5 Must-Have Traits for Healthcare IT Talent

Author: Madalyn Manning

Hiring IT contractors in healthcare isn’t just about filling a seat—it’s about protecting your strategy and outcomes.

Whether you're upgrading an EHR, hardening cybersecurity, or launching a new patient access initiative, today’s healthcare IT leaders are leaning more than ever on external expertise to get the job done.

But not all contractors are created equal—and a poor fit can introduce delays, compliance risk, and rework that set projects back by months.

In this guide, we’ll break down the five essential qualities to look for in IT contractors for healthcare projects—giving you a clear set of criteria to use internally with your PMO, HR, or vendor management teams.

1. Proven Experience in Healthcare IT Environments

Healthcare IT isn’t generic IT. From HIPAA to HL7 to complex EHR ecosystems, the learning curve is steep—and risky.

What to look for:

• Project work at hospitals, IDNs, payers, or HIEs

• Hands-on experience with Epic, Oracle Health (fka Cerner ), Meditech, or Allscripts

• Familiarity with FHIR, interoperability mandates, and healthcare-specific cybersecurity protocols

💡 Real-World Example: One Revuud contractor helped a large health system identify a misconfigured HL7 message during an EHR migration, avoiding a 3-week go-live delay and preventing potential lab order routing errors.

2. Strong Stakeholder and Cross-Functional Communication Skills

IT projects in healthcare involve a wide cast of stakeholders—from CMIOs and clinicians to compliance officers and third-party vendors.

What to look for:

• History of interfacing with clinical and non-clinical teams

• Ability to lead cross-functional standups or status calls

• Communication style that is clear, concise, and aligned to diverse audiences

Pro tip: Ask how the contractor handled a misalignment between IT and clinical operations on a prior project.

3. Accountability and Ownership Mindset

Why it matters: You don’t have time to micromanage. Top-tier healthcare IT consultants take full ownership of their workstreams, anticipate risks, and keep you informed—before you have to ask.

What to look for:

• History of leading workstreams or managing deliverables

• References that speak to reliability and responsiveness

• Examples of stepping up during high-pressure moments

Pro tip: Look for candidates who proactively share progress and blockers, not just when prompted.

4. Adaptability in Dynamic or Understaffed Environments

Why it matters: The pace of change in healthcare IT is relentless. Scope shifts, systems go down, budgets get cut. You need contractors who can stay calm, adjust quickly, and still deliver.

What to look for:

• History of success in ambiguous or fast-changing environments

• Comfort working with minimal oversight

• Willingness to roll up sleeves and fill gaps as needed

Pro tip: Ask how they’ve handled project pivots, scope creep, or go-live delays in the past.

5. Understanding of the Bigger Picture: Patient Care

Why it matters: Every IT project in healthcare—no matter how technical—ultimately impacts care delivery. The best contractors understand how their work contributes to safer, faster, more equitable outcomes for patients.

What to look for:

• Demonstrated commitment to mission-driven work

• Ability to connect technical deliverables to clinical or patient outcomes

• Passion for improving healthcare systems

Pro tip: Look for language in resumes or interviews that centers patients, not just products.

What’s at Stake: The Cost of the Wrong Fit

Hiring the wrong contractor can lead to more than missed deadlines:

• Rework that doubles project costs

• Compliance vulnerabilities from poor documentation

• Burnout on internal teams forced to compensate

• Delays to critical clinical initiatives

In fact, industry data shows that more than 40% of failed IT initiatives cite poor talent selection as a key factor. It’s time to make contractor quality a strategic priority—not a last-minute decision.

Why This Matters Now

More healthcare organizations than ever are relying on IT contractors to fill gaps, speed up digital transformation, and manage complex tech stacks. But the wrong fit can lead to delays, cost overruns, or worse—putting patient safety at risk.

As pressure mounts to do more with less, building a bench of trusted, high-performing healthcare IT contractors isn’t optional—it’s strategic.

Quick Recap: What to Look for in a Healthcare IT Contractor

• Hands-on experience in hospital or health system environments

• Strong cross-functional communication skills

• Ownership mindset and accountability

• Adaptability in dynamic, under-resourced settings

• Alignment with patient care and clinical outcomes

How Revuud Helps You Find and Manage Top Healthcare IT Talent

Revuud helps healthcare IT leaders build better benches.

Whether you're looking to quickly fill a role or create a more strategic approach to contractor management, Revuud gives you the tools to find and manage top-tier talent with speed and confidence.

Ready to build a smarter, faster, more transparent contractor strategy?

Schedule a personalized walkthrough of the Revuud platform to see how we help CIOs and IT leaders reduce project risk, eliminate sourcing delays, and improve contractor visibility across the organization.