For Michael Pfeffer, MD, being a standout leader requires understanding both humans — and machines.
Dr. Pfeffer is chief information and digital officer of Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Health Care, where he oversees an IT department of nearly 1,000 employees.
"A good leader in the digital/IT side of healthcare must possess a unique blend of technical understanding, strategic vision, and empathy," he told Becker's.
Health IT executives must have knowledge of emerging technologies and be able to communicate to staff exactly how those platforms can transform healthcare delivery, he added.
Dr. Pfeffer started his career as a hospitalist at Honolulu-based Queen's Medical Center before moving on to Los Angeles-based UCLA Health, where he worked his way up through the IT ranks, eventually serving six years as CIO.
He joined Stanford in 2021. He also serves as a senior vice president at the health system and an associate dean of technology and digital solutions — as well as a clinical professor of medicine — at the medical school.
Dr. Pfeffer continued practicing as a hospitalist after taking over as CIO at Stanford Health Care, giving him unique insights into technology's effects on providers.
"What I didn't realize was the incredible impact being on the front lines — using the health technology — had on my ability to drive change, influence strategy, and communicate the value of health IT both within and outside the IT organization," he said.
He said he also loves working with medical students and resident physicians because of their innovative ideas about healthcare technology.
"Mike is amazing at getting to what drives and motivates people," said Nigam Shah, MD, PhD, chief data scientist of Stanford Health Care. "He has an amazing ability to genuinely listen, and then make suggestions that empower action. He enables people to execute in areas they feel intrinsically driven. Then magic happens."
Dr. Pfeffer manages not only leaders in data science and artificial intelligence but clinical informatics, core technologies and applications, and software development.
Even though he also wears clinical and academic hats, Dr. Pfeffer has the "soul of an IT guy," with an ability to connect with tech professionals at all levels of the organization, said Gary Fritz, chief of applications at Stanford Health Care.
"Mike is a gifted leader," Mr. Fritz said. "As a physician, he collaborates with clinical chairs and chiefs to bridge the gap between clinical, research and educational needs with IT capabilities. Mike is also a well-respected senior leader who has close working relationships with C-suite executives and regularly consults with the board on strategic IT matters."
Dr. Pfeffer said he aims to embody collaboration and transparency, with an "open-door policy" for staffers to share suggestions and concerns, as well as empowerment and trust.
"I give my team the autonomy to make decisions while providing the support they need to succeed," he said. "It's important to have a team that will challenge ideas and consider solutions from diverse viewpoints — that's how we achieve truly groundbreaking solutions with health equity, ethics, and value at the forefront of all we do."
As a tech executive, metrics and analytics obviously drive Dr. Pfeffer's decision-making. He also plans to stay abreast of developing technologies including AI, telehealth, digital therapeutics and precision medicine. But human connection will continue to play a big role in his leadership strategy.
"I like to have fun," he said. "I have the privilege of working in health IT, and healthcare in general, with such dedicated, mission-driven colleagues."