Identity is a surprisingly complex issue in today’s world. Battles over political identities, confusion and activism regarding gender identities, and a surfeit of identity crises dominate headlines and social discourse. As such, fellow futurist Francis Fukuyama, author of Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment, insists that “Identity is a hallmark of our age.”
Make no mistake, IT has an identity as well, and its identity is more elusive and value impacting than even many CIOs typically believe.
Professionally I have spent a lot of time with healthcare CIOs, who I have found to be passionately and authentically committed to patient service. As I age and parts of my personal health system fall out of warranty, I find myself much too frequently interacting with a wide variety of white coat wearing clinicians. When I ask these healthcare front-liners about IT, I am surprised when they respond, “IT deals with contracts. We deal with patients.”
