As we start the new year, it is customary for us to identify the healthcare IT leaders we will be watching in 2024. The following people are a diverse group of professionals within the healthcare industry who struck us as visionaries really making an impact. Let’s explore their groundbreaking contributions, innovative strategies, and how they are navigating change to help transform the way we receive healthcare.
Our goal was to bring together a wide range of expertise. You’ll find our list of Health IT leaders to be diverse and include people with different points of view – some are clinicians, some are technologists, some are journalists – but all have something thoughtful to share.
Dr. Geeta Nayyar, MD, MBA
Leader in Health IT, Author, Rheumatologist, Zocdoc Advisor
Geeta Nayyar, MD, MBA, is a globally recognized healthcare technology leader, thought-leader, former chief medical officer for multiple organizations, and best-selling author. Dr. G. is also a Board Member of the American Telemedicine Association and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Alumni Association, steering decision-making at some of the nation’s most influential medical organizations.
Dr. G’s book “Dead Wrong: Diagnosing and Treating Healthcare’s Misinformation Illness” is a post-pandemic look at the rise of medical misinformation in the digital age. In the book, she highlights the importance for healthcare organizations to bring accurate information to the public and shows how they can apply emerging technologies to improve health literacy.
We are excited for Dr. G. to be the conference host for HIMSS24 and are looking forward to seeing her there.
Check out her website here.
Some of her best work:
Conversations in Care – Combatting Medical Misinformation: Geeta Nayyar
HIT Like a Girl Podcast: Geeta Nayyar
Blake Madden
Founder and Creator of Hospitalogy
Blake Madden, founder of The Healthy Muse and the Hospitalogy newsletter is a writer, editor, and thought-leader in the healthcare industry. He founded The Healthy Muse in 2018 as a side hobby and project to get ahead of the curve and speak to current issues in healthcare. In 2022, the newsletter was acquired by Workweek and rebranded to Hospitalogy. The newsletter, which boasts 24K+ followers including executives and healthcare professionals, covers the business of healthcare including the latest topics facing healthcare operators across hospitals, payers, providers, digital health, and policy.
Blake previously worked at healthcare consulting firm VMG Health where he conducted research projects, analyzed both public and private healthcare companies, developed strategic insights for internal strategy teams at healthcare organizations, and performed valuations on hundreds of entities in the healthcare space. Check out his website here.
Some of his best work:
8 PREDICTIONS FOR HEALTHCARE 2024: WHAT THE MARKET IS SIGNALING FOR THE YEAR AHEAD
Revenue In Healthcare Innovation Series: Blake Madden
THE PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE: ARE DIGITAL HEALTH SOLUTIONS ADDRESSING THE ISSUE?
David Chou
Digital Healthcare Executive
With over 20 years in the Healthcare IT industry, David Chou is the founder of davidchou.health where he aims to help transform an organization into a digital enterprise. He advises on strategic healthcare investments in the for-profit, non-profit, academic medical center, pediatric hospital, and ambulatory settings, focusing on value-based care.
Recognized as a thought leader, David frequently shares his insights on digital healthcare transformation through speaking engagements. He actively contributes to the healthcare landscape as a member of the board of trustees for CHIME, the association for CIOs and digital leaders in healthcare.
In the past, David has held executive roles with the Cleveland Clinic, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Harris Health System, University Of Mississippi Medical Center, AHMC Healthcare, and Prime Healthcare.
Make sure to follow David on LinkedIn and check out his website for more insights and blogs.
Some of his best work:
AI Excites Healthcare, Yet It Urgently Needs Regulations
How Generative AI Can Help With Physician Burnout
AI Doesn’t Make Everyone A Programmer Overnight
Christina Farr
Health-tech investor at OMERS Ventures
Christina Farr is a health-tech investor, journalist and Principal at OMERS Ventures. Her work is focused on health tech, with special expertise in behavioral health, telemedicine, electronic medical records, and women’s health. She also runs a Slack community for clinicians who want to get up to speed on investing and entrepreneurship
She’s an author of Second Opinion, a health-tech newsletter with 50,000+ readers, and the author of Be Intentional which focuses on the power of storytelling in business.
Previously, she was a writer and frequent on-air contributor for CNBC, Fast Company and Reuters News, among other publications. She was also the Co-Chair of Fortune Brainstorm Health.
Some of her best work:
Digital health startups need more doctor CEOs
Resetting expectations for VC investing in health tech
In defense of tech-enabled services
Sarah Richardson
Healthcare and Technology Executive
Sarah Richardson, SVP and Chief Digital & Information Officer at Tivity Health, works hand-in-hand with members, clients and healthcare partners to create everyday opportunities for long-lasting health and vitality. She achieves ambitious objectives, drives transformative change, and implements high-performance strategies.
Sarah is also the CIO and president of Concierge Leadership where she helps leaders maximize their success via collaborative coaching. She wants all team members to feel valued and supported through effective leadership. As an active Certified Healthcare CIO at CHIME, she regularly publishes content on her website relating to the industry,
In the past, Sarah served as Vice President of IT Change Leadership for OptumCare. She also has significant health system experience, serving as CIO of NCH Healthcare System and Division CIO with HCA Healthcare.
Some of her best work:
Trailblazer Podcast: Women At Work: Network With The Best
The Art of Aging: Humor and Other Ways to Age Well
Healthcare Upside/Down: Bringing Hospitality to Healthcare w/ Sarah Richardson, Tivity Health
Aaron Miri
SVP, Chief Digital & Information Officer at Baptist Health
Aaron Miri, MBA, brings over 20 years of healthcare and technology experience as the Senior Vice President, Chief Digital & Information Officer for Baptist Health System. He is responsible for building the organization’s IT future while focusing on digital strategy, innovation, cybersecurity, and integration of technology.
Aaron is a nationally recognized 2023 “CIOs to Know” by Becker’s Hospital Review and a 2020 Healthcare Hero’s Awardee from CHIME. He has been honored with the 2019 Constellation Research Business Transformation 150 award, the 2017 Texas Health IT Advocacy Leadership Award, and the 2016 Computerworld Premier 100 Technology Leaders award.
In the past, Aaron was the Chief Information Officer for The University of Texas at Austin, Imprivata, and the Walnut Hill Medical Center.
Some of his best work:
How Healthcare IT Leaders Can Help Clinicians Prevent Burnout
How Hospitals Should Manage Cybersecurity Risks, Per Baptist Health’s CIO
Censinet Podcast: Risk Never Sleeps Episode 6: Aaron Miri
Bill Russell
Founder of This Week Health
Bill Russell is the CEO and Founder of This Week Health. With over 20 years of experience, he continues to adapt new, innovative IT strategies and methods while also enhancing organization stability. On This Week Health’s podcast, he talks utilizes his experience to prompt leaders, innovators and organizations to share their stories in a conversational style to capture the wisdom of the industry.
He is also the President and Founder of Health Lyrics where he provides executive coaching to health leaders with an emphasis on technology. In addition, he provides advisory services to healthcare providers, health tech startups, and investors.
In the past, Bill was the Chief Information Officer at St. Joseph’s Health, the Executive Vice President at Bick Group and the President of Blue Mountain Labs.
Some of his best work:
This Week Health Podcast: Being Prepared by Exploring the Absurd
LiveStream: Funding the Future of Telehealth
This Week Health Podcast: Health IT Deficiencies and First Principles Thinking
Eric Topol, MD
Physician-Scientist, Author, Editor
Eric Topol, MD, Physician-Scientist, Author, and Editor, is the Founder and Director of The Scripps Research Institute where he specializes in Cardiology, genetics, genomics, precision medicine, artificial intelligence, deep learning, digital medicine.
In his latest book, Deep Medicine, he looks at how the power of artificial intelligence can make medicine better for all humans. He believes that by freeing physicians from the tasks that interfere with human connection, AI will create space for the real healing that takes place between a doctor who can listen and a patient who needs to feel seen and heard.
In the past, Eric was a Cardiologist at Scripps Health, Vice-Chairman at West Wireless Health Institute, Chairman at Cleveland Clinics Department of Cardiovascular Medicine.
Check out his website here.
Some of his best work:
