Editors’ Note

Kristin Myers joined Northwell Health as its first-ever Chief Digital Officer. She leads the transformation of Northwell’s digital services to improve patient care. Myers joined Northwell from Mount Sinai Health System, where she served as Executive Vice President, Chief Digital and Information Officer, and Dean for Digital and Information Technology. She has extensive experience driving organizational change, adopting cutting-edge technologies, enabling digital transformation, modernizing and streamlining the technology landscape, and much more. During her career, Myers has earned many accolades for her work, including recognition by Crain’s New York Business’ 2023 Notable Healthcare Leaders, Becker’s Hospital Review’s Hospital and Health System CIOs to Know 2023 and 46 Chief Digital Officers to Know 2024, Becker’s Hospital Review’s 35 Hospital and Health System Chief Digital Officers to Know 2023, and as a nominee of the 2022 New York CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards. She holds an Executive Master of Public Health from Columbia University and an Executive Chief Information Security Officer certification from Carnegie Mellon.

What excited you about the opportunity to join Northwell Health and made you feel it was the right fit?

There are many aspects of joining Northwell that excite me, but two key factors stand out the most: growth and innovation. First, it’s incredibly exciting to be part of a rapidly expanding organization where I have the opportunity to directly contribute to improving patient care for such a large and diverse population. Second, I am inspired by the organization’s strong commitment to digital transformation and innovation. I am eager to lead and be a part of this transformation, helping to reshape how technology enhances both the quality of care and operational success. In my first few months here, I’ve felt incredibly welcomed by the leadership team and my colleagues, and I’m confident that, together, we can make a meaningful impact on the health system, the community, and the future of healthcare delivery.

Will you provide an overview of your role and areas of focus?

As Chief Digital Officer, my role is to help Northwell navigate the complexities of digital transformation in an increasingly dynamic healthcare landscape. The pace of technological advancement has accelerated rapidly, bringing new innovations, shifting business models, and redefining how care is delivered. I am committed to guiding the organization by integrating and advancing digital technologies, data analytics, and cutting-edge solutions to support Northwell’s mission and strategic goals. My focus is on enhancing both patient and employee experiences, modernizing platforms and infrastructure, driving operational efficiency, and fostering a culture of diversity, agility, and innovation. By leveraging the power of digital, we will not only enhance care delivery but also ensure that Northwell remains at the forefront of healthcare transformation.

How important is it in your role that Northwell Health has such a deep commitment to technology and innovation as part of its culture?

It is essential for my role to be deeply committed to technology and innovation, as these elements are increasingly central to improving patient care, enhancing operational efficiency, and driving overall organizational success. While implementing technology is important, fostering a culture of continuous innovation and digital transformation is equally crucial. We must evolve from simply “doing digital” to “being digital” as an organization, embedding digital solutions into the fabric of our daily operations. Cultivating a culture of continuous innovation involves promoting transparency, embracing change, and empowering teams to solve problems collaboratively. By nurturing this mindset, we can successfully navigate the current wave of digital transformation and remain agile for the future.

How are you working to transform Northwell’s digital services to improve patient care?

There are several key initiatives underway to transform our digital services and improve patient care. We are transitioning to Epic as a unified EHR platform and in parallel, we are also expanding our personalized consumer experience capabilities with a new integrated platform (Constituent Relationship Management). Our journey to the cloud will deliver a modern, scalable technology infrastructure that enhances security, improves agility, and ensures greater uptime and faster recovery. Through data and analytics, we are establishing a modern data platform that integrates AI capabilities to accelerate decision-making, improve care delivery, and drive better patient outcomes. Lastly, we are focused on enhancing the digital experience, creating a seamless, accessible, and equitable experience for patients, clinicians, team members, and the broader community.

Where is Northwell Health on its digital transformation journey?

Northwell’s digital transformation journey is well underway. Over the past two years, we have focused heavily on planning and design, and now implementation is moving forward swiftly, with the most significant impact anticipated in 2025 and 2026. Our organization, teams, partners, and community are all enthusiastic about the advancements ahead – whether it’s implementing Epic as our standardized EHR, creating an optimized digital patient experience, or building a scalable cloud platform to support resilience and innovation. I believe that digital transformation is an ongoing journey. With continuous advancements in technology, new innovations, and changing business models, we must remain adaptable and ready to evolve.