healthcare Partners CIO

(US and Canada) Brian Shea, Chief Information Officer, MedOne Healthcare Partners, and Interim Chief Information Officer of Lexington Clinic, speaks with Patrick Haller, VP of Sales and Marketing at Computer Products Corp (CPC), in a video interview about technology as an innovation facilitator, leveraging digital transformation to provide better care, maintaining a competitive advantage, custom application development, measuring progress, and having guardrails in place.

Shea begins by stating that innovation is not just about technology; it is instead about the process of thinking differently. In healthcare it includes thinking about new changes, finding operational efficiencies, and managing the patient experience, he adds. In his approach, he focuses on finding ways to make the process for providers easier, increasing the quality of care, and utilizing data to help inform decisions. Ultimately, being innovative means thinking differently about things and leveraging technology to facilitate them, he explains.

Speaking about digital transformation, Shea remarks that "any change is digital transformation," emphasizing that it ultimately depends on the scope of the transformation. He then expands on the concept of digital transformation, positing that it may include a jumpstart, such as leveraging technology for an organization.

Moving forward, Shea indicates that technology transformation is essential to maintaining relevance and competitiveness among organizations. He maintains that looking for a competitive advantage and working smarter are the keys to the optimum utilization of technology to increase organizational efficiency. He also suggests shifting the tech stack as a part of digital transformation as it can help the organization operate more effectively.

Shea reiterates that MedOne Healthcare Partners has been fortunate enough to have a technologist and provider at its core. He highlights the need to assess if changes make financial sense before implementing them. Additionally, he reveals that the leadership team meets regularly to determine their business and IT strategies. He believes business and IT should not be two separate silos but rather entwined for the best results and reckons that MedOne has taken the necessary steps to achieve this.

Furthermore, Shea states that his leadership style involves being transparent and delivering results in a way that is relevant to the IT leadership team. To do this, he creates scorecards with red, yellow, and green color codes so that everyone knows where the organization stands.

In addition, he believes that the organization has attained a greater ability in recent years to showcase the tangible return on investment (ROI) from its custom application development. He stresses finding a balance between having guardrails in place to curb excessive expenditure while also maintaining innovation and change.

Speaking about measuring progress, Shea states that if a project is a board-approved type of initiative, it drives more attention. Moreover, the organization generally employs a phased approach to report on money spent, the definition and cost associated with the project, and security standards. Ideally, the best outcome is not to find oneself on the news regarding a security breach, he says.

Next, Shea sheds light on having the right technology, people, and processes in place when it comes to security. He sets objectives to ensure people are aware and able to take notice of any potential threats and have prevention measures in place. He affirms that the healthcare system is undergoing a massive transformation due to technological advancements. Consumers, driven by the expectation of convenience, now demand a healthcare delivery experience as simple as ordering a pizza.

In conclusion, Shea notes that healthcare systems, practices, and private equity firms must leverage technology to be relevant, providing better care and value for their customers. The goal is to deliver quality, effective, and cost-efficient healthcare.

CDO Magazine appreciates Brian Shea for sharing his insights with our global community.