Richard Temple, VP of IT and CIO, Saint Clare's Health System

How long at current company: 3.5 years.

Career accomplishment I'm most proud of: Changing the paradigm of health care being rendered in our health system by implementing a robust computerized electronic medical records system. This was an exceedingly complex, 15-month-long implementation, but we successfully deployed 17 different clinical solutions in four different hospitals via the "big-bang" method.

Most important career influencer: A gentleman named Joe O'Connor, who I worked with back at Health Management Systems. I learned a great deal from Joe about how to lead and engage people in projects, and to unremittingly strive for excellence and to have fun along the way.

Decision I wish I could do over: In a previous job, we invested a great deal of time and energy building a charge-entry system that, while elegant and sophisticated, never really gained traction with our customer because it wasn't as easy for our end users as we would have liked.

IT budget (approximate): $11.5 million

Size of IT team: 50 full-time employees

Three top initiatives:

• Integrating our IT processes and best practices with the much larger organization that is acquiring our hospital system.
• Leveraging technology as an agent of outreach to our community to make it easier for patients and family members to do business with us.
• Integrating critical patient information from our hospital electronic medical record with affiliated physician office systems, and making access to key information pervasive--with all deference to relevant privacy concerns.

Key tech partners: Cerner, McKesson, Microsoft, Intel

The next big thing for my business will be ... a much larger role for consumers in empowering themselves to take control of their personal health care options. Health care providers will need to document their safety track records and be prepared to be compared with other providers in their area.

Best piece of advice for future CIOs: You don't have to be the subject matter expert for all aspects of your operation. The most important thing is to be a visionary, expect excellence, treat your team well, and make sure they share your vision and enthusiasm.

Colleges/degrees: University of Rochester, BA; University of Pittsburgh, MBA

Leisure activities: Music, travel, urban exploration

Last vacation: Vancouver, Portland, San Francisco

Best book read recently: Lone Survivor, by Marcus Luttrell

If I weren't a CIO I would be ... in politics or in the music industry.