Forbes named two health system technology executives, from MedStar Health and AtlantiCare, to its 2026 CIO Next List, published Nov. 11.
Now in its seventh year, the list spotlights 25 technology leaders across industries who are reshaping their organizations in the era of agentic AI. Forbes solicited nominations, researched candidates and reviewed hundreds of names, prioritizing executives with recent, measurable results. The list is not ranked.
The two from health systems are, according to the report:
— Scott MacLean. Senior Vice President and CIO of MedStar Health (Columbia, Md.): Mr. MacLean leads IT for the $10 billion, 10-hospital system, which runs more than 300 care facilities across Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. His team of more than 500 manages a network of over 100,000 medical devices and recently began supporting advanced robotic surgeries. He is now working to reduce the number of digital tools in use and simplify daily workflows for physicians and caregivers.
— Jordan Ruch. Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer of AtlantiCare (Atlantic City, N.J.): Since joining AtlantiCare in 2024, Mr. Ruch has rolled out clinical AI tools that save clinicians more than an hour a day on paperwork. Documenting patient vital signs now takes 95% less time across the system, which includes two hospitals, 10 urgent care sites and more than 100 other care locations. Emergency physicians spend one-third less time on documentation.
The 2026 class also includes technology leaders from Boeing, Target, Home Depot, Microsoft, FedEx and Bank of America.
