SARASOTA (Aug. 25, 2022) – Pam Ramhofer, chief information officer at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, was recognized among Tampa Bay’s leading CIOs today.
Ramhofer was one of 11 CIO of the Year honorees spotlighted at an awards ceremony today by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The CIOs were recognized in multiple industries based on the size and scope of their organization, leadership responsibilities, innovative IT strategies and significant contributions to the local community.
In selecting this year's honorees, the Journal selection team noted, "As technology continues to be a driving factor to operational success in the Tampa Bay business world, CIOs and CTOs continue to play a critical role in corporate success From IT infrastructure, platforms, and cybersecurity to hardware and software development, their roles expand and evolve every day."
Ramhofer has served as chief information officer at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System since May 2015. As a member of the executive team, she oversees the health system’s information technology and infrastructure, IT security, data governance, clinical and business systems and telecommunications. Early in her career, she worked as a cardiac and intensive care nurse, and played a leading role in the implementation of electronic medical records. After 12 years as a nurse, she transitioned to clinical and business systems, where she directed major IT initiatives supporting critical systems. In 2010, she received Sarasota Memorial’s “Leader of the Year” award, with nominations praising her as an exceptional director, communicator and team-builder.
"I never thought of technology as a career choice. It snuck up on me with my involvement as a nurse in creating the electronic medical record in the 1990s," said Ramhofer. "I found my passion with the ability to use my clinical expertise and my knowledge of hospital operations and apply technological solutions to assist and support goals that ultimately improve the delivery of care and lives of our patients."
While each year has brought new challenges, Ramhofer said she is most proud of the myriad issues her team tackled during the pandemic. Among many other initiatives, her team's innovations and rapid response created a unified, systemwide communication and teleconferencing platform for virtual meetings, supported over 400 employees working from home; developed analytical programs to help nursing predict patient surges and staffing requirements; expanded mobile applications and telemedicine capabilities for patients, families and clinicians; and deployed clinical and business applications to support COVID triage, tracing, reporting and vaccination initiatives.
Under Ramhofer's leadership, Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) has been ranked repeatedly among the world’s “Most Wired” hospitals. In 2021, SMH ranked in the 98th percentile of healthcare facilities in the annual College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) Digital Health “Most Wired” study. CHIME recognized SMH among a select group of "outstanding digital leaders that have paved the way for this imminent revolution in healthcare. Their trailblazing commitment to rapid transformation has set an example for the entire industry in how to pursue a leadership vision with determination, brilliant planning and courage to overcome all challenges.”
About Sarasota Memorial:
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, offering Southwest Florida’s greatest breadth and depth of care, provides services for more than 1 million patients each year across its 2 hospital campuses, freestanding ER, and network of outpatient and urgent care centers. The system’s 895-bed flagship facility, Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Sarasota, has been consistently recognized as one of the nation’s best acute-care hospitals, with superior patient outcomes and a complete continuum of care — from trauma, emergency and urgent care services to laboratory and diagnostic imaging, home health, skilled nursing and rehabilitation. Learn more at smh.com.