Focusing on Patient Care Can Help IT Leaders Weather the Job’s Sometimes Painful Challenges

Nobody likes change. Unfortunately for CIOs, that means they’re rarely the most popular people in the building. For Dr. Zafar Chaudry, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital and Information Officer at Seattle Children’s, decades of experience has taught him that keeping the patient in mind goes a long way to staying positive. But it still can be a lonely proposition at times.

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During a recent conversation, he shed light on his journey, the challenges of leading change, and the unwavering focus on the mission of patient care.

From Physician to IT Leader: A Career in Transformation

Dr. Chaudry began his professional journey as a physician, but an early fascination with technology in the 1990s led him to a transformative career pivot. At a time when few clinicians ventured into the tech realm, he embraced the opportunity to address systemic inefficiencies in healthcare through technology.

This adaptability has defined his nearly four-decade career, during which he has worked in health systems across geographies and specialties. His role, however, has remained consistent: driving transformation. “I’ve found myself being hired to bring in change,” he said. “It’s about identifying what’s broken—whether it’s systems, processes, or cost inefficiencies—and fixing them. But that doesn’t make you popular.”

Indeed, being a change agent is challenging and often isolating. As Dr. Chaudry explained, “You don’t wake up every day wanting to be unpopular. But you have to think about what’s right for the health system, not just what’s comfortable for individuals.”

The Role of Change Agents in Healthcare IT

Healthcare IT leaders are no longer just operational overseers. The modern CIO is a transformative force, aligning technology initiatives with organizational strategy and delivering measurable outcomes. Dr. Chaudry described this evolution: “The CIO has gone from keeping the lights on and managing data centers to implementing and optimizing systems, and now to driving innovation with cloud computing and AI. If we don’t evolve, then who are we really?”

For Dr. Chaudry, being a CIO in 2024 means embracing the role of a change agent. This requires resilience and an unrelenting focus on the organization’s mission. “You have to believe in what you’re trying to achieve. Even when you take blows, you must keep going, focused on the true north,” he emphasized.

He also noted that being a change agent involves consistent communication, sometimes repeating the same message multiple times to gain traction. “The first step in the 12-step program is admitting you have a problem,” he joked. “And that’s really hard to do in any organization.”

Bridging Technology and Patient Care

One of the most critical roles of healthcare IT is ensuring that technology serves the broader mission of patient care. At Seattle Children’s, which serves pediatric patients across Washington, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho, this mission is paramount. Dr. Chaudry articulated the connection: “Everyone in this team is supporting the mission of their organization, even if they’re just fixing a server. If the server doesn’t work, systems can’t be accessed, and that impacts patient care.”

The stakes in pediatric healthcare amplify the importance of this work. “I’ve seen children with cancer in excruciating pain smile through it all. Their courage reminds us why we’re here,” Dr. Chaudry shared. This direct connection between IT operations and patient outcomes underscores the unique nature of healthcare IT and the profound responsibility borne by its leaders.

Managing Resistance and Building Buy-In

Transformational leadership in healthcare IT is as much about people as it is about technology. Change, particularly in healthcare, often meets resistance, whether it impacts internal IT teams or frontline clinicians. Dr. Chaudry identified one of the keys to navigating this resistance: explaining the “why.” “Physicians and nurses are evidence-based people,” he explained. “If you can show them evidence, they’ll eventually understand the rationale behind a change, even if they don’t like how it’s implemented.”

However, the process of change management is complex. Changes affecting clinicians—who don’t report to IT leaders—are particularly challenging. “The hardest changes are those that impact people who don’t report to you. These require constant communication, documentation, and a carefully managed rollout,” Dr. Chaudry observed.

He also stressed the importance of tailoring messages to different audiences. “Speaking to a group of nurses is different from speaking to physicians or to your own IT team. As a leader, your job is to connect the dots and evangelize the message in a way that resonates with each group.”

Leadership in Difficult Times

Healthcare systems nationwide are under unprecedented financial pressure, forcing leaders to make difficult and often unpopular decisions. Dr. Chaudry has faced these challenges head-on. “I cannot tell you that any decision I’ve made in the last 18 months has been popular,” he admitted. “The truth is, they’re not even popular with me. But if we don’t make these decisions, our function won’t exist, and we won’t be able to serve the organization.”

Despite the difficult decisions, he remains empathetic toward those affected. “No leader wakes up wanting to make people’s lives miserable,” he said. “We’re just trying to balance the needs of the organization with kindness toward our employees and colleagues.”

Dr. Chaudry likened his role to “juggling eggs,” acknowledging the inevitability of mistakes and the emotional toll of leadership. “When I have to deliver bad news, I process the emotions before or after the event to stay composed. But make no mistake—it breaks my heart every time.”

The Evolving Role of IT in Healthcare

As healthcare technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, CIOs must stay ahead of the curve while addressing the operational realities of their organizations. Dr. Chaudry reflected on the increasing speed of technological change: “We’ve gone from green screens and memorizing keys on keyboards to cloud systems and AI. If we’re not ready to embrace this change, we won’t be able to serve the people who rely on us.”

He also emphasized the importance of aligning IT initiatives with organizational strategy. “Your job as an IT leader is to connect the strategy of the health system to what you do in technology. If that alignment isn’t there, you won’t achieve the true north.”

Grounded by the Mission

For Dr. Chaudry, the ultimate motivation lies in the mission of healthcare. “What keeps me grounded is knowing that the work we do in IT helps ensure that clinicians can provide the best care possible,” he reflected. This perspective informs every decision he makes, no matter how challenging. “If I think about the children we serve, it makes all the struggles worthwhile.”

He added, “In the end, it’s about paying it forward. The systems we build today ensure that the care we’ll need tomorrow will be there when we need it most.”

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