In my experience, healthcare policy doesn’t stay in Washington. It shows up in your systems and workflows whether you’re ready for it or not. In a recent conversation with Theresa Meadows, CIO in Residence at symplr and former Chief Digital and Information Officer at a large pediatric health system, we compared perspectives on how policy and technology play out inside a health system.
We covered a lot but kept coming back to the same point: policy isn’t theoretical. It shows up in real decisions we must make every day. For CIOs, that’s simply part of the job.
What role does healthcare policy play in IT strategy?
Healthcare policy moves quickly from discussion to execution. What starts at the federal or regulatory level ends up embedded in your EHR, data-sharing protocols, and compliance workflows.
Theresa put it plainly, “Policy doesn’t just live at the federal level; it shows up in operations almost immediately. CIOs are responsible for translating that into real workflows.”
That’s where healthcare differs from most industries. You can borrow ideas from other sectors, but the regulatory environment ultimately defines what’s possible. Compliance, privacy, and patient safety aren’t side considerations—they set the boundaries for innovation.
Theresa emphasized, “If your systems and workflows don’t reflect policy requirements, you create risk almost immediately.”
That’s why staying engaged in policy isn’t optional. It helps you avoid being caught off guard when requirements turn into operational mandates.
How do CIOs prioritize constant policy changes?
There’s always something new to track, whether it’s proposed regulations, legal challenges, or evolving frameworks. Some will materially impact operations; others won’t. A key part of this job is determining what requires action now versus what may never move forward.
Theresa described this as a risk-based exercise: “CIOs are constantly evaluating the impact. What happens if we don’t implement a change? Regulations tied to penalties or compliance risk naturally rise to the top.”
Interoperability is a good example. Progress with FHIR APIs and national data-sharing frameworks is creating opportunities for better care coordination. At the same time, these pathways can introduce risk if bad actors gain access to sensitive data. What starts as a technical issue can quickly become a policy and trust problem.
“There’s a direct operational impact to every interoperability decision,” Theresa noted. “It’s not just about access. It’s about governance, security, and how that data flows through the organization.”
There is real momentum around data sharing, but it only works if organizations trust how data is accessed and used.
Add the possibility of large-scale regulatory changes that require significant operational lift with little notice, and it becomes clear why we as CIOs must stay closely aligned with policy developments. Even with preparation, much of this work remains reactive.
Why is pediatric healthcare policy more complex?
In pediatric healthcare, policy challenges become more nuanced because the rules don’t always reflect real-world scenarios. Most regulatory frameworks are designed for adult populations, so pediatric CIOs must interpret how those rules apply in very different care environments.
Adolescent privacy is a clear example. Federal regulations may require immediate data sharing, while state laws limit what can be disclosed and when. This creates situations where organizations must navigate competing requirements without introducing compliance risk.
“These aren’t edge cases,” Theresa explained. “They’re daily operational decisions that require coordination across IT, legal, compliance, and clinical teams.”
These challenges are not rare; they are part of daily operations. They also highlight a broader issue: a one-size-fits-all policy does not always work in specialized care settings, especially in pediatrics.
How can CIOs turn policy into a strategic advantage?
The role of the CIO has evolved. Policy and technology are no longer separate conversations. They are tightly connected, and healthcare leaders are responsible for making that connection work.
That means translating complex, sometimes unclear requirements into systems and workflows that support both compliance and care delivery. It also means building a technology foundation that can adapt to policy changes rather than forcing the organization to constantly react.
Theresa framed it this way: “Organizations that do this well build flexibility into their systems so they can adjust as regulations evolve instead of starting from scratch every time.”
This is where the right partners matter. When your technology ecosystem is designed with healthcare policy and operational realities in mind, it becomes easier to move forward with confidence as requirements shift.
Policy is not going away, and it is not getting simpler. But with the right approach, it can become something you anticipate, plan for, and occasionally use to your advantage.
How do healthcare CIOs keep up without falling behind?
The answer, in most cases, is collaboration.
The pediatric CIO community is relatively small, and we stay connected. We compare approaches, share lessons learned, and help each other avoid unnecessary missteps. My involvement with groups like the CHIME Policy Steering Committee is one way to stay close to these conversations and help shape what comes next.
Because responsibility for policy is often shared across CIOs, compliance, and security leaders, staying aligned is critical. Children’s hospitals tend to collaborate across organizations, which helps accelerate decision-making and problem-solving.
The same idea applies to technology. Working with partners who understand healthcare and build solutions with compliance and operational workflows in mind makes it easier to adapt as policy evolves. Instead of reacting to every change, you can build systems designed to adjust over time.
“Policy can actually push organizations to move faster,” Theresa shared. “If you stay ahead of potential changes, you can be proactive about implementing better processes and technology before you’re required to.”
Where does AI fit into healthcare IT strategy today?
AI is part of almost every conversation, but practical applications matter more than headlines.
At Dayton Children’s, we’ve deliberately chosen to focus on AI embedded in the platforms we already use rather than building something entirely new or chasing every new vendor.
The most immediate value is in areas like ambient documentation and workflow support, where AI can reduce administrative burden and improve the provider experience.
Theresa agreed but expanded the lens: “There are obvious clinical use cases, but there are just as many opportunities on the operational side. Credentialing, contracting, onboarding, scheduling, and quality reporting are all areas where AI has the potential to streamline workflows and reduce administrative burden.”
That means prioritizing solutions that support care delivery while improving how the organization operates day to day.
“There’s real value in focusing on tools that integrate into existing workflows and make people’s jobs easier, especially at the operational level,” she added.
Adoption should be deliberate. Not every solution is ready on day one, and in many cases, it makes sense to learn from early adopters before scaling internally. Innovation must translate into measurable outcomes to justify investment.
What gives healthcare leaders confidence about the future?
Despite the complexity, there are clear reasons for optimism.
Data liquidity is improving, interoperability standards are maturing, and AI capabilities continue to advance. As these elements converge, they create new opportunities to improve both operational efficiency and patient outcomes.
We’re beginning to see how this shift from reactive to proactive can change not only how care is delivered, but how health systems operate at scale.
