Challenge
The IT organization at St. Luke’s was poorly positioned to support the organization’s strategic goals. Teams operated in silos, disconnected from one another and the broader business needs of the health system. Relationships with business stakeholders were strained, with IT staff often seen as unresponsive or lacking an understanding of business priorities. This disconnect also existed internally, where IT staff experienced low morale and limited clarity about their roles, contributing to poor engagement scores.
Cost pressures further compounded these challenges. Every dollar spent on IT had to be carefully justified, as these resources could otherwise support direct patient care. With healthcare regulations and demands for improved data access and quality metrics on the rise, IT needed a significant transformation to become an effective partner in achieving the organization’s goals.
Solution
St. Luke’s leadership undertook a bold initiative to realign and empower its IT organization. The CIO restructured IT teams to align with specific business functions, creating dedicated service teams for areas like acute care, clinical diagnostics, and ambulatory services. This realignment provided IT staff with clearer roles and greater accountability to their business partners.
Recognizing the importance of skill development, St. Luke’s partnered with Ouellette & Associates (O&A), the Leadership Division of Technology Partners, to deliver consulting skills and service excellence workshops. These training sessions equipped IT staff with the tools to engage proactively with business stakeholders, improving communication and fostering collaboration. IT leadership also participated in these sessions alongside key business stakeholders, strengthening relationships and ensuring alignment on expectations.
To drive cultural change, the workshops emphasized practical, hands-on learning, including role-playing scenarios that mirrored real-world challenges. This approach helped IT staff build the confidence to propose innovative solutions and engage constructively with both internal and external stakeholders.
Results
The transformation of St. Luke’s IT organization delivered measurable improvements across multiple dimensions. Relationships between IT and business stakeholders improved dramatically, with IT staff now viewed as trusted, consultative partners. Employee engagement scores rose significantly, with several IT teams achieving top-tier ratings in organizational surveys.
Operational outcomes were equally impressive. For example, IT collaborated with radiology teams to implement a voice recognition system that reduced result turnaround times from nine hours to one and saved $72,000 per month in transcription costs. Similar initiatives demonstrated IT’s ability to deliver strategic value, from improving patient information access to streamlining physician onboarding processes.
This transformation redefined IT’s role at St. Luke’s, shifting from isolated functions to a consultative partner in healthcare. The results speak to the power of collaboration and strategic alignment.
Kath Marston
Service Line Manager, Technology Partners
Internally, the IT organization experienced a cultural shift. Teams embraced collaboration, both with one another and their business partners, and developed a deeper understanding of their role in supporting patient care. This transformation positioned IT as a critical enabler of St. Luke’s mission to deliver high-quality, efficient healthcare.
Key Outcomes
- Improved radiology operations, saving $72,000 monthly through a voice recognition system.
- Reduced radiology result turnaround times from nine hours to one hour.
- Achieved significant improvements in IT employee engagement, with several teams earning top-tier satisfaction ratings.
- Strengthened collaboration between IT and business stakeholders, fostering trust and efficiency.
- Enhanced IT’s strategic value through proactive solutions like enterprise-wide imaging systems and improved physician onboarding processes.
