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of discussions on crucial topics from health IT
to executive leadership.
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and engage in these important conversations.
- This is Laura Dedo with the Becker's Healthcare Podcast.
I'm thrilled today to be joined by Michael Archuleta,
chief Information Officer at Mount St.
Raphael Hospital. Michael, it's a pleasure
to have you on the podcast today.
- It's always an honor to be part of the Becker's family,
so thank you very much for the invite.
- Absolutely. And you know, we're always thrilled
to have you as part of our network too,
and, um, just really being on the forefront
of just the big ideas and, and concepts and health it
and digital transformation.
So, you know, looking forward
to our broader discussion on some of the things
that you're doing at the hospital
and really how you're seeing technology
evolving in the healthcare space.
But before we dive further into that discussion,
can you tell us a little bit more
about yourself and your background?
- Yeah, absolutely. Well, thank you very much.
So again, my name is Michael Ra.
I'm the Chief Information Officer
with Mount San Rafael Hospital and Clinics.
Um, we are a healthcare organization here in southern
Colorado, and it's just been a phenomenal time
to really be in healthcare.
It, I've, we've seen a massive amount
of digital transformation basically just happen in front
of us, you know,
and it's really been one of those items
to see this industry seeing the importance of
what digitalization basically brings into an organization
and really seeing how the overall evolution
of the chief information officer, the chief digital officer,
has really evolved
and has really been a key strategic asset
to a healthcare organization itself.
So really excited for this discussion.
- Absolutely. And you know, first off,
I was wondering if you could tell me about your most
successful project over the last year or two.
What did you do and how did you measure the results?
- Yeah, absolutely. So one
of the most successful projects in the past, uh, year
has been re really implementing a comprehensive
cybersecurity framework within our organization.
You know, reorganizing the growing threat landscape
and critical importance of safeguarding sensitive data.
I really led a cross-functional team to design
and deploy a robust cybersecurity measure.
This overall initiative really involved conducting thorough
risk assessments, implementing multi-layered defense
mechanisms, and really providing extensive training
to employees to enhance awareness
and to really just improve our complete security protocols.
One critical element that I've always stated is that
when we look at the healthcare industry itself,
we went from the top 10 now
to the top two most attacked industries out there,
and it's such a critical issue.
We as an organization have to continue to basically put
cybersecurity as a core component
to our overall organizational strategy if we want
to continue to basically be successful at what we do.
And you figure one critical element
that we're basically looking at here is we continue
to really try to change the overall aspects of
what cybersecurity means,
because cybersecurity always has been one of those elements
that, you know, everyone says cybersecurity
is about data security.
Well, we have to think of it a little bit differently.
Cybersecurity, yes, is a data item,
but cybersecurity can also be a matter of life and death.
I mean, when we look at the medical, um, device industry
that's basically mandated by the FDA 83%
of those specific organizations have admitted
that they have a cybersecurity problem.
And then when we look at the pacemaker software alone,
we see thousands of security flaws associated with it.
So then we ask ourselves, can the heart be hacked?
And the answer is yes.
So that's why we have to say
that cybersecurity isn't just about data security,
it's also a matter of life and death.
And truly incorporating cybersecurity as a core component
to the overall organizational strategy has been a successful
outcome for myself.
And one critical element too is that I've really tried
to refocus
and rechange is that we can no longer
look at information technology as a cost center,
but as a strategic revenue contributor to the organization,
that is such a critical element.
We are a strategic specific revenue generator
for the organization.
And again, if we are not incorporating those security
elements, then we really can have some failing points.
Because when I go to my board of directors, one
of the critical elements that I've really kind
of focused on has been FOR, which stands for Financial,
operational and Reputational.
What would happen on a financial level if a breach happened?
What would happen on an operational level
if a breach happened?
And what would happen on a reputational level
if a breach happened?
These are critical elements
that have been basically established in our organization
to show the importance of why we continue to invest
and why we continue to basically implement these
comprehensive cybersecurity initiatives
within our organizations.
And to answer your additional question, you know,
to really measure the effectiveness of the projects
that we've initiated, especially
with our cybersecurity framework, we utilized a lot
of various key performance indicators, such
as the reduction in security incidents, the percentage
of vulnerabilities mitigated,
and the level of employee, uh, compliance
with security policies.
Additionally, we conducted regular audits
and assessments to really ensure ongoing hardness
to the establishments
of the cybersecurity framework initiatives
that we've incorporated.
And that is why it's extremely important, as I stated,
to really continue to enhance that awareness
because I was looking at a, an overall nationally
recognized survey that came out,
and the survey basically stated that 43%
of healthcare organizations still don't provide basic
cybersecurity awareness training to their end users.
And you figure, if you looked at last year's numbers,
91% of all ransomware attacks
that were targeted towards the healthcare, uh, industry came
through a phishing email.
And who are they phishing?
They're phishing our people
because at the end of the day, the unfortunate thing is, is
that your biggest risk are your employees.
And if you're not basically building that comprehensive
security process within your organization
or really trying to ize the org
to really show the importance of digitalization,
cybersecurity, that can really be a detrimental issue within
your group itself.
And we're seeing how the healthcare industry is basically
being hit on a security standpoint.
I mean, look at what's happening with change healthcare.
I mean, there's been so many disruptions in regards to that.
So it is extremely critical to continue
to incorporate those specific initiatives,
and that has really been one of those successful points
that I have been able
to really establish within our organization itself.
- Well, that's fantastic to hear,
and certainly as you mentioned, such an important area
to zero in on and feel like you've got the right resources
behind the right training
and, um, really a strong infrastructure, as you mentioned,
um, to do the best you can
to prevent those kinds of attacks.
I know, especially in the cybersecurity space, things change
so quickly and certainly, um, you know, the tactics and,
and um, capabilities of, of some
of the bad actors within the cyber, uh,
cybersecurity spaces, you know, um, just seems like, um,
can, can change at a rapid speed.
And so, you know,
I I really love your perspective on bringing
that into a strategic imperative for the health system,
not only, you know, on the IT side, um, but,
but really, um, that can make a big difference overall.
Um, you know, when you look at the next 12 months
or so, what are some of your top priorities?
What are you really, uh, keeping, um, front
and center for you and,
and how do you see all of this evolving?
- You know, looking ahead to the next 12 months,
my top priorities really revolve around, you know,
further enhancing the organization's digital capabilities
and resilience that is so important moving forward.
This really includes initiatives such
as leveraging artificial intelligence
and machine learning for, for predictive analytics
and really enhancing the overall cloud infrastructure
to support scalability and flexibility
and really continuing to foster a culture of innovation
and continuous improvements across the organization,
which is so critical
because that's why I even made that statement that we have
to look, you know, away from
what technology has always been seen as,
or you know, what, it has always been seen as,
it has always been seen as what a ticket taker versus
being a value maker.
And I think really re culturalizing,
re fostering, you know, fostering a culture of innovation,
of digitalization, of the importance of security
across the organization basically builds strong initiatives
on who we are as a group.
Because at the end of the day, I always state that hospitals
and clinics are digital companies
that deliver healthcare services.
We are living in the digital age healthcare,
and we have to incorporate those specific items within
our organization itself.
I mean, you've seen how even the evolution
of the CIO has really kind
of come into place in the healthcare industry, you know,
from crawling to upping up, you know, to walking upright,
to carrying the organization.
You know, starting as an advisor,
starting then going into more of a supportive role,
more into an enabler, uh, enabler role, then going into more
of that driver's role, you know, being that overall
individual that understands innovation, being the economist,
being that risk manager, that political visionary, you know,
the project advisor
to really drive these specific initiatives moving forward,
which I think is extremely important,
but really looking at, you know, just fostering
a culture of innovation is so important
to really drive your overall process moving forward.
Because at the end of the day, the healthcare industry,
it's getting more complex, it's getting harder,
and we have as an organization have to continue
to move forward and not backwards.
And that is so critical to our overall success.
- That's so fascinating here.
And you know, definitely I, I, um, can so appreciate just
that, um, urgency with which moving into the digital space
and making sure that you've got that culture of innovation
so you can pivot easily
and do the best, um, you know, provide the best care you can
for patients within the system.
And, you know, when you talk about, um, the IT department
or the IT functions as a turning into more
of a value creator or value maker for the health system,
how does that, um, you really make
that transition first at the top level of the organization
with the, your executive colleagues
to help them understand what that looks like?
And then, you know, down into, um, just the, the whole rest
of the health system to understand that, you know, the IT
side, again, it goes beyond
what you traditionally would think of
to really make a huge difference within the overall strategy
and and buy into that kind of mindset and mind frame.
- Yeah, absolutely. You know,
it definitely starts from the top down
and that's really one of those critical components.
You know, the the problem is,
is if you've looked at the complete healthcare landscape, so
I did a discussion with Columbia University
and we were talking about the brick
and mortar theology of healthcare on, um, you know, how
the healthcare theology of that brick
and mortar where we operate as a brick
and mortar organization, really needs to go away.
And that's why I always state in my statements
that hospitals and clinics are digital companies
that deliver healthcare services.
And then when I go to my board of directors,
I focus on three elements, financial,
operational, reputational.
I really try to develop
that strong ROI on why we're continuing
to invest in the overall technology initiatives
for the organization itself to continue
to strive to basically.
Because one critical element that I've always stated too is
that I don't care
what position you have in the healthcare organization
that you work with, you have a new CEO
and your new CEO is the patient.
And that's basically the bottom line.
And as an organization,
if we are not building asynchronous tools
that benefit our patients both inside
and outside of our organizations,
we are not gonna be successful moving forward.
And then we're seeing just the mass incorporation
of individuals taking more care of themselves,
taking more actions of their overall healthcare needs.
And you have the new millennial,
you have the millennial population, you have the, uh,
gen Z population,
which is completely focused on digital applications.
So the thing is is hospitals
and clinics are digital companies
that deliver healthcare services.
We have to realize those specific important elements.
And I also think though too is, you know, it has been one
of those specific siloed departments.
We have to come out of the siloed areas to really show value
of who we are, promote the specific initiatives
that we're basically doing, show the amazing items
that are being accomplished with the digital initiatives
that we're incorporating into our overall
organizational practice.
You know, showing the importance of
what the technology strategies
that we throughout there have really improved better patient
care, like artificial intelligence
that we've incorporated into our radiology practices
to really enhance better ways of viewing specific images
and detecting specific abnormalities
where a radiologist human eye can't basically capture.
Using those technology tool sets
to really create successful outcomes is extremely important.
And that is why I always say that we have to, we have
to incorporate it as a core component
to any organizational strategy
because honestly, at the end of the day,
this isn't a business makeover,
but an actual true revolution to continue to digitalize
our overall focus
and create better successful outcomes moving forward.
Because we have to realize the importance of
what technology brings.
And then we've seen the, the huge, you know, improvements
of better patient care outcomes.
How are we taking care of our patients?
That's why I always stated patient care is number one,
my new CEO is the patient.
That's basically the bottom line.
We have to have that mindset.
What are we doing to really enhance better patient
care outcomes?
Patient-centric technology strategies
that create successful outcomes from your organization
is such a critical element to move forward.
- Absolutely. I, I love that.
I love the passion that you have obviously for this topic.
And certainly as you've mentioned, it makes a big difference
for the health system overall.
Now, before we wrap up here, I was wondering, you know,
could you talk about how you anticipate your role
and teams will change in the near future?
- Yeah, absolutely. You know, in terms
of really anticipating change in my role in teams,
I really foresee a continued shift towards
strategic leadership and collaboration across departments,
which is so important.
You know, and as technology continues to evolve rapidly,
it's essential for CIOs to really stay ahead of the curve
and adapt to emerging trends and challenges.
This may involve expanding the scope of responsibilities
to really include areas such as digital transformation,
data governance, and regulatory compliance.
You know, additionally I really anticipating, you know,
fostering a more agile
and cross-functional approach within my teams,
really encouraging collaboration
and knowledge sharing to really drive collective success
as an organization itself.
So it is, I mean, there is a lot of specific
phenomenal items that I basically see within the
organization and a lot of different, specific shifts
that are happening, which is so important.
And again, though too, you know,
when I was talking about the overall evolution
of the healthcare CIO advisor, supportive, enabler,
and driver, continuing to see the driving success
of your organization,
and it has been just, just a phenomenal time again,
to really be in healthcare.
It, there's a lot of challenges.
We continue to incorporate some advanced technology
initiatives and strategies within our organization itself.
We understand that cybersecurity continues
to be a major concern for any organization,
especially in the healthcare industry.
And we continue to really understand the
importance of why we're here.
And that's really to prove
and to just have
that better patient care outcome moving forward,
which is so critical.
And that's why I'm so passionate about this is
because we do the most important thing out there.
And that's basically dealing with humans, dealing
with human lives, improving human lives, creating better,
uh, outcomes for individuals to have a better quality
of life moving forward.
So it's really been a good successful outcome.
We've done some amazing things from building our new
facility to incorporating cybersecurity
and technology as that core component.
We've seen the importance of
what digitalization basically brings into the organization,
and we're gonna continue to move forward.
You know, there's a Spanish word that I like to use
and it's LAN that means forward.
We're gonna move LAN
and we're gonna have some good collaborative
culturing fostering initiatives
with different organizations, different people
to really kind of continue to build
that strong initiative to move forward.
And again, it's, it's always a pleasure to be on this,
on Becker's podcast.
You guys do a phenomenal job
and it's always an honor to be part
of this overall group as well too.
- Thank you so much, Michael.
It's always a pleasure to speak with you
and certainly, um, I learn a lot from hearing, you know,
just your perspective and everything
that's going on, um, at the hospital.
So thank you so much for your time today.
It is truly an honor to have you on the podcast
and you know, I look forward
to connecting with you again soon.
- Hey, thank you much. I appreciate that.