Mississippi Department of Health Report October 2024 | Page 13

MSDH
and what systems are connecting to what systems .”
Asset management is another area of focus for Kane and his team . In an increasingly decentralised work environment , keeping track of hardware and software licences and their usage has become more complex and crucial than ever .
“ We ’ re in the anywhere workforce , anywhere workplace . So where is that laptop ? Where is that mobile device ?,” Kane asks rhetorically . “ How many Microsoft 365 licences can I not renew right now ? If you don ’ t have an answer , then we need to do some more asset management because that is money that you ’ re just giving away to your vendor because you ’ re not utilising that service .”

“ Our digital initiatives are reshaping our approach to healthcare delivery , especially after COVID ”

KANE TOMLIN CIO , MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Balancing innovation with compliance The department ’ s digital transformation efforts are not without their challenges , particularly when it comes to balancing innovation with compliance in a highlyregulated healthcare environment . As a HIPAA-covered entity , the Mississippi Department of Health must navigate strict data privacy and security requirements while pushing for technological advancement .
Kane credits the department ’ s strong culture of compliance for giving him the freedom to innovate within these constraints .
“ We have a strong culture of compliance ,” he says . “ We have , of course , data governance , we have IT security , emergency management and disaster recovery . That culture of compliance is already in place and that is fantastic , and it really gives me the
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