Q&A: Amelia Hoyt, MGH’s chief information officer, on the pervasiveness of IT, starting a new job during a pandemic and her fave ’90s hits

By Lucy Lau

You’d be forgiven for thinking a career in healthcare requires an encyclopedic knowledge of anatomy and the ability to rock a stethoscope and scrubs.

In fact, it’s the same thought Amelia Hoyt, chief information officer (CIO) at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH), had before a co-op opportunity landed her in the information technology (IT) department of a hospital more than 18 years ago.

Amelia, a University of Waterloo student pursuing a degree in health studies and gerontology at the time, was hired as an IT project analyst and tasked with supporting changes in the hospital’s clinical information system, which collects, stores and retrieves data related to healthcare delivery. She says the role opened her eyes to the wealth of careers available in the healthcare field.

“I had always wanted to work in healthcare but wasn’t sure if nursing or med school was the right path for me,” Amelia says. “So working in this role and discovering all these non-clinical positions that still allowed me to be in a hospital and help patients was very appealing.”

The experience also allowed Amelia to see first-hand the integral role information management and technology plays in a hospital’s operations. That knowledge, coupled with an ability to bridge the gap between what users want and the IT solutions available, helped her climb the healthcare IT ladder at the University Health Network and SickKids.

She joined MGH as CIO in April during the height of the pandemic, where she oversees the hospital’s information management and technology systems while serving as a conduit between patient-facing staff and IT specialists.

“That’s something I've really loved about my career so far: being able to work with the frontline clinicians as well as administrative staff and those who work behind the scenes in the patient experience,” Amelia says.

Below, we ask Amelia about the essential role IT plays in healthcare delivery, what it’s like to start a new job in the middle of a pandemic and the songs taking over her playlist recently.  

In the simplest terms possible, what role does IT play at MGH?

Information management and technology is so pervasive. It’s interwoven into everything we do at MGH and facilitates nearly every task required for our health practitioners to deliver safe, quality care to patients.

From managing the overhead paging system and phone lines to ensuring patient records — both in paper and electronic format — are readily accessible, the IT team performs a wide array of duties that allow MGH to run as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

If you think about it, IT is an enabler. It allows physicians, nurses and other staff to access the information they need whenever they need it, whether that be a patient’s medical history, the medications a patient needs administered or something else.

What’s it been like to start a new job in the middle of a pandemic?

Admittedly, I didn’t expect to start a new position during a pandemic when I accepted the job offer in February. But the transition has been very smooth considering the circumstances.

I worked in healthcare IT during the SARS outbreak and helped with screening so I think my previous experience in the field has helped prepare me for the past few months.

Everyone at MGH has also been super welcoming — not just members of my own team but clinicians, leaders and other staff, too. Everyone’s been so helpful.

How has the IT team contributed to MGH’s COVID-19 response?

MGH has ramped up its care delivery in some areas and ramped it down in others to more effectively treat and accommodate patients during COVID-19. The IT team has been there every step of the way to facilitate these changes.

We’ve equipped physicians with the necessary hardware, including cameras and microphones, to roll out virtual care; supported the setup of remote hospital wings; and implemented changes in the Cerner PowerChart, our hospital clinical information system, so it’s accessible at pop-up COVID-19 assessment centres and other off-site locations. We’re also working on a mobile application that will streamline the screening process for staff.

The IT team took on these tasks in addition to their day-to-day duties, which include handling the switchboard to connect calls and patient inquiries to the appropriate units; managing a slate of software applications that automate clinical operations like e-prescribing and scheduling patient appointments; ensuring our network and backend infrastructure are running securely; and assisting staff with general IT issues and inquiries. During the pandemic, my team has seen an increase in both patient and staff inquiries so it has been a very busy time!

Throughout all this, we’ve also been communicating with unit leaders and staff — the “end users” — about how information management and technology can be enhanced at MGH. I’m a customer service person so I’m always thinking about what we can do to improve the IT experience for our users.

What does your role as CIO at MGH involve?

As the CIO, I work closely with a team of more than 80 staff to oversee a variety of information management and technology areas.

This includes what I would call true “tech-y” elements like servers, infrastructure, networks and telephony. Then there’s application management, which includes Cerner applications and other software; telecommunications, which includes the switchboard, cellular services and Vocera, the wireless communication devices used by MGH staff; and health records, which includes managing our patient charts, answering requests for patient information, transcribing clinical information and coding patient charts to ensure the hospital receives our funding.

One of my goals as CIO is to create a new information management and technology strategy for MGH that will enhance our people-centred care by improving the internal IT experience. This includes being transparent with turnaround times for IT requests, protecting computer systems from cybersecurity risks and ensuring MGH remains up to date on the latest trends and advancements in healthcare technology.

Over the next two years, I’ll also be responsible for ensuring the IT infrastructure for MGH’s new Patient Care Centre is planned and completed. The systems and networks we set up for the new building need to connect to MGH’s existing infrastructure so our health practitioners can access the information they need when they need it.

Overall, I want to be proactive to ensure our staff remains knowledgeable about our IT resources, so we can help them care for our patients in a way that’s not only safe and effective but innovative.

What drew you to MGH?

I’ve previously worked in two academic hospitals, but never in a community hospital so this felt like the right next step. I was excited for the opportunity to help drive and implement a new vision for information management and technology at MGH.

I was also really enticed by MGH because it’s my community hospital. I live in East Toronto with my husband and three daughters and my oldest, Audrey, received care at MGH when she broke her thumb while skiing a few years ago. My other daughter, Camille, also had an echo test done at MGH.

We’ve had great experiences here and MGH has always had a good community reputation. That's something that's really important to me: to be able to stand behind the organization you work for and knowing you’re making a difference in the lives of others.

Now it’s time for our rapid fire questionnaire. Coffee or tea?

Tea. People are surprised to hear that I’m not a coffee drinker. I even worked in a coffee place throughout university and managed not to get hooked!

What’s on heavy rotation on your music playlist right now?

I’m on a ’90s kick right now — REM, Oasis, Green Day, The Cranberries, Radiohead, Lenny Kravitz.

Cooking or baking?

Both — I love being in the kitchen and experimenting with food. My latest obsession has been making artisan (no-knead) bread.

As a kid, what did you want to grow up to be?

An astronaut. The allure and mystery of space travel is still intriguing to me!

What’s been your favourite travel experience?

Backpacking through China. My background is Chinese but I was born in Canada, so I have always wanted to visit my origins. The varied landscapes and culture were eye-opening — from the bustle of cities like Beijing and Hong Kong to the countryside of Guilin and Lijiang. It was an amazing experience!