High Five: Meet Steven Mandell, Senior Director Of Clinical Information Systems At Johns Hopkins Health SystemHigh Five: Meet Steven Mandell, Senior Director Of Clinical Information Systems At Johns Hopkins Health System

1

EYE IN THE SKY
Johns Hopkins has been using e-records for its patients for more than a decade. As other health care providers also roll out those systems, the public will benefit significantly, Mandell says. "We can do better biosurveillance--protect against diseases like bird flu--in near-real time."

2

BIG PICTURE
Mandell and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins don't just look to health IT vendors like Cerner for inspiration on how to use technology to extend health care but also innovative companies like Google. "Leaders need to be strategic in thinking about what all industries are doing."

3

THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW
Emerging technologies will transform medicine by providing new data feeds, such as nanotechnology that you can inject into humans at the vascular level or bedside robots with cameras and microphones that extend medical expertise to remote patients. "Not everyone can come to Johns Hopkins, but we can come to you."

4

GO THE DISTANCE
Mandell relies on his BlackBerry to stay connected. But sometimes he just runs away--literally. He's logged 21 marathons, including last year's Baltimore Marathon, clocking in at 4 hours and 25 minutes. "Running is physical and existential, testing your capabilities," he says. "It reminds you that in life, all things are a marathon, not a sprint."

5

SERVE IT YOUR WAY
Mandell, 62, has been working in clinical IT since the mid-1980s. Before that, he spent 30 years in his family's restaurant and catering business, experience he still taps. "Whether it's a corned beef sandwich or a computer, it's about understanding the customers, delivering what they want, pleasing them, and having them come back."