CMIO hiring is surging, as the role is now recognized to be critical for IT implementations, especially with regard to EMR, CPOE, etc. * While the need for CMIOs is universally recognized at all but the smallest hospitals, several questions continue to spark debate, including to which position the CMIO should report; whether the CMIO should remain in medical practice part-time; and whether it is preferable to groom a CMIO internally. * Regardless of to whom the CMIO reports, there is a consensus that the CMIO-CIO relationship must be a rock-solid partnership.