UPMC Names CIO to Lead Technology Efforts for Ireland and Global Technology Operations Centre

21 July 2020 – An information technology leader with over 20 years of experience at healthcare and multinational companies has been named chief information officer at UPMC in Ireland and head of the new UPMC Global Technology Operations Centre, opening soon in Kilkenny. Joanne Fanning is the first person named to this position in Ireland.

“With her varied IT background and her passion for innovation and challenging the status quo, Joanne is a fitting leader to help drive UPMC’s transformation of healthcare in Ireland and beyond,” said David Beirne, managing director of UPMC in Ireland. “As we expand our use of technology to improve the quality and convenience of care in Ireland, we are excited to have Joanne join our dedicated team of more than 475 staff serving patients in the South East and Midlands.”

Born in Kilkenny, Fanning has extensive experience leading IT strategy and operations, most recently as group head of information technology at Centric Health in Dublin. She has successfully delivered IT solutions and services across multiple business units spanning Ireland, the United Kingdom and the UAE.

Serving patients in Ireland for nearly 15 years, UPMC — consistently named a “Most Wired” health system for its advanced use of technology — has been steadily investing in new technologies to better serve patients and clinicians at its facilities in Waterford, Clane, Carlow and Cork.

“Joanne joins us at a critical time to shape not only the future of technology-enabled healthcare in Ireland, but to oversee our recently announced UPMC Global Technology Operations Centre,” said Scot Stevens, chief information officer for UPMC International. “In this role, Joanne will develop the team, infrastructure and services to deliver on our multinational technology strategy, supporting our operations in Ireland, Italy, China and Kazakhstan.”

Supported by the Irish government through IDA Ireland, the new centre will be located in MacDonagh Junction and is expected to employ up to 60 skilled technology workers and other support staff over the next three years.

“I’m very much looking forward to joining this dynamic team to realise our ambitious plans for UPMC in Ireland and beyond,” said Fanning. “My team and I will enhance UPMC’s already distinguished track record in applying technology to improve care, and in developing innovative solutions. As a leading academic medical center, UPMC has the resources and deep expertise to really move the dial in making life-changing medicine a reality for our patients around the world.”

Fanning earned her degree in information technology from Dublin City University, with a post-graduate diploma in Environmental Engineering from Trinity College. A member of the Irish Computer Society and the Healthcare Informatics Society of Ireland, Fanning will be based in Kilkenny.