How 1 leader navigates the 'deep digital ocean' for the right tech

How 1 leader navigates the 'deep digital ocean' for the right tech unknown

Marjorie Bessel, MD, has the responsibility of managing the IT department and clinician wellness on top of her chief clinical officer duties at Phoenix-based Banner Health.

This broad set of responsibilities gives her the ability to see issues and solutions from all sides. Her chief goal, she told Becker's, "is to ensure the systems are safe, reliable, useful and accessible for everyone who needs them, including the more than 53,000 team members and all the patients who rely on us. Addressing barriers — in technology and overall — that make clinicians' jobs harder is part of that effort."

Seeing technology from all sides of healthcare — from patient outcomes to physician workload to behind the scenes IT work — has made her more selective when evaluating new technology.

"There are many bright and shiny objects out there, but not all will solve pain points for your organization and for the patients you serve. Being exquisitely careful in your choices is crucial," she said. "The key to any system's success is carefully evaluating the pain points and opportunities, and then choosing those solutions that will best meet those two criteria. There is, of course, limited capital for these investments, so evaluation and selection must always be strategic."

Her advice for others trying to sort through the "deep digital ocean" is to reflect daily.

"Every day our teams deliver miracles that are impactful and meaningful to individuals and their families," she said. "While digital change supports that, don't forget that healthcare is personal and that our efforts really do make a difference."