CMIOs in 2020 are More Common and Better Paid

In February 2020, BuckheadFMV analyzed Form 990 data filed by nonprofit hospitals across the country to find compensation paid to Chief Medical Information Officers (CMIO). A CMIO is a licensed physician in a senior leadership role who is responsible for the development and implementation of an organization's clinical information systems. Form 990s include compensation data for officers, directors, trustees, and employees of an organization whose reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations exceeds certain thresholds for the tax year.

Click here for a copy of the pdf results.

We found data for 78 CMIOs. Average compensation was $383,000. These numbers reflect significant increases from a previous study of CMIO compensation we conducted in 2016. In that year, we found data for 26 CMIOs and average compensation of $302,000.

In our 2020 study, we found CMIO average compensation at nonprofit hospitals was highest in the great lakes, plains, and southeast regions of the U.S.

On a per bed basis, CMIO average compensation was $1,173. Compensation per bed decreased as bed size increased. Bed size refers to the number of staffed beds available for patients. These beds can be general medicine, surgery, or special care beds.

We found a positive correlation between the number of beds and CMIO compensation. On average, CMIOs working at larger hospitals were paid more (even though compensation per bed was lower, on average, at larger hospitals).

Based on our research:

• The CMIO position is becoming more and more common at nonprofit hospitals in the U.S.

• There are regional differences in CMIO pay.

• CMIO compensation has seen a significant increase since 2016.

• Hospital size plays a role in how much CMIOs are paid, with larger hospitals paying more overall, but with compensation per bed declining as bed size grows.