Nordic launches national Rural Health IT Community

Nordic, a leading healthcare and technology consulting company, has kicked off CHIME’s 2024 Fall Forum with the launch of its anticipated Rural Health IT Community. In collaboration with Microsoft and the College for Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), the Rural Health IT Community aims to bridge the technological gap facing rural healthcare providers, who serve approximately 20% of the U.S. population.  

“This is our opportunity to be an advocate and a voice,” shared Linda Stevenson, CIO at Fisher-Titus Medical Center and Community member, when introducing the Community’s mission. “How can we come together and be one voice in terms of care and priorities?” 

 The Rural Health IT Community creates a collaborative space where rural healthcare technology leaders can unite, exchange best practices, and foster innovation in their local communities, with member insights directly shaping the initiative’s strategic direction and focus areas. 

The community’s first major focus will be cybersecurity and will leverage Nordic’s newly launched third-party vulnerability management service alongside Microsoft’s Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals, creating a comprehensive security framework for resource-limited facilities. Their intention is to create “security in a box,” that will give healthcare organizations a checklist of what they need to address to create a secure healthcare information environment.

The session revealed several key components of the community: 

• A dedicated forum for rural digital health leaders to share solutions and best practices
• Regular member meetings to shape strategic priorities
• Access to advanced tools and resources from both Nordic and Microsoft
• Specialized programs targeting rural healthcare’s unique challenges

Stevenson joins Jason Griffin, Managing Director, and Tina Burbine, Principal at Nordic in the Community along with Scott McEarchen, CIO of Southern Coos Hospital; Pam Austin, CIO & SVP at Ballad Health; Nicole Kerkenbush, SVP, Education at CHIME; Laura Kreofsky, Director of Rural Health at Microsoft Philanthropies.