The information technology capabilities of Emory University and Emory Healthcare will be combined into one organization. The new division will take shape over the coming months and aims to streamline technology, data and digital infrastructure under a single IT umbrella.
An external evaluation led to the decision to create an integrated IT structure. This structure will be led by the company's chief information and digital officer, who will report to Emory's executive vice president.
Alistair Erskine, who joined Emory in March 2023 as chief information and digital officer for Emory Healthcare and vice provost for digital health at Emory University, has been appointed to the new role of enterprise chief information and digital officer .
“In this role, I will create a single organization focused on improving the IT experience for internal and external customers across Emory,” said Erskine. “Our immediate focus is to harmonize our legacy structures, such as the Office of Information Technology (OIT) and Emory Healthcare’s Emory Digital, to significantly improve the digital experience for our customers.”
The new structure came as Emory University IT leaders sought to resolve issues such as fragmented service delivery, funding differences, technology barriers and cultural differences, and expectations and benefits between Emory University and Emory IT functions. The need for this has become clear in recent years. health care.
“Our efforts were not aligned with One Emory's mission,” Erskine said. “Our goal is to simplify access to IT resources and create a seamless customer experience, while increasing security and reducing enterprise risk.”
A step-by-step approach to introducing new structures
A design team comprised of members from OIT and Emory Digital is currently working on establishing the new organization. “We expect the new unified IT to be implemented in the coming months,” said interim enterprise CIO John Ellis.
Utilizing a three-stage approach, the new system will go into full swing in about a year. Phase 1 will focus on determining the organizational structure and is expected to be completed by December 31st. Phase 2 includes implementation and should be completed in 4-7 months. Phase 3 is the optimization phase where end users begin to see visible improvements.
Ambitious goals for the new organization include:
Enhanced service delivery: Enhance service delivery by targeting same-day or next-day delivery of laptops and modernizing A/V setups in all meeting rooms. Identity and Access Management: Create a unified EmoryID to streamline access across your enterprise and eliminate the need for separate IDs. Digital transformation efforts: Implementing a digital maturity model to identify missing applications and remove duplication, move to a modern enterprise resource planning platform, and integrate applications to improve efficiency and data access. Establishing a data platform. Technology deployment and infrastructure: Migrate underutilized Microsoft tools and infrastructure to Microsoft Azure while maintaining other cloud services.
An integrated IT structure provides a single point of contact for all services, which is particularly advantageous for those working in both academic and medical settings. Our goal is to streamline our operations and ensure a quick response to our customers.' needs.
Stakeholders will be notified when changes and improvements are implemented. Additionally, feedback mechanisms will be in place so that IT leaders can continue to improve and enhance the service based on stakeholder insights.
Combine university and medical IT expertise
Over the next three months, Erskine will work closely with the integrated IT design team to finalize the organizational structure.
OIT staff members on the team include Kim Braxton, senior director of academic technology services; John Connerat, Associate CIO, Infrastructure and Cloud Architecture. Dana Haggas, associate CIO of enterprise applications and customer services; Emory Digital's members include Jigar Kadakia, Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer; Nitu Kashyap Vice President and Chief Health Information Officer; Jennifer Olow, vice president of digital experience and operations;
“Our new IT organization is about more than just technology. It’s about empowering our community through seamless access, innovative solutions, and a commitment to collaboration,” Erskine said. “Together, we will build a future where every member of Emory can thrive in a digitally connected environment.”
