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CIO Feature: AI’s Healthcare Promise Will Serve Patients

Published: 27 February 2020
Written by Brian E. Thomas
Categories: News

CIO.com official logo from IDGBrian was recently featured in a crowd-sourced article on CIO.com about “AI’s Healthcare Promise Will Serve Patients – And More“.

“From early disease detection, improved patient safety, reduced or eliminated repeatable/mundane tasks and human errors, and more accurate medical billing, AI will play an expanding role in healthcare”, says Brian E. Thomas, Healthcare CIO. “Simply put, implementing a set of processes that combines both machines and humans will reap the most benefits.”

AI’s healthcare promise

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare industry and significantly improve patient outcomes. With its ability to process large amounts of data quickly and accurately, AI can help healthcare providers to make more informed decisions, improve patient care, and streamline operations.

One of the biggest promises of AI in healthcare is its ability to help diagnose and treat diseases more accurately and efficiently. With the vast amounts of patient data being generated every day, AI can analyze this information and identify patterns that may not be noticeable to the human eye. This can help healthcare providers to make more accurate diagnoses, predict potential health issues, and develop individualized treatment plans. AI can also help to identify patients who are at high risk of developing certain conditions and intervene early, reducing the likelihood of serious health problems.

Medical research

Another area where AI has the potential to significantly improve healthcare is in medical research and drug development. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data from clinical trials, medical literature, and patient records, identifying potential treatments and therapeutic targets. This can speed up the development of new drugs and treatments, improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.

Moreover, AI’s healthcare promise will help to streamline administrative and operational tasks, freeing up time and resources for healthcare providers to focus on patient care. AI-powered chatbots, for example, can provide patients with 24/7 access to healthcare information and assist with scheduling appointments, while automating administrative tasks such as appointment scheduling, claims processing, and record-keeping can reduce errors and increase efficiency.

Conclusion

The potential of AI in healthcare is vast and holds tremendous promise for improving patient outcomes. From improving diagnoses and treatments to streamlining operations, AI has the potential to transform healthcare delivery and provide patients with better, more accessible, and more personalized care. It’s important that healthcare providers embrace this technology and work to harness its potential for the benefit of patients everywhere. And so, AI’s healthcare promise will serve patients.

CIO Feature: Navigating a Data-Driven Culture

Published: 27 November 2019
Written by Brian E. Thomas
Categories: News

CIO.com official logo from IDGBrian was recently featured in a crowd-sourced article on CIO.com about “Navigating a Data-Driven Culture“.

“CIOs that have demonstrated strong leadership and who can draw from robust interpersonal skills to build and nurture relationships will be instrumental in influencing and orchestrating such cultural change”, says Brian E. Thomas (@DivergentCIO), CIO. “To drive the culture shift, CIOs need to play a significant role in bridging the gaps in technology fluency with business objectives.”

In today’s digital world, data is king. Companies are increasingly relying on data to inform their decisions, shape their strategies, and drive growth. As a result, a data-driven culture has become essential for organizations looking to stay ahead of the competition. But how can companies effectively navigate this data-driven culture and harness its potential?

Data-driven culture

First and foremost, companies need to prioritize data quality. Data is only valuable if it is accurate, relevant, and up-to-date. Companies must therefore invest in the tools and processes necessary to ensure the accuracy of their data, and regularly assess and improve the quality of their data sources.

Second, companies must embrace a data-driven mindset and make data-driven decision-making a core part of their culture. This requires a change in mindset and a willingness to embrace data-driven insights, even when they challenge established beliefs or practices. Encouraging data literacy and training employees on how to use data to inform their decisions will also be crucial in promoting a this type of culture.

Third, companies must ensure that they have the right technology and infrastructure in place to effectively harness and analyze their data. This includes investing in data storage and management systems, data visualization tools, and machine learning algorithms. It’s also important to ensure that the right data is being captured and analyzed, so that insights can be generated and used to inform decision-making.

Finally, companies must promote a culture of collaboration and data sharing. Data silos can limit the potential of information-driven insights, so it’s important to encourage open communication and cross-functional collaboration to ensure that data is shared and used effectively.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, a data-driven culture is critical for organizations looking to stay ahead of the competition and achieve their goals. By prioritizing data quality, embracing a data-driven mindset, investing in the right technology and infrastructure, and promoting a culture of collaboration and data sharing, companies can effectively navigate this data-driven culture and unlock its full potential.

First Step to Success: Build the Right Team

Published: 24 September 2018
Written by Brian E. Thomas
Categories: Brian's Blog

Success doesn’t come about overnight or all at once. Like a home, it needs a foundation, brick by brick, to form a stable structure that can support the weight of a business over time. The first building block to success, then, is building the right team. To draw another analogy, just like in sports, recruiting the top people to join your team is of paramount importance. You need a wide range of talents to make up a well-rounded team. You may be looking for attributes like: plays well with others, shares ideas openly in group settings, values transparency and aligns around a shared vision, individuals who bring you opportunities for growth, and down to earth teammates who celebrate victories together in an atmosphere of positivity. So the first step to success: build the right team.

Taking a Look at Yourself

Looking for these qualities and more when considering building your dream team is priority #1. However, before you even think about the types of people you want to work for you, the first step should be to look inward and ask yourself “am I the type of boss people want to work for?”. Do you treat people fairly? Do you give your team the tools they need to be empowered and get the job done from within or do you control every aspect of the project? Are you transparent in your expectations? Do you foster a culture that is supportive and positive, or one of competition and rivalry? Do you have your team’s best interests at heart? What do you think people say about you when you’re not around?

The foundation of exceptional leadership lies in putting the needs of others first, says the Jack Welch Management Institute. You have to fight for the resources your team needs to do its job effectively and efficiently, lobbying for the raises and bonuses that your employees deserve. We’re not saying this has to be a culture of “everybody gets a trophy.” Rather, what we mean is, those who truly deliver on stellar performance will get rewarded for their efforts. Transparency in the workplace ensures that each teammate knows where he or she stands.

Upgrade Your Team

True leaders relentless upgrade their team, utilizing every encounter as a unique opportunity to coach, evaluate and build up self-confidence, according to Inc. Just like in sports, the team with the best players wins. Their leaders must put the time and energy into what famed business exec Jack Welch calls “people development” — something that should be honed daily and integrated into all aspects of your interactions. You as the leader have to recognize and acknowledge your team’s hard work if you want to encourage peak performance and instill confidence in the very core of your team.

Live and Breathe the Vision

As the owner or manager, you know what the vision of your company is. You invented it, you grew it, you live for it. That’s not enough. You also have to make sure the people who work for you not only know that vision as well but live and breathe it every day. Not everyone will buy into this. It takes a special breed of person to truly embrace the goals you’ve set for yourself and help you realize them. Effective leaders, then, will cast the vision of the future and fuel that passion in the people who work for them. You should constantly be talking about that vision, reinforcing it with rewards in order to light a fire that will help them accomplish even the most difficult of assignments.

Follow Your Gut — Even if People Hate You for It

People in a position of power — whether that be the president, a coach or a parent — can’t be friends with everyone all of the time. They are in a position of power to make the tough calls that aren’t always popular but that serve the greater good. Leaders will bring the courage to make gut calls, regardless of what team members think. Jack Welch goes on to say in his book Winning that “tough calls spawn complaints and resistance.” Your job as a leader is to listen and explain yourself clearly but then start moving forward rather than dwelling. It’s important to build the right team up front.

Clear, sharp, definitive decision making is what you will be judged on as a leader. Because the choices you make will determine the overall success of your organization, it’s you who will ultimately have to answer for the success or failure of your company. Transparency, trust and clear vision: if you employ these things and build the right team, they will stand behind you every time.

Invest in The Next Generation of Leaders: The Importance of Mentorship

Published: 24 September 2017
Written by Brian E. Thomas
Categories: Brian's Blog

Importance of Mentorship

Not everyone can — or should — jump into their career headlong without a plan of where they’re going. This is particularly true in today’s competitive workplace climate. Mentorships can bridge that gap between emerging into a new career and becoming a successful leader in that field. In fact, research shows that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects within personal, academic, and professional situations, ultimately connecting them to personal growth and development, as well as social and economic opportunities, according to the National Mentoring Partnership. The importance of mentorship cannot be simply glossed over.

Investing in the next generation of leaders depends exponentially on the guidance of a mentor. All the book smarts straight out of college can’t prepare graduates with the nitty gritty, on-your-feet-all-day, in-the-trenches work that makes up a CIO’s day. As a critical thinking, people-centric, quick learning, impeccably organized and determined professional, you know yourself just how many years it took you to get where you are now. Couldn’t you have used a mentor yourself? Someone to guide you, cut through the clutter, and offer insight that no college lecture hall can really provide?

The workforce is expanding in droves. More than one in three American workers today are Millennials, recently surpassing Generation X to become the largest share of the American workforce, says the Pew Research Center. Many of them are getting jobs in leadership positions, or at least poised to inherit them in the near future, leaving a real need for practical experience that can only be gleaned by forming a bond with a seasoned professional.

Defining a Mentorship

In a nutshell, a mentor is a more experienced, usually older, professional in a given field who offers younger, less experienced employees career guidance, advice and assistance from a real world point of view. Taking part in a mentorship not only enhances your professional capabilities, you get access to a wealth of knowledge and experience, and — if you’re lucky — end up with a lifelong friend and potential future business partner, points out Forbes.

It doesn’t have to be the standard model either. A mentorship could involve a younger person guiding an older person who decided to make a career change late in life. Whatever the mentor-mentee relationship looks like, at its heart, it’s based on one person who’s “been there, done that” showing a fresh-faced up-and-comer what the real deal is.

As human beings, we’re constantly evolving and learning. Even the most experienced leader doesn’t know all there is to know about the business they’re in. A mentor can provide valuable insight to bring about perspective, positive change and awareness.

A Committed Partnership

Just remember: mentorship is nothing to take lightly. Don’t offer your services to someone who isn’t firmly committed, and don’t accept a mentorship from someone else if you’re not willing to put in the work. This is a true team effort requiring strong commitment from both parties, says Forbes. The lessons, connections, and opportunities that mentors provide offer exponential benefits — when both parties are receptive to the opportunity.

Taking this path to success involves the ability to recognize and embrace major accelerators in your career. The benefits to mentees are clear. But what about mentors? What’s in it for them? You can look at it from the perspective of leaving a legacy, passing down wisdom from one generation to the next. Mentors have the power to make a powerful impact not just within a company and the industry but for future leaders as well. You can’t take the shortcut here – the importance of mentorship is key.