Witt/Kieffer on What's Next for Chief Nursing Information Officers

How clinical information is turned into practical knowledge, as informatics, is a critical concern throughout the continuum of care. Increasingly, the chief nursing informatics officer (CNIO) plays a dual role in improving outcomes. The CNIO combines traditional frontline care duties with innovative evidence-based processes and practices that are applicable to nurses and, by extension, all caregivers.

The unique sensibilities and abilities of today’s CNIO can guide organizations in creating IT solutions that can maximize nursing productivity and work for the patient. As the primary liaison between IT and nursing, the CNIO can help strategically identify, apply, and oversee all necessary resources: time, financial, and human. Because CNIOs are central to the success of today’s healthcare organizations, Witt/Kieffer recently surveyed these executives and their peers about the responsibilities, reporting relationships, and skills required of the position.

In 2016, Witt/Kieffer sent an online survey to Chief Nursing Informatics Officers (CNIOs), Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs), Chief Information Officers (CIOs), Chief Medical Informatics Officers (CMIOs), and other senior healthcare provider leaders. One hundred of these leaders, mostly from large academic medical centers, integrated delivery systems, and system hospitals, shared their responses and comments.

Survey data indicate the number of providers with a CNIO or equivalent in place, hiring plans, reasons for not having a CNIO, reporting structure, top responsibilities and skills, compensation, and top challenges.

To read the full report, visit http://wittkieffer.com/thought-leadership-research-reports/CNIO-2-Whats-Next-for-Nursing-IT-Leaders