Becoming a Healthcare CIO (Chief Information Officer)

The last few years have seen healthcare rise to top of the debate pile. The public consciousness has shifted dramatically, shinning a spotlight on a subject that used to be an afterthought for many. News programs, magazines and dinner tables have become arenas for the topic. This rise in interest has made the role of a healthcare CIO more important than ever.

What is a healthcare CIO?
A healthcare CIO (chief information officer) is the most important person involved in the gathering, ordering and execution of information. This can include “small things” like a computer room that is having difficulty with its machines or more pressing issues, such as how to get healthcare to people who cannot afford it.

Why are healthcare CIOs needed?
CIOs are in charge of the information that passes through healthcare companies. They organize the data and then help to create solutions for the company, like managing overhead costs or increasing patient coverage.

They are the brain of the business-body, monitoring and regulating all the data that passes through. Without CIOs, a healthcare company would collapse under the weight of unprocessed information.

How much do healthcare CIOs make?
A CIOs salary depends on the company’s success. The average CIO makes just over $100,000 a year. If the company is larger, with more clients, the CIO can make $200,000-$300,000 yearly.

What skills do healthcare CIOs need?
A CIO needs to be able to handle large workloads. As long as there are sick and injured people, there will be information to examine. A CIO must have communication skills to connect with all the different people and positions. And they need to be technical in order to sift through all the words and numbers they encounter.

What is the job outlook for health care CIOs?
There are 50 million uninsured people in America alone. Should there be a seismic change in the healthcare world that brings all of these needy people into the fold, healthcare CIOs will find themselves in a crucial position.

People who can create information systems will be in high demand. Statistics and paperwork will pileup, and someone will need to make sense of it all. CIOs will become some of the most influential people in the world.

Healthcare deals in an irreplaceable commodity – society’s wellbeing – and because of that, will never be replaced, lost or forgotten. The same can be said about healthcare CIOs.