Michael Saad is the senior vice president and chief information officer at the Knoxville-based University of Tennessee Medical Center.
Mr. Saad will serve on panels "What Top Hospital IT Teams Will Look Like in 2030" and "Evolving Technology, Disruptors and Regulatory Issues in HIT and How to Know What to Invest In" at Becker's 7th 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 Oct. 4-7 in Chicago.
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Question: What are you most excited about right now?
Michael Saad: Technology is leading the way in this transformation as the healthcare industry continues to change. The use of digital technologies and platforms to help patients interact with their providers and manage their care is quickly becoming a differentiator among healthcare organizations. It's been exciting to watch the adoption of digital tools and technologies positively impact patient access, experiences and health outcomes.
Q: What challenges do you anticipate over the next two years?
MS: Healthcare organizations will continue to face financial pressures driven by inflation and staffing challenges over the next two years. Over the next two years, the financial headwinds will likely result in health systems and hospitals evaluating what services and service lines to invest and divest in. Organizations will also need to prioritize which projects to move forward with as they grapple with the increased labor costs and premium labor rates from staffing agencies.
Q: How is your role as CIO evolving? How are IT teams changing?
MS: The role of the CIO continues to evolve and is an increasingly important role within the executive leadership team. Successful CIOs partner with other leaders across the organization to understand the business challenges better and provide solutions leveraging technology. IT teams are becoming more flexible and agile in their ability to pivot and deliver results to address an immediate need quickly. IT departments are more attentive to becoming more consumer-focused as they seek to deliver solutions that are not just used by employees but also by their patients.