EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW
Working with a Purpose HealthTrust CIO Michael Seestedt on creating value for health systems and hospitals through technology and improvements.
Innovation occurs when new technologies are leveraged in a way that adds
Serving the past seven years as chief
measurable value to the business, said HealthTrust’s Michael Seestedt, who was named
information officer of HealthTrust
the organization’s chief information officer earlier this year. Thus the challenge – if you
Workforce Solutions, Seestedt led several
create something that is cutting edge in the eyes of a technologist, but the business is
critical initiatives in support of Health-
unable to leverage it to be more successful, is that really innovation? “In my eyes it is
Trust Workforce Solutions and HCA
not,” he said. “Innovation is when technology creates value either through efficiencies
Healthcare. In his elevated role as CIO
or improvements to the business.”
of HealthTrust, he will focus on leading
Seestedt is an innovative and nimble leader with nearly 20 years of technology
the HealthTrust Supply Chain technol-
expertise. After joining HealthTrust Workforce Solutions in 2014, he revamped the
ogy and Shared Services agendas as well
company’s suite of technologies to support innovation and growth, successfully posi-
as continuing to oversee technology at
tioning HWS platforms to scale on pace with the expanding business. He also directed
HealthTrust Workforce Solutions.
an enterprise software implementation and oversaw the deployment of scheduling technology used in more than 200 hospitals.
Seestedt shared more insights into his role, the importance of cybersecurity, creating value for member organizations and more in the following Executive Interview. The Journal of Healthcare Contracting: You were named chief information officer in June. Can you briefly describe your role? What about your vision for your team/department? Michael Seestedt: The CIO role touches all technology across HealthTrust with responsibilities ranging from operations and IT infrastructure to products that support supply chain, GPO, Workforce Management, and Clinical Education lines of business. Our technologists and engineers understand and respond to the needs of the organization and the challenges facing our industry. Fundamentally, we strive to create value for our business stakeholders, customers and vendor partners. That can take different forms; providing security to
Michael Seestedt
4
reduce business risk or creating efficiencies
October 2021 | The Journal of Healthcare Contracting
