What are the 3 things CIOs need to do to adapt to this change?

In driving change, CIOs are now more business oriented, as opposed to being technically oriented. It is no longer just about deploying an IT system. CIOs are engaged in aligning IT with overall strategic goals both from a patient care standpoint as well as financial. As CIOs move into the next evolution – CIO 3.0, if you will – they must gain new skills. The CIO of today wears three main hats: operational, business service manager, and chief innovation officer. That last hat is critical. For CIOs to truly drive change, they need to have an entrepreneurial mindset.

What is Calvary’s biggest barrier to integrated care?

The biggest barrier to integrated health care in Australia remains the way that services are funded. Both public and private systems are primarily funded by activity, which creates a barrier to introducing models that reduce the burden of disease across individual and all sectors. In addition, private health funds are primary fund hospital care. In some sectors (e.g. disability and aged care) the introduction of consumer based functions models should help reduce many of the obstacles, however this does not apply yet to the majority of health care funding.

Calvary, as a not for profit, Catholic care provider organisation with hospitals, community and residential aged care services, is uniquely placed to provide more integrated care than other providers in Australia. Calvary can do this within its own structures, but has also forged alliances with other providers to explore integrated care across traditional boundaries. Calvary is currently trialling information systems that support the sharing of care between providers, and allows contributions to the care record by the patient, their family and carers. The trial is limited to end of life care services at the moment but we see the potential to extend the model to other areas where care can be managed better this way.