Claus Torp Jensen has been named Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's first chief digital officer and head of technology.

WHY IT MATTERS
Jensen will oversee the integration of data and technology resources at Memorial Sloan Kettering, as well as develop and improve MSK's data and digital platforms, the hospital said this week as it announced his hiring.

He brings 20 years of leadership experience to the position, and MSK touted his track record previously the chief technology officer and head of architecture at CVS Health and Aetna.

Jensen will report to MSK's Chief Operating Officer Kathryn Martin and work closely with leaders across MSK to create and optimize solutions that benefit patients as well as researchers, clinicians and administrators.

The hospital's information technology ecosystem comprises some 800 employees. Martin said Jensen's work will create greater data integration and computing power, ease administrative burden and facilitate more efficient workflows.

Prior to CVS Health and Aetna, Jensen served in various technical leadership roles at IBM and Danske Bank. MSK said Jensen's past work includes leading technological innovation, business transformation incubation, architecture planning and design, and digital integration.

Jensen, a native of Denmark, has a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a PhD in computer science from Aarhus University. Earlier this year, he received an IDG CIO 100 Award, and in 2016, he received an InfoWorld and Forrester Enterprise Architecture Award. He has authored numerous publications and holds 14 patents around integration, APIs, and transformation.

THE LARGER TREND
The position of chief digital officer is gaining momentum across healthcare, with more and more organizations creating the C-suite role and empowering new hires to innovate how data is put to work as a key strategic asset.

Managed care giant Kaiser Permanente recently named is own first CDO, for example, tasking Prat Vemana with the mission of charting new enterprise digital strategy across its internal health plans, hospitals, and medical groups.

ON THE RECORD
"I am thrilled to join Memorial Sloan Kettering, an institution renowned worldwide for its cancer care, research, and innovation," said Jensen in a statement. "MSK's mission to provide the best care for patients diagnosed with cancer both today and in the future resonates with me on a personal level, and MSK's renewed focus on data and digital products will go a long way in supporting this aim."

"Under his leadership, this critical work will better enable us to meet patients' expectations for more convenient, personalized, and affordable care," said Martin.

Max Sullivan is a freelance writer and reporter who, in addition to writing about healthcare, has covered business stories, municipal government, education and crime.

Twitter: @maxsullivanlive
Email: maxesullivan@gmail.com

Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.