Becker's Speaker Series: 4 questions with Rush Health's CIO, Julie A. Bonello, CHCIO

Julie A. Bonello, CHCIO, serves as Chief Information Officer for Rush Health. 

On Thursday, September 21, Julie Bonello will speak on a panel at Becker's Hospital Review 3rd Annual Health IT + Revenue Cycle Conference. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference, which will take place September 21 through September 23 in Chicago.

To learn more about the conference and Julie's session, click here.

Question: Looking at your IT budget, what is one item or expense that has surprised you in terms of ROI? How so?

Bonelleo Julie headshot

Julie Bonello:We implemented a private health information exchange to provide complete patient data to our members, clinical affiliates and payers. Interoperability implementations, including the use of data standards and a private HIE supporting new care delivery workflows for value-based care, is very new. And as a consequence, the value proposition and ROI model is new.

Q: Finding top tech talent is always a challenge. Say a CIO called you up today to ask for an interview question that would distinguish the best candidates from the mid- to low-performers. What question do you suggest he or she ask?

JB: You have to know your organization, but for ours, I would ask an applicant to share what they have done when facing a problem standing in the way of success. I look for passion, active learning and an ability to excel with work that predominantly resides in the Innovation and Early Adopter phases of the Technology Adoption Curve. We are an innovative organization working with our members to provide a technology and analytics environment, and support care model redesign for value-based care. Self-directed, results-oriented employees who have passion and an entrepreneurial spirit excel in our organization.

Q: We spend a lot of timing talking about the exciting innovation modernizing healthcare. It's also helpful to acknowledge what we've let go of. What is one form of technology, one process or one idea that once seemed routine to you but is now endangered if not extinct? What existed in your organization 2-5 years ago but not anymore?

JB: Our clinically integrated network negotiates and manages the payer contracts. As our contracts transition from fee-for-service to value-based care our business, services, structure, people, processes and technology are shifting from financial performance to a robust performance model monitoring the quality, resource utilization, patient engagement, provider engagement and financial performance aligned with a care delivery model across the continuum. We have developed a care model redesign methodology that drives our new processes, systems and technology strategies. These changes did not exist five years ago.

Q: Tell us about the last time you were truly, wildly amazed by technology. What did you see?

JB: Using an integrated technology approach to help transform a consumer-driven care delivery model that moves care into the home and places control with the patient. I am amazed at new methodologies merging process redesign with innovative technology deployment for agile delivery system transformation. Interoperable technology tools that work together to support care coordination across the continuum for our patients and all members of the care team.

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