Center for Technology Innovation
WORKING ON BEHALF OF ALL TEXAS HOSPITALS
We saw the need for a formal initiative around technology. Hospitals needed a dedicated advocate to help them solve the pain points where IT is concerned.
Ted Shaw, former president/chief executive officer
With the creation of the Texas Hospital Association’s Center for Technology Innovation in 2016, THA took on the role of champion for Texas hospitals in the technology space. Today, the Center for Technology has become a reliable, unbiased source for experts, information and solutions to serve hospital leaders across Texas.
The Center for Technology Innovation is led by Fernando Martinez, Ph.D., a veteran healthcare executive and award-winning technologist who has worked with some of the largest healthcare systems in the country. He served in a variety of healthcare settings and brings more than 20 years of hands-on experience delivering innovative and transformational technology strategies for organizations of all size to the Center.
Innovation is a term that gets kicked around a lot in today’s tech circles. For us at CTI, it’s specific. Innovation means finding novel uses of existing resources to create value.
Fernando Martinez, chief digital officer
From its inception, the Center for Technology Innovation was created as the answer to a dramatic shift in the healthcare industry. Technology had grown from a secondary priority to a core component in almost every aspect of operating a successful hospital. From the back office to the bedside, technology played a vital role in whether or not a hospital could succeed.
Texas Hospital Association quickly identified a gap for hospitals. While there was certainly no shortage of information and companies vying to be the next perfect technology for hospitals, Texas hospital leaders had no partner to help them find what would really work. That type of partnership seemed a natural role for the Texas Hospital Association.
Current Initiatives
Smart Ribbon
THA Smart Ribbon, powered by IllumiCare, gives clinicians real-time, patient-specific cost and risk data at the point of care, allowing them to make the best decisions for their patients when it matters most.
Compass
The Compass data program provides participants with the most up to date claims data available in Texas and a visualization tool to empower hospitals with executive-level insights for informed strategic growth planning.
Health Care IT Staffing
Revuud is an online marketplace for health care IT talent that allows health care facilities to build and scale a flexible workforce without the high costs and inefficiencies of staffing agencies.
Fernando Martinez, Ph.D., is the founder of THA’s Center for Technology Innovation and THA Chief Digital Officer. Martinez is a former hospital CIO/CISO, a certified IT security professional and a professional educator who has worked with some of the largest healthcare systems in the country.
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives recognized Martinez for his development of the THA Smart Ribbon, in partnership with Illumicare, Inc., with the organization’s Innovator Award during the CHIME17 Fall CIO Forum.
Webinars
INFORMATION SECURITY
The Cloud Security Alliance and other industry leaders are increasingly concerned with a greater focus on configuration and authentication, both domains which are most adequately addressed through audit and well-developed, targeted controls. During this session participants will gain an understanding of how the cloud security domain is maturing and evolving, and what must be done to analyze, manage and defend against threats to organizational resilience.
Resources
CYBERSECURITY BASICS
FTC.GOV in conjunction with NIST and Homeland security published this excellent guidance for cybersecurity basics. Although written for the Small Business community, the content of this guide applies to organizations large and small.