CHIME CIO Forum Focus Group Recap: 5 Strategies to Overcome Healthcare IT Resource Gaps

As healthcare organizations face ongoing IT resource constraints, leaders are being pushed to rethink how they manage technology, support users, and operate within limited capacity. To combat this strain, hospitals and health systems are shifting their focus toward maximizing what they already have.

During a recent CHIME CIO Forum, Med Tech Solutions gathered healthcare IT leaders to discuss practical strategies for overcoming resource limitations while maximizing technology investments. Several clear themes emerged from the discussion, highlighting how healthcare organizations can improve efficiency, strengthen governance, and support users without significantly increasing operational costs.

1. Optimize your existing technology foundation before scaling
   According to the 12^th Annual Health IT Industry Outlook Survey, 62% of healthcare IT leaders consider “getting the most out of existing IT purchases, like EHR or ERP systems” as their greatest priority for IT-related financial goals. CIO focus group feedback emphasized that new technology often introduces additional complexity, creates competing priorities, and places greater strain on already-limited IT teams. Many healthcare organizations discover they haven’t fully utilized all the capabilities of their current systems and can achieve significant operational improvements through optimization alone.Rather than pursuing additional applications or platforms, healthcare leaders are focusing on refining workflows, improving user adoption, reducing redundancy, and uncovering underutilized functionality within existing technologies. This approach helps avoid the financial and operational burden that accompanies new implementations.
2. Build strong AI governance for sustainable innovation
   The rapid rise of AI in healthcare has created both opportunity and risk. CIOs agree that without clear governance, healthcare organizations may be inundated with vendor pitches, pilot proposals, and unvetted use cases, many of which lack a sound business case and/or introduce data protection concerns. Healthcare IT leaders identified several best practices for sustainable AI adoption, including:
   • Establishing formal criteria for evaluating new AI tools
   • Standardizing workflows for intake and approval
   • Building cross-functional review committees
   • Defining legal, ethical, and compliance standards
   • Aligning AI initiatives with organizational priorities
   • Developing procedures for ongoing oversight and performance evaluation

   Healthcare organizations that proactively establish governance frameworks are better positioned to prioritize high-value initiatives while avoiding unnecessary technology sprawl.

3. Boost technology adoption through ongoing, accessible support
   Technology investments deliver value only when users fully embrace them. Healthcare leaders noted that adoption frequently stalls after implementation because ongoing support and education are often overlooked. In fact, insufficient continuous technology training remains one of the most common frustrations among healthcare IT end users. To increase staff satisfaction, health IT leaders at CHIME emphasized training best practices such as hosting IT office hours for real-time troubleshooting, establishing rounding-based training programs, developing quick-tip resources and microlearning tools, and conducting ongoing optimization check-ins. Continuous support reduces help desk burden, boosts efficiency, and accelerates the successful adoption of digital tools, especially when resources are limited.
4. Design training programs for the least tech-savvy user
   Maximizing technology utilization requires designing workflows and training programs that support every type of user, not just the most experienced. By building with the least tech-savvy user in mind, healthcare organizations create a more inclusive, intuitive experience that enhances overall performance. This often means taking a human-centered approach, incorporating frontline feedback early, and ensuring instructions and training materials are concise and easy to follow. Ultimately, designing programs for universal usability empowers staff across all roles to work more efficiently and confidently, maximizing the value of technology systems.
5. Strengthen cross-department alignment to reduce waste
   Siloed IT decision-making often leads to duplicate technology purchases, conflicting workflows, and increased user frustration, all of which place unnecessary strain on limited resources.
   Healthcare leaders highlighted the importance of aligning IT initiatives across departments to ensure technology investments support enterprise-wide goals rather than individual departmental priorities. Recommended strategies included:
   • Building a unified technology roadmap
   • Aligning budgeting processes across departments
   • Engaging IT leadership early in strategic initiatives
   • Creating shared accountability for technology decisions
   • Standardizing governance and project evaluation processes

   Improved collaboration helps healthcare organizations reduce waste and improve resource allocation to create a more cohesive technology ecosystem.

Building a more resilient healthcare IT strategy

Healthcare organizations can utilize this peer executive feedback to discuss how to overcome their own IT resource gaps. When internal capacity is stretched, engaging qualified vendors to supplement support and ease operational burdens can effectively strengthen an organization’s managed services strategy for long-term cost savings. With the right mix of internal focus and external support, healthcare organizations can build a more resilient, scalable, and sustainable IT foundation for the years ahead.

To learn how your organization can optimize technology investments, strengthen governance, and reduce operational burden, contact Med Tech Solutions for a personalized consultation.
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