“We had a solid IT operation,” Oh said. “But the question was, how do we best leverage technology to move the needle forward for clinician efficiency, patient experience, and operational effectiveness?”
Good Governance
One of Oh’s early priorities was reshaping IT governance. Previously, IT initiatives were driven by urgent requests rather than strategic alignment. “It was often first-come, first-served,” she said. “Whoever had the most influence or used the right buzzwords might get priority.”
To address this, she implemented a structured governance process focused on business value. A newly established IT steering committee—comprised of senior executives, including the CFO and COO—now evaluates all IT projects against strategic priorities. “If a project doesn’t clearly align with our roadmap or isn’t a mandatory requirement, we need to reconsider why we’re doing it,” she explained.
The governance structure also plays a critical role in resource allocation. With finite IT resources, avoiding project flip-flopping has become essential. “We needed to stop the cycle of shifting priorities based on the latest urgent request,” she said. “By having a structured review, we ensure we’re investing in initiatives that align with our long-term strategy.”
A more centralized approach also helps in standardizing processes. “Instead of multiple committees handling different service lines, we now have a single IT governance body,” Oh said. “This ensures enterprise-wide visibility and strategic alignment, particularly in areas like cybersecurity and infrastructure.”
Balancing Innovation and Budget Constraints
While leadership supported digital transformation, resources remained a constraint. Oh faced the challenge of prioritizing high-impact initiatives without an unlimited budget. “Change was welcomed, but spending had to be justified,” she said.
Her governance framework emphasizes rigorous business case development. Each proposed initiative must quantify expected benefits, whether through cost avoidance, efficiency gains, or improved patient outcomes. “If we can’t articulate the business value, it doesn’t move forward.”
Budget constraints also necessitate creative approaches to funding. “It’s not just about IT dollars. Sometimes, projects align with broader hospital initiatives, and we can secure funding through operational budgets,” she said. “Collaboration across departments is critical.”
One of the first digital initiatives she inherited was an ambient listening pilot aimed at reducing physician documentation burdens. Early feedback was positive, but Oh wanted hard data to assess its effectiveness. “We’re tracking metrics like pajama time, total time spent on notes, and the percentage of edits doctors make to AI-generated drafts,” she said. “We want to ensure that physicians aren’t rewriting everything or rubber-stamping notes without review.”
Beyond documentation, her team is exploring AI-driven solutions for virtual nursing, inbox management, and patient scheduling. She believes health systems should collaborate more to avoid reinventing the wheel. “We all face similar challenges. If another system has tested a solution and it works, I’m willing to take a close look rather than start from scratch.”
Her philosophy is rooted in leveraging proven solutions rather than chasing novelty. “There’s a reason why so many systems are prioritizing ambient listening first—it’s a relatively straightforward use case with clear benefits," class="jsx-4145644783 jsx-2435782980">