Tampa General Hospital’s Scott Arnold Named a Chief Innovation Officer to Know

The academic health system’s Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Innovation Officer is recognized for excellence in developing innovative solutions to improve care delivery.

 

Tampa, FL (Feb. 5, 2025) – Scott Arnold, executive vice president and chief digital and innovation officer at Tampa General Hospital (TGH), has been recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the Chief Innovation Officers to Know for the second consecutive year. This honor reflects Arnold’s commitment to expanding and innovating health IT processes to improve the patient experience at Tampa General.

 

Arnold spearheads Tampa General's technology and cyber strategy, overseeing everything from electronic medical record systems and biomedical device integration to TGH Ventures, Tampa General’s innovation center and corporate venture fund. Since joining the academic health system in 2010, he has championed technology's role in enhancing patient care and experience, driving Tampa General's rise as a leading hub for care and innovation in the health care space.

 

“Scott has been instrumental in pushing Tampa General beyond the boundaries of a typical academic health system and developing TGH as a hub for advanced, high-quality care," said John Couris, president and CEO. "His deep IT knowledge and innovative mindset have enabled us to modernize processes and embrace new technologies that elevate both patient care and experience.”

Arnold champions a data-driven approach to patient care, leveraging predictive analytics and AI to streamline clinical workflows and enhance care coordination. Examples of this include Tampa General's partnerships with Palantir Technologies and Apella, as well as the implementation of Nuance's DAX Copilot for streamlined clinical documentation. Furthermore, under Arnold's guidance, the Care Coordination Center has evolved into a vital tool for proactive risk identification, such as early sepsis warnings and optimizing daily hospital operations.

Beyond optimizing internal processes, Arnold has focused on transforming the patient experience. He spearheaded the transition to an online appointment booking system, significantly boosting new patient acquisitions. His vision centers on reducing interoperability friction across Tampa General's expanding network. This is exemplified by the success of the TGH at Home program, which has dramatically reduced readmission rates and elevated patient satisfaction while providing high-quality acute care in a comfortable home setting.

 

Furthermore, Arnold fosters a culture of innovation amongst Tampa General’s team members. Arnold’s team at TGH Ventures partnered with the academic health system’s People Development Institute (PDI), a career development and growth facility developed by Tampa General and the University of South Florida's Muma College of Business, to launch IdeaMVP. This program that enables health system staff to shepherd an innovative idea or technology from concept to solution, backing winning ideas with resources to implement.

 

Tampa General also recently hosted its inaugural TGH Innovation Week and TGH Ventures Summit event to inspire team members to accelerate innovation across the system and empower them to actively bring innovative ideas to life with tangible tools and takeaways.

 

“Innovation is the key to moving from transactional interactions to a more curated and holistic patient experience,” said Arnold. “Our programs at Tampa General streamline health care and benefit our patients, team and Tampa Bay community. This recognition reflects our team’s hard work in keeping Tampa General on the cutting-edge of health technology.”

 

This is Arnold’s second consecutive year recognized as a Becker’s Hospital Review “Chief Innovation Officer to Know.” In 2024, he was honored as a Becker’s Hospital Review “Chief Digital Officer of Hospitals and Health Systems to Know.” Under his leadership, Tampa General received the 2024 Modern Healthcare Top Innovators designation, as well as Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2024 list of Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Innovation Programs.

Becker’s Hospital Review is a leading source of hospital business news and analysis for the healthcare industry. Arnold and the rest of the 2024 “Chief Innovation Officers to Know” are profiled here.