Leadership lessons learned from James T. Kirk

March 12, 2012 by MassDevice

It's truly hard for healthcare CIOs to understand the needs of their customers. It helps to be a clinician or partner with a CMIO. The best way to truly understand the strengths and weaknesses of your IT organization is to use the applications you purchase or create, "Eating your own dog food". This requires leaving the comfort of your office and spending your day in the field. I spend less than an hour a day sitting at my desk - my office is wherever my laptop and iPhone reside.

4. Play Poker, Not Chess

It's important to take educated risks. I bet on the web for healthcare in 1996. Transforming organizations with healthcare information exchange in support evolving accountable care organizations, patient centered medical homes, and global payment is the right thing to do.

5. Blow up the Enterprise

Every organization has peaks and valleys. Goliaths fall and Davids rise. In my own career, I've experienced the perfect storm of innovation that results in revolutionary rather than evolutionary change. Sometimes its clear that an organization should exit certain businesses, downsize and divest to ready itself for the next phase of growth. Being the best "buggy whip" manufacturer is not a sustainable strategy.

Thanks Alex for a great article. In the early days of Meaningful Use work a graphic appeared labeling Dr. David Blumenthal as Kirk, Dr. John Glaser as Spock and me as Bones. It's an honor to be considered part of that crew!

In addition to his CIO role at BIDMC, Dr. Halamka blogs at GeekDoctor.blogspot.com.