As the chief health information officer for Keck Medicine of USC, Timothy James (TJ) Malseed oversees information management, technology and cybersecurity across the medical enterprise. He is drawn to the fast-paced, ever-evolving nature of the health care field.
“Technology in health care is rapidly evolving,” he said. “It keeps me on my toes. We have to be evolving as well as able to forecast where the technology is moving and how the health care landscape is changing.”
Malseed grew up in Michigan before moving to California with his family. He went on to study international business and computer science at the University of California, Davis. Prior to joining Keck Medicine in 2016, he held the positions of vice president, chief information officer and chief applications officer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Malseed lives in La Crescenta with his wife and two young daughters.
Who is someone that you admire, and why?
Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric. I admire his people-centric view and values with the addition of domain expertise.
What’s one attribute that has led to your professional success?
Empathy. There is typically a lot of anxiety among staff whenever you change technology in an organization. I try to stand in the shoes of a staff member and understand how, on a day-to-day basis, the technology will impact their work life. I think that ability has helped make me successful. When I’m building teams I look for people with the similar capabilities.
What is the hardest part of your job?
Change management. It can be challenging to motivate people to adopt new technologies. With new technology in the workplace, most people fear they won’t be good at it or that they will appear to not be proficient. You’ve got to ensure they are confident that they will be supported until they become successful. When anxiety drops, people can start to learn. It’s all about building trust from the first step.
What book are you reading?
I just finished the book Future Crimes by Marc Goodman. It’s an interesting look at cyber security and where technology and the criminal industry are going.
Did you ever think about pursuing a different career?
When I was really young I wanted to be a helicopter pilot; then, out of college, I looked at investment banking and finance. I interviewed with several investment banking firms but I found I was more drawn to technology, and ultimately I decided to go down that road. The marketplace for technology is so big, it really stretches you professionally. With technology, most of what you learned three or four years ago is stale, so you have to continually evolve and grow as the industry changes, I am really drawn to that.
Five Questions is a regular feature with Keck Medicine of USC leaders.
— Douglas Morino