S03E10 When Systems Can't Go Down: Modernizing Healthcare IT Infrastructure

Healthcare IT Modernization in High-Stakes Environments What does it take to modernize healthcare IT when every second can mean the difference between life and death? In this season three finale of Edge of IT, host Jonathan Gough sits down with Jim Forrester, Chief Technology Officer and Associate Vice President of Information Technology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, to explore the strategies, decisions, and discipline behind healthcare IT modernization at scale. Healthcare generates massive amounts of critical data, and how that data is stored, secured, and accessed directly shapes patient outcomes. Jim pulls back the curtain on what it takes to support a regional trauma center spanning more than 100 miles, with dozens of safety-critical applications, 36,000 customers, and 125,000 connected devices delivering care across the region. KEY TAKEAWAYS In this conversation, you'll discover: • Why healthcare has become a top target for ransomware and how the "minimum viable hospital" concept is reshaping disaster recovery • How Jim's team prioritizes which systems to modernize first using application impact analysis and recovery time objectives • The storage modernization story that delivered all-flash performance at cost parity with 15-year-old spinning disk, loading cardiac imaging six times faster • A new way to measure ROI that goes beyond revenue to include risk mitigation and employee well-being Whether you lead technology in healthcare or any other industry, Jim's insights on planned obsolescence, governance, isolated recovery environments, and customer success metrics offer practical guidance you can apply right away. As Jim puts it, modernization is an ongoing process, one that demands a scientific approach: form a hypothesis, measure the results, and adjust without delay. Ready to learn how thoughtful infrastructure decisions drive better outcomes for everyone? Watch the full episode now, and subscribe to Edge of IT for more conversations at the intersection of technology and transformation.