Flourish Sound Bytes: $14M Cost Reduction and Standing up the Next Generation with Heather Nelson

January 15, 2025: When Heather Nelson stepped into the SVP and CIO role at Boston Children's Hospital from outside the organization, she knew she had to earn trust before driving change. Over the next few years, she led three major restructures, optimized their Epic environment, reduced third-party applications from 400 to 186, and delivered $14 million in cost savings. But her most powerful insight? "You can be the hero and the villain in the same sentence." In this conversation, Heather reveals how she balances authoritative decision-making with psychological safety, why she listened for six weeks before implementing her plan, and what it really takes to transform IT from an order-taker into a strategic business enabler at one of the nation's premier children's hospitals.Key Points:01:06 Building Trust and Establishing Reputation08:25 IT as a Strategic Partner, Not a Cost Center15:29 Succession Planning and Leadership Development18:23 Speed Round and Final ThoughtsX: This Week HealthLinkedIn: This Week HealthDonate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer