Women out-earn men in healthcare CIO role

Women are out-earning their male counterparts in the role of chief information officer in the healthcare field, according to a new salary report from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME).

The findings buck the national trend of men earning more than women.

Women earned almost $30,000 more than men in base salary on average, according to the report. Women averaged a salary of $257,340, while men earned $228,217, on average. About 27% of the survey respondents were women.

“In many organizations, the CIO is a strategic partner who works across the healthcare system to improve health and care,” D. Sheree McFarland, a member of the CHIME Board of Trustees and Division CIO of the West Florida Division of HCA Healthcare, said in a statement. “As a member of Women of CHIME, it is rewarding to see that gender is not a barrier to equitable pay and that both our women and men members are recognized for their contributions.”

Overall, senior healthcare IT executives were earning 13% more in 2018, with an average salary of $235,806, compared to 2012, when the average salary was $208,417. Just 3% of respondents said they were unhappy with their compensation averaging $168,857, while 16% were very satisfied with an averaged compensation of $302,731.

Amy Baxter

Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."

Around the web

Compensation for heart specialists continues to climb. What does this say about cardiology as a whole? Could private equity's rising influence bring about change? We spoke to MedAxiom CEO Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, a veteran cardiologist himself, to learn more.

The American College of Cardiology has shared its perspective on new CMS payment policies, highlighting revenue concerns while providing key details for cardiologists and other cardiology professionals. 

As debate simmers over how best to regulate AI, experts continue to offer guidance on where to start, how to proceed and what to emphasize. A new resource models its recommendations on what its authors call the “SETO Loop.”