<description>&lt;p&gt;Healthcare CIOs must help their organizations strike the delicate balance between innovation and operational stability, said Theresa Meadows, SVP &amp;#38; CIO at Cook Children’s Health Care System, an integrated pediatric delivery system based in Fort Worth, Texas, during a recent interview with healthsystemCIO. Scroll down to watch or listen to the full interview; or subscribe [&amp;#8230;]&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href="https://healthsystemcio.com/2024/12/09/balancing-innovation-and-standardization-in-healthcare-technology-healthsystemcio-com/"&gt;Helping Guide Decisions Around When to Venture Outside the Core Tech Stack is Key CIO Responsibility, Says Theresa Meadows&lt;/a&gt; on &lt;a href="https://healthsystemcio.com"&gt;healthsystemcio.com - healthsystemCIO.com is the sole online-only publication dedicated to exclusively and comprehensively serving the information needs of healthcare CIOs.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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Healthcare CIOs must help their organizations strike the delicate balance between innovation and operational stability, said Theresa Meadows, SVP & CIO at Cook Children’s Health Care System, an integrated pediatric delivery system based in Fort Worth,

Healthcare CIOs must help their organizations strike the delicate balance between innovation and operational stability, said Theresa Meadows, SVP &amp; CIO at Cook Children’s Health Care System, an integrated pediatric delivery system based in Fort Worth, Texas, during a recent interview with healthsystemCIO. 
Scroll down to watch or listen to the full interview; or subscribe to healthsystemCIO on your favorite podcasting channel. 
Balancing Innovation and Operational Stability 
One of the key issues CIOs face is managing the tension between adopting innovative solutions and maintaining a stable, integrated IT environment. Meadows emphasizes the importance of balance, explaining that while enterprise EHRs provide the backbone of operations, niche vendors often drive cutting-edge innovation. “I worry about putting all my eggs in a single basket,” she says. “There’s really great technology out there that we should be looking at, and I don’t think the EHR has to be everything to everyone.” 
While large EHR vendors offer comprehensive solutions, their attempts to expand into every niche can lead to suboptimal outcomes. According to Meadows, health systems must evaluate whether niche products offer enough value to warrant integration. The decision-making process should include rigorous evaluation of functionality, integration capability, and risk. “We’re trying to figure out the process for balancing innovation with stability, especially in the AI space,” Meadows explains. “Not every tool will succeed, and that’s okay—we need to be okay with some level of failure.” 
Health systems must also navigate trade-offs between staying within the core EHR ecosystem and adopting best-in-class niche solutions. The former offers easier integration and lower risk, while the latter may deliver superior functionality. This tension highlights the critical role of CIOs as decision-makers who can assess both the technological and operational implications of adopting new tools. 
The Human Element in Technology Decisions 
Another critical factor in technology adoption is ensuring tools align with the workflows of clinicians and other healthcare workers. Meadows points out that many technologies are developed without sufficient understanding of real-world workflows, leading to mismatches between functionality and user needs. She believes that technologies like computer vision and ambient listening hold promise, but they must evolve to accommodate individual work styles. “Today’s systems are one-size-fits-all,” she notes. “They’re not personalized enough, and that’s where we need to focus.” 
This lack of personalization often results in mixed reactions from clinicians. Reflecting on Cook Children’s use of ambient listening tools, Meadows observes, “It’s clinician-dependent. Some say it has changed their lives, while others feel it hasn’t helped at all.” Over time, she believes these systems will improve by learning individual preferences and adapting to specific workflows. 
This variability in user experience underscores the need for personalization and iterative refinement. When clinicians feel that technology understands and supports their unique workflows, adoption and satisfaction increase. On the other hand, tools that impose rigid processes can exacerbate frustration and burnout, further complicating adoption efforts. 
Governance and Collaboration 
Effective governance plays a pivotal role in navigating the complex IT landscape of health systems. Meadows highlights the need for collaboration between IT leaders and operational counterparts to ensure decisions are well-informed and balanced. “Having strong relationships with operational leaders is critical,” she says. “They can help you decide when to stay with the core platform and when to venture into new territory.” 
Meadows also stresses the importance of asking the right questions during the evaluation process.

healthsystemCIO.com

Helping Guide Decisions Around When to Venture Outside the Core Tech Stack is Key CIO Responsibility, Says Theresa Meadows

Helping Guide Decisions Around When to Venture Outside the Core Tech Stack is Key CIO Responsibility, Says Theresa Meadows

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