In this episode of the Vurge podcast from Divurgent, host Danny Arnold sits down with Linda Stevenson, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Digital Information Officer at Fisher-Titus Health. Drawing on more than 40 years in healthcare and a career that began in patient accounts, Stevenson shares how a willingness to embrace new challenges—from HIPAA and cybersecurity to enterprise EMR implementations—helped shape her leadership philosophy. She offers a unique perspective as a leader responsible for both operational performance and digital strategy, arguing that healthcare operations and technology transformation are inseparable.
The conversation provides valuable insights for healthcare IT executives navigating financial pressures, workforce shortages, cybersecurity threats, and AI adoption. Stevenson discusses the realities of rural healthcare, including limited resources, recruitment challenges, and the critical role local health systems play in both patient care and community economic stability. She explains how Fisher-Titus addresses cybersecurity through organization-wide accountability and collaborative governance, while also leveraging partnerships with peer organizations and industry networks to overcome resource constraints and accelerate innovation.
Stevenson also shares a practical view of digital transformation, highlighting the importance of measurable operational outcomes, clinician productivity, automation, and AI-enabled solutions. Rather than creating separate governance structures for emerging technologies, she advocates integrating AI into existing strategy, oversight, and decision-making processes. Beyond technology, the discussion explores leadership, culture, wellness, and collaboration, emphasizing the importance of inspiring teams, maintaining composure under pressure, and building trusted partnerships across the healthcare ecosystem to drive meaningful change.
Learn more about Linda Stevenson on LinkedIn.
Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and be sure to subscribe to The Vurge for the latest episodes and more.
Interested in being a guest on the show? Click here to learn more.
