For years, hospital chief information officers were seen as the people who kept the lights blinking on the servers in the basement. Today, CIOs say that perception no longer reflects the scope or strategic importance of their work.
“Many still see the CIO as a back-office technologist,” Jordan Ruch, CIO of Atlantic City, N.J.-based AtlantiCare, told Becker’s. “We’ve moved from the basement—keeping servers running—to the boardroom and the bedside, where the mandate is growth, safety, and workforce experience.”
He added that the modern CIO’s value comes from “understanding the business, sitting with operators and clinicians, and ensuring new capabilities are integrated, governed, and measured.”
Across health systems, leaders emphasized the role’s strategic weight. Susan Ibanez, chief information officer for Brunswick-based Southeast Georgia Health System, told Becker’s CIOs are not merely “task level”; they are strategic partners who support the strategic plan and vision of the organization.
In rural healthcare, the responsibilities often multiply. Darrell Bodnar, CIO at Whitefield, N.H.-based North Country Healthcare, said the CIO role has evolved “far beyond technology management. It is an enterprise leadership role that blends strategy, operations, and culture.”
“In many settings, today’s rural CIO is also the CTO, a guardian of compliance, a financial steward, and a quality advocate, often serving as a connector across every corner of the organization,” he told Becker’s. “The greatest misconception about the CIO role is that it’s purely technical, when in truth, it’s deeply human and strategic. Technology can amplify excellence, but it can’t replace leadership, alignment, or culture.”
James Wellman, vice president and CIO of Gloversville, N.Y.-based Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home, said executives still sometimes view CIOs as “… just a technology leader” when “we are, and should be, much more.”
“The role now spans digital transformation, data-driven strategy, and clinical integration,” he told Becker’s. “Operational efficiency is a key driver for modern CIOs as we seek to improve financial and clinical outcomes. I think this is one of the most exciting times for CIOs as we impact patient care, financial sustainability, and innovation.”
Effectiveness hinges on crossing disciplines, said Tressa Springmann, senior vice president and chief digital and information officer of Baltimore-based LifeBridge Health.
“Effectiveness relies upon a knowledge of both the industry and the technology (not one or the other),” she told Becker’s.
As healthcare continues to grapple with tighter margins, organizations are looking to technology to solve challenges across quality, safety and workforce retention. CIOs say their work is no longer about systems alone — it’s about strategy, culture and leadership at every level.
