Impact > Former Mayo CIO: ‘The Magic of Mayo Is About Working Together’

Former Mayo CIO: ‘The Magic of Mayo Is About Working Together’

By Colin Fly Photography by Matthew C. Meyer

Cris Ross retired as chief information officer at Mayo Clinic in 2024 after serving in the role since 2012. During his tenure, he was diagnosed with cancer twice, which gave him unique perspectives of the experience as both a healthcare executive and a patient.

Cris sat down with Mayo Clinic Magazine to discuss the book he wrote about his experiences as a patient, philanthropy and what he’s looking forward to next. This interview has been edited for clarity.

What inspired you to write a book about your healthcare experiences?

In 2018, my co-author Ed Marx, who was then chief information officer of Cleveland Clinic, and I gave talks about being technology leaders who had experienced significant health issues. These were received well — people found it interesting to hear from people responsible for helping organizations that deliver care who had also been patients.

We came from premier healthcare institutions and had fantastic experiences and great clinical outcomes, yet the patient journey was still challenging. We thought, if we had hurdles as staff members of great institutions, how would it be for other people? That's what motivated us to write the book “Diagnosed: An Insider's Guide for Your Healthcare Journey” published by Mayo Clinic Press. We simply want to help people navigate their healthcare journeys more effectively. All our proceeds from book sales go to cancer research at Mayo Clinic.

A Look Inside
DIAGNOSED

When Cris Ross and Ed Marx were diagnosed with cancer, they thought they knew what to do next. They were, after all, executives at two of the premiere hospitals in the United States—Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic. But even decades of obsessing about effective delivery of patient care could not have prepared them for the emotional and logistical complexity of navigating the healthcare system. If it is this hard for them, how hard was it for everyone else?

Diagnosed is the book Cris and Ed wish they’d had when they embarked on their medical journeys, offering guidance, strategies, and more than a few checklists on how to:

Process the shock and grief of a diagnosis
Advocate for yourself (or your loved one)
Access the best resources and technologies to support your recovery
Create a personalized care plan that reflects your values and goals
Celebrate your milestones, honor your losses, and embrace your new normal

100% of all author royalties from the sale of every book benefit important medical research at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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What advice do you have for patients navigating their healthcare journey?

The most important thing is that you must own your journey. It's essential to have a sense of what you want to do through your medical experience, whether it's an acute episode or managing a chronic condition. Self-advocacy is crucial — it's easy to feel intimidated by medical institutions and just defer to whatever the doctor says.

While we're not advocating that people question their doctors, patients should understand they have choices. You also deserve to have a support team, what we call a "village." The evidence clearly shows that people with more support have better outcomes. Finally, be careful about picking your care team. It's OK to ask for second opinions, and sometimes it's worth traveling some distance to get great medical care.

What makes Mayo Clinic's approach to patient care unique?

The magic of Mayo isn't individual brilliance, though we certainly have some of the best clinicians and staff anywhere. It's about the team linking hands and working together collaboratively.

I've been in situations as chief information officer where we had difficult choices and someone would say, "Which option best serves the needs of the patient?" It's remarkable how that principle — the needs of the patient come first — isn't just a slogan on the wall. It matters in everyone's day-to-day life here. It's why I'll always be a huge fan of Mayo Clinic.

How has philanthropy impacted Mayo Clinic's ability to provide cutting-edge care?

I've witnessed how philanthropy has moved things forward. When I became chief information officer in 2012, the Proton Beam Therapy Program within the Jacobson Building in Rochester, Minnesota, didn't exist. I later benefited from that same facility during my second cancer treatment. While Mayo does an excellent job ensuring there's money for our core mission, philanthropic support enables us to expand care and pursue deeper discovery initiatives.

The impact is tangible. As someone who's been both an executive and patient at Mayo Clinic, I can say that benefactor generosity has made a profound difference in countless lives, including my own.

What stands out to you about Mayo Clinic's benefactors?

I was privileged to see announcements when there had been a gift to Mayo and for what purpose. I appreciated reading the stories of the people who were giving. It's fascinating to read about people who've been successful in life and wanted to give back.

Making those connections was gratifying, and I would say it motivated me in my career to work as hard as I could to ensure we were maximizing the support we received. Now being on the other side as a former patient, I've experienced firsthand how that generosity translates into lifesaving care.

What's next for you after a successful career at Mayo Clinic?

I look forward to being a member of the emeritus staff and keeping track of everything happening at Mayo. I'd like to divide my time between hands-on service through the charities I'm involved with and offering expertise where I can.

Having faced cancer twice, I have a sense of mortality, though I'm now three years cancer-free and feeling optimistic. I hope to be running hard for another 25 years, and I want to make the best use of my gifts and talents.