Each vertical market presents its own trials to CIOs, but few offer as many difficulties as the healthcare industry where government orders, security requirements and a necessity to replace outdated technology make a CIO’s job tough. They must balance stringent security and privacy regulations with a persistent need to improve IT infra and a directive to implement EHR software – all amid the political firestorm of healthcare reform, increasing pressure to cut costs, general averseness among health care professionals to trust technology and a shortage of IT talent in the industry.