By John W. Verity

When Albert Porco became CIO of the Kings County Hospital Center in 2003, he took charge of what some might call an ailing IT operation, with aging PCs and unreliable data networks. Yet where others might have seen trouble, Porco saw an opportunity. But updating and upgrading IT systems at the Brooklyn, N.Y., hospital wouldn't be Porco's biggest challenge. That would be regaining the trust and respect of the Kings County Hospital physicians, nurses and administrators.

It would be difficult, Porco realized, but hardly impossible. He had backing from New York City healthcare officials who recognized that if the Kings County Hospital Center were to remain the proud institution it had been in the past, then world-class IT systems, supported by strong operations and management, was needed.

In the five years since, Porco and his team have brought the hospital's IT infrastructure into the 21st century, and they've done so under a remarkably tight schedule. They've also given the hospital a technology and management infrastructure that should enable its success. Without this foundation, Porco says, every new plan to add futuristic gadgets and applications—what he calls "wireless this, virtualized that"—would have failed.' With the foundation, everyone from doctors to orderlies to nurses has a predictable experience when it comes to all things IT-related. "Once IT processes are repeatable, quality of life [for hospital employees] starts to skyrocket," Porco says. "It's a real 'wow' experience."