How CIOs and Clinical Leaders Are Using IT Innovation to Drive Operational Excellence

Insights from the South Florida HIMSS Integrate Event

The South Florida HIMSS Integrate event brought together leaders from major health systems for a meaningful discussion about how healthcare IT innovation can support operational excellence. Leaders across IT, clinical, and executive roles, including CIOs, CNIOs, CMIOs, CMOs, and hospital CEOs, shared practical insights on digital transformation and technology adoption.

Evolving Funding and Financial Strategy

Many conversations focused on the impact of evolving government funding, including the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Leaders noted that shifting reimbursement models and regulatory requirements are increasing pressure on health systems to examine how they allocate resources.

These trends highlight a growing need for investments that improve efficiency, strengthen financial stability, and support better patient and provider experiences. Health systems are looking for solutions that meaningfully reduce administrative waste while meeting compliance expectations.

Key takeaway
Financial sustainability is top of mind, and technology decisions are being evaluated more rigorously through the lens of long-term value.

Cloud Migration and Infrastructure Modernization

A major theme across IT leadership was the continued shift toward cloud migration. Steve Travers, CIO of Broward Health, described cloud transformation as essential for building resilient, scalable, and secure infrastructure.

Leaders shared that cloud-first strategies are no longer viewed as optional modernization projects. They are becoming baseline prerequisites for cost control, cybersecurity resilience, and faster deployment of critical applications.

Key takeaway
The cloud is now central to operational strategy, not a side initiative.

Digital Front Door and Patient Engagement

Mike Garcia, CIO of Jackson Health System, outlined successful ROI from their Digital Front Door initiative. He emphasized how simplifying access and communication can significantly improve patient engagement.

Health systems are increasingly prioritizing tools that make it easier for patients to complete intake, manage appointments, and access care without friction. Text-based communication, mobile workflows, and reduced portal dependency were recurring themes throughout the discussion.

Key takeaway
Convenience, speed, and mobile-first communication are becoming core expectations for patient engagement.

Provider Involvement in Technology Adoption

Jesus Diaz, Director of Informatics at Memorial Healthcare System, stressed that provider involvement from the beginning of any technology project is essential. Solutions designed without clinical input often fail to gain traction or require significant rework.

The leaders agreed that involving CNIOs, CMIOs, physician champions, and frontline clinicians early in the process leads to smoother adoption, stronger alignment with clinical workflows, and more sustainable change.

Key takeaway
Technology succeeds when clinical teams help shape it from the start.

Leadership and Change Management

Jason Kimbrell, CEO of HCA Palms West Hospital, encouraged leaders to “Destroy Complacency” and confront resistance to change. He emphasized that modernization requires both cultural and operational accountability.

Many leaders echoed the same sentiment. True transformation depends on executive sponsorship, transparent communication, and a willingness to challenge outdated processes.

Key takeaway
Change management is not a side task. It is a leadership responsibility that directly impacts technology ROI.

Culture and Innovation

Jessica Lerner, CEO of Community Care Plan, reflected on the role culture plays in transformation, noting that “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Even the best strategies can fall short without an environment that supports new ideas and continuous improvement.

Leaders agreed that innovation is driven by teams that are encouraged to question assumptions, collaborate across departments, and focus relentlessly on patient and provider outcomes.

Key takeaway
Culture is the engine that allows innovation to take root and scale.

How Interlace Health Supports These Priorities

The themes from the Integrate event align closely with the challenges and aspirations we hear from health systems across the country. At Interlace Health, we believe modern workflow transformation requires the right combination of technology, clinical partnership, and organizational culture.

We are focused on:
• Cloud-native platforms that reduce complexity and strengthen security
• AI-assisted workflows that eliminate administrative burden
• Mobile-first experiences that increase patient access and satisfaction
• Deep collaboration with clinical leaders to ensure adoption
• A culture committed to continuous improvement and transparency

Our Nova platform and complementary solutions are designed to help health systems create simpler, faster, and more reliable workflows across the care continuum.

What These Insights Mean for Health System Leaders

The conversations at the South Florida HIMSS Integrate event offered a clear view into the priorities shaping healthcare digital transformation today. Cloud migration, patient engagement, provider involvement, strong leadership, and a culture of innovation are becoming essential to delivering operational excellence.

If your organization is exploring workflow modernization or preparing for the next phase of digital transformation, our team would welcome a conversation and the opportunity to share what we are learning from health systems across the country.

Discover what modern workflow transformation could look like for your organization — book a demo.