Title: The new role of Chief Technology Officer in US hospitals

Authors: Ori Heller

Addresses: Centre for Information and Telecommunication Technology (CITT), Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA

Abstract: Hospitals are diversified technology-based service organizations. The dimensions of medical technology include products (e.g. drugs, devices, instruments), processes (e.g. medical, surgical, imaging procedures) and support services (e.g. information technology). Almost all of the medical technology is purchased externally and adopted by hospitals. The responsibility for managing technology in the hospital is diffused between upper management, line managers of technology and technology users. The current competitive and financial pressures that hospitals are facing require them to improve their effective management of technology in order to maintain a competitive technological edge. In this article it is suggested that in the 1990s hospitals may benefit from a corporate level technology management function, i.e. a Chief Technology Officer. The article describes the responsibilities of the CTO and some areas of concern in exercising these responsibilities.

Keywords: Chief Technology Officers; hospitals; technology management; USA; United States; healthcare technology; medical technology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1992.025738

International Journal of Technology Management, 1992 Vol.7 No.6/7/8, pp.455 - 461

Published online: 24 May 2009 *

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