Growing Pains

By Bob Violino

n the top spot on the InformationWeek 500 is embattled Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp., which is the subject of a massive federal investigation into alleged Medicare fraud relating to its billing practices.

Ongoing turmoil at the health-care services company, including the resignation of top executives who are under grand jury indictments, lawsuits by several major shareholders, and plans to drop out of businesses such as home health care, threatens Columbia's future and casts a cloud of uncer tainty over its IT operations.

Nevertheless, technology has played a major role in Columbia's rapid expansion during the past two years and continues to be a "high priority" at the company, according to its CIO.

Other companies near the top of the rankings include General Motors Corp., which has built a team of about 30 technologists as part of an effort to standardize systems and develop new businesses. Another is Lockheed Martin Corp., which has worked to improve management of an enormous IT infrastructure resulting from mergers. Gannett Co. is finding lucrative new media business opportunities on the Web. And GTE Corp. has launched a three-year overhaul of its entire network as it prepares for massive changes in the telecommunications market.

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