Beyond Rollout: Why Medical Education Leaders Need a Seat at the Technology Table
When new software arrives, everyone sees the change, but only some are heard during the planning.
We talk a lot about interoperability, technology upgrades, workflow optimization in hospitals and academic institutions. But often, medical education administrators are only brought in after decisions have been made when implementation is underway, compliance needs to be monitored, and crisis management begins.. What if they were part of the conversation from the very start?
Why Inclusion Matters Early
Understanding departmental rhythms.
Administrators often know the academic calendar, peak clinical times, exam seasons, orientation cycles. Times when introducing a new system could unleash chaos rather than efficiency.Identifying practical constraints.
They see what works (and what doesn’t) in actual day-to-day operations. How residents, fellows, faculty, and staff will interact with a new tool. They can flag issues before they become barriers.Facilitating adoption.
When included early, education leaders can serve as “super users” who can help train others, model behavior, and translate tech speak into usable practice. Their early buy-ins helps the rest more smoothly.
The Risks of Being Left Out
If implementation is done to administrators rather than with them.
Rollouts may clash with busy schedule periods, leading to overload rather than progress.
Adoption lags, pushback increases, and compliance suffers.
Administrators often absorb the stress of misalignments, without having had a voice in decisions they must enforce.
They Interoperability Angle
As systems become more connected- electronic health records, learning management systems, evaluation dashboards; the consequences of mismatch grow larger.
Data silos become costly when systems don’t communicate.
Inefficiencies multiply around scheduling, assessments, competency tracking.
Administrators are usually the first to notice where interoperability breaks fown.
A Call to Leadership: Seats at the Table, Early & Often
For leaders in hospitals, medical schools, and GME programs:
Invite administrators into planning from day one. Not “later”, not “if needed”, but as part of the core decision-making team.
Recognize their insights as strategic. Their experience is not just operational. It has vision; it foresees the ripple effects.
Empower them as changemakers. Give them authority (formal or informal) as super users, trainers, workflow-champions to smooth transitions.
Closing Reflection
Technology and interoperability aren’t obstacles in themselves, they are opportunities. When launched with voice, insight, and timing, they can lift programs rather than burden them.
If you’re about to choose a new system, upgrade a workflow, or charge how data flows you can change an outcome: ensure that those who understand the system best are heard, valued, and included from the very beginning.