By Pete Woody
The VCU Health Information Technology (IT) team is rapidly establishing itself as a national leader in the health care IT field, demonstrating how technology can enhance patient care, facilitate clinical research, and improve the overall experience for team members. Spearheaded by Chief Information Officer (CIO) Ellen Wiegand, the team is committed to building upon the robust foundation of IT at VCU Health.
Under Wiegand’s guidance, the team has garnered national accolades, being featured on the Constellation Research 2026 ‘Business Transformation 150’ list and being recognized in Becker’s Hospital Review’s ‘100 women in health IT to know’ for 2025. Most recently, Wiegand received the ‘National Healthcare CIO of the Year’ award at the annual ORBIE Awards in Washington, D.C. This recognition serves not only as a personal achievement for Wiegand, but as a validation of the team’s concerted efforts and innovations.
“We want to do the work that VCU Health needs done, and we want to partner and make sure what we’re rolling out is safe, effective, and useful. So this award reflects well on the organization as a whole,” Wiegand noted when discussing the award’s significance.
Recognition: A Reflection of Team Effort
Ellen Wiegand: Winning the ‘National Healthcare CIO of the Year’ is more about our collective team than it is about my individual contributions. The recognition highlights the hard work and planning that our entire team has put in over the past year. It validates our approach and shows that we are making a meaningful impact on our health system and community.
Moreover, this accolade inspires me to continuously challenge our limits and push for innovation in health IT.
Main Initiatives of the VCU Health IT Team
Ellen Wiegand: One of our primary focus areas has been the deployment of key enterprise platforms such as Epic, Workday, and ServiceNow. We’ve laid a strong IT foundation that will support our operations moving forward.
This year, we concentrated on establishing a robust infrastructure for artificial intelligence (AI) while developing a modern data architecture that will facilitate the implementation of AI tools in the near future. We are also piloting additional tools designed to alleviate administrative burdens, allowing clinical staff more time for direct patient care.
Being among the pioneers of health systems working on an AI strategy, we have set principles and guidelines for responsible AI usage. This proactive framework allows us to integrate innovative tools in a meaningful way. We aim to contribute substantially to the evolving conversation around AI in healthcare.
The Impact of Technology on Patient Care and Access
Ellen Wiegand: Our initiatives are closely aligned with the overarching goals of our health system, particularly focusing on enhancing patient care and simplifying access. By equipping our providers with user-friendly tools, we enable them to dedicate more time to patient interactions, translating into elevated care quality and patient satisfaction.
Take, for example, Epic’s Fast Pass, which has revolutionized appointment scheduling. Patients can now secure appointments several months earlier than previously predicted. The efficiency this tool offers means that timely medical attention is increasingly accessible, benefiting patients while ensuring that appointment slots are freed for others in need.
Enhancing Research Efforts at VCU Health
Ellen Wiegand: At VCU Health, research is integral to our mission, particularly in collaboration with Virginia Commonwealth University. Building an adaptable data architecture has been crucial for facilitating safe access to research data.
Recent advancements include standardizing medical student access to Epic, facilitating their training as emerging researchers. We also launched Epic SlicerDicer to help providers identify cohorts for research studies easily. Collaboration with the VCU Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research ensures streamlined pathways for data extraction for IRB-approved studies.
This comprehensive approach demonstrates our commitment to not only advancing clinical practices but also fostering the next generation of healthcare researchers.