3 Areas of Focus for a New Healthcare Chief Digital Officer

Within just three years, the number of chief digital officers at healthcare organizations went from just 7 in 2017 to 33 in 2020, according to statistics that Hillary Ross, managing partner and practice leader for information technology at WittKieffer, shared in an HCI webinar on the evolution of the chief digital officer. “I definitely see this as a role that is gaining traction and that we will see more of,” Ross said.

Organizations are creating chief digital officer positions as patients push for digital experiences similar to those that they have come to expect as consumers, like those delivered by Amazon and Netflix. As healthcare innovators, chief digital officers are becoming essential in helping healthcare organizations create better digital experiences that attract and retain patients by meeting their expectations as consumers.So far, many of the chief digital officers hired by organizations have come from outside healthcare and positions other than chief information officer. But a chief digital officer position could increasingly become an option for healthcare technology executives, including chief information officers.