Healthcare IT Experts Discuss New Directions in CIO Roles; Topic Also Subject of Carefx Roundtable during HIMSS '09

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare chief information officers (CIOs) are breaking out of their high-tech silos to become change agents, visionaries and strategic thinkers - not only for their organizations, but also for the entire healthcare system, according to a white paper released today by Carefx, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based provider of solutions that reduce healthcare data fragmentation.

"The economic downturn has affected CIOs and chief medical information officers (CMIOs) who along with delivering on the need to help clinicians deliver high quality care more efficiently, now must contend with escalating debt and capital shortfalls," says Andrew Hurd, Carefx's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Good economy or bad, people still need quality care, and these leaders recognize the importance of bringing people and solutions together that streamline clinical and business workflow and connect every component of the healthcare system to relevant and actionable information."

Based on interviews with healthcare IT experts such as David Garets, President and CEO, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Analytics, and Linda B. Hodges, Vice President and Information Technology Practice Leader at executive search firm Witt-Kieffer, "The Changing Role of the Healthcare CIO: From Technologist to Strategist," identifies new directions in CIO roles, near-term views of core problems and challenges, and practical recommendations for CIO career and organizational success. The white paper also demonstrates Carefx's continuing commitment to securing the input of leading healthcare CIOs and CMIOs as a part of its business.

Carefx will host an exclusive breakfast roundtable event on April 7, 2009, during the HIMSS '09 conference, on the topic of the changing role of the healthcare CIO. John P. Hoyt, Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), Vice President of Healthcare Organizational Services for HIMSS Analytics, will moderate the discussion. For more information, please contact Amy Ferretti at aferretti@carefx.com.

Changes in CIO roles reported within the white paper include increases in c-suite access, credibility, responsibility and communication with providers, blended with an intense focus on delivering business value, return on investment and problem resolution.

Experts such as Michael McBride, Editor-in-Chief of Health Management Technology, and Fred Bazzoli, Senior Director of Communications for the College for Health Information Management (CHIME), offer insights into the Obama administration's potential impact on health IT, forecasts on health IT spending and budget cuts and emerging obstacles in obtaining and retaining a CIO/CMIO job. Shahid Shah, health IT consultant and creator of the blog "The Health IT Guy," also joins others in offering practical advice on health IT success secrets.

Among the white paper's recommendations:

• Become a c-level business executive.
• Adapt to the clinician's mindset.
• Focus on accountability.
• Anticipate and accept change within an expanded role.

"CIOs have shifted their focus from the proverbial bells, lights and whistles of technology to ensuring that technology supports the organization's strategy and the people who devotedly care for patients," concludes the white paper. "Viewing themselves as integrators and enablers of data exchange, the current generation's 'nouveau CIOs' join forces with others to enhance workflow, enable faster, better patient care and ultimately connect providers to the right information when and where they need it."

The white paper, "The Changing Role of the Healthcare CIO: From Technologist to Strategist," is available on the Carefx Web site, www.carefx.com.

About Carefx Corporation

Carefx supports healthcare organizations in achieving their vision of advancing the quality and safety of patient care delivery through its Fusionfx solution suite. Fusionfx streamlines and simplifies clinical and business workflow and connects care providers to the information they need, where and when they need it. By managing care transitions and information gaps between diverse departments, systems and facilities, Fusionfx delivers crucial patient information with speed, efficiency and logic. Carefx supports more than 600 hospitals, health systems, regional health information organizations (RHIOs) and health information exchanges (HIEs) across North America and Europe.

Carefx can be reached at (480) 833-5010 or by email at info@carefx.com.

Visit www.Carefx.com for more information.

    Carefx Media Contact:
    Christopher Capot
    KNB Communications
    212-505-2441
    ccapot@knbpr.com

SOURCE Carefx Corporation

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