Tressa Springmann

Senior Vice President & CIO, LifeBridge Health

 

What does innovation mean to you?

To take a page from the late Clay Christenson, “the majority of innovation is identifying the benefits of repurposing an existing system or idea in place, to solve new problems.” As a leader, I must understand and foster an environment that appropriately implements the “how” of innovation. I strive to encourage appropriate risk-taking and exploration, creating safety for the ‘try’s’ that lead us through enough failures to experience success. While society teaches us to believe it happens quickly, that is not the case for everyone. Fortunately, these breakthroughs typically make a difference to both our care providers and our patients in healthcare. When you know an impact is made, how can that NOT be a motivator for a mindset of continual improvement?

What is the most rewarding part about being in the healthcare industry?

Healthcare has been notorious in seeing itself as a high touch (versus high tech) industry. This has led to historically lower levels of investment in information technology than other verticals. There remain so many more opportunities to make a difference in the health of those around us by applying technology as it evolves. Finally, as an industry, I believe that our healthcare trends are global, but the impacts are local. This is the best of both worlds where we can learn and engage across the globe but directly and positively impact our own communities.

What made you become involved in healthcare technology?

I started my career in a basic science research lab at Hopkins. My schooling in the scientific method, combined with my analytical mindset, paved the way for healthcare technology to enter my life. Working in healthcare led me to explore both information management and computer science. Now, I am excited to see how healthcare technology can marry with the advances in the human genome to lead to truly personalized medicine.

How do you ensure your organization is keeping up with the continual advances in technology?

Lead by example. People see what has value to their leaders and follow suit. That said, those I lead need to see I am grounded in their reality as well. If all I emphasize is the future, those struggling with current constraints will not buy-in. I talk about new developments in the industry and tech. We highlight maturing technologies and partner with our innovation team to identify opportunities for our team to get involved in new efforts. My leadership team is intentional in understanding our associates’ comfort with growth areas and the uses of new technologies. Further, there is a need for committed time to remain relevant to industry developments. We are reading, networking, and attending various vendor and industry associations, investing in similar experiences for our team members and peers. The team noticed leaders whose example continued education.