Back to school.

While most current CIOs and the majority of direct reports to the CIOs of larger hospital organizations already have advanced degrees, the need for ongoing professional development continues. Those who are in executive positions are looking to fill gaps in knowledge via a variety of traditional and nontraditional learning venues. Industry-leading CIOs are providing their direct reports with a wide variety of experiences, including support for both formal and non-traditional education, as well as more targeted learning experiences. All the healthcare IT executives and executive recruiters interviewed for this story agree: lifelong professional and personal learning will be required for healthcare IT executives at all levels.