A conversation with MUSC's new CIO

In July, Amar Nagaram stepped into the role of enterprise chief information officer at MUSC, bringing a proven track record of driving digital transformation in academic health systems. In this role, he leads the enterprise information systems portfolio, spanning clinical and business applications, infrastructure, cybersecurity, analytics and innovation. This domain enables and advances MUSC’s broader digital strategy while ensuring technology is seamlessly aligned with the institution’s mission and priorities.

Previously, Nagaram served as associate chief information officer at Indiana University Health, where he led enterprisewide technology modernization and digital transformation to strengthen alignment between technology and organizational goals. Before that, as vice president of institutes, he bridged Indiana University’s academic mission with IU Health’s clinical enterprise, spearheading collaborative digital initiatives that advanced education, research and patient care across both organizations.

As Nagaram begins his MUSC chapter, he shares his priorities, what drew him to the institution, the role of technology as a strategic enabler in health care and how he’s settling into life in Charleston.

Q. What attracted you to this position at MUSC?

A. MUSC’s tripartite mission of education, research and clinical care doesn’t simply coexist; they converge in a way that amplifies the impact of each pillar. That convergence is rare and transformative. MUSC’s reputation for clinical excellence, academic innovation and its commitment to improving lives across South Carolina deeply resonates with me. The vision of being present in every region of the state reflects a powerful purpose: to be there when and where care is needed most. That’s a mission I can fully stand behind.

I was also drawn to the OneMUSC vision. Information Services is not just a background function but a strategic lever for uniting our system in the service of a common purpose. As CIO, I’m here to work alongside MUSC’s leadership and team members to unlock technology’s full potential to advance care, research and education in ways that are seamless, scalable and future-ready. When technology and mission are fully aligned, we can create a positive impact that transforms lives.

Q. What are your goals and priorities?

A. Our vision in Information Services is to embed a customer-centric culture in everything we do, from delivering day-to-day services to deploying transformative, emerging technologies. We want technology to feel seamless, connected and purpose-built for those who rely on it, whether they’re clinicians, researchers, educators, students or patients.

We’re focusing on three priorities:

1. System-less experience: technology that “just works” across the enterprise.
2. Connected delivery: initiatives with measurable enterprisewide impact.
3. Experience-driven innovation: solutions that meaningfully improve how people interact with MUSC in hospitals, clinics, labs, classrooms or online.

None of this happens without the incredible talent and dedication of our Information Services team members. They bring deep expertise, a commitment to innovation and an unwavering focus on supporting our clinicians, researchers, patients, educators and students. My role is to give them the tools, direction and support they need to excel.

The litmus test for everything we do is simple: Will this move the needle in quality, access and experience across the enterprise?

Q. How do you accomplish these goals and priorities?

A. I think of it as sports: Championship teams win by mastering the fundamentals, day in and day out. For us, the fundamentals are operational reliability, performance, unified health and learning experience and security. These are non-negotiable. When they’re strong, we can focus on innovation that truly elevates experiences.

I call it “redefining the game”:

• Stay in the game by operating with precision and efficiency every day.
• Win the game by delivering high-value technology that improves experiences and closes performance gaps.
• Change the game by leveraging technology to transform the delivery of care, research and education, positioning MUSC as a national leader.

Our IS team is central to that;  its ability to collaborate across disciplines is one of our greatest strengths.

It’s a disciplined approach: master the basics, deliver high-margin value, then drive transformative innovation.

Q. How important is technology in health care?

A. Technology is no longer a back-office function; it is a core strategic pillar and a powerful enabler. Every clinical breakthrough, operational improvement and expansion of access is either powered or accelerated by technology. In modern health care, achieving the mission at scale is impossible without embedding technology at the heart of the strategy. Organizations that embrace this reality and align digital investments directly with mission outcomes will define the pace and direction of the industry. 

I’m fortunate that MUSC’s leadership not only understands this reality but actively champions it. That recognition allows technology to be part of the conversation from the start, not as an afterthought, so that we can align digital investments directly to MUSC’s mission of advancing education, research and patient care.

Q. How did you become interested in technology and health care as a career?

A. I grew up in India in the 1980s with two big interests: medicine and technology. For a long time, I thought I would become a physician. But after my father passed away, life took a different turn, and financial realities led me toward engineering instead. I earned a degree in computer engineering and, in 2006, came to the United States for graduate studies.

I never lost the desire to be connected to health care, however. Discovering health informatics was a turning point for me; it combined my love for patient care and my skills in technology and data. That led me to earn a master’s in health informatics from the University of Minnesota and to roles at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami, the University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry and Indiana University Health.

Across every role, I’ve seen the same truth: When technology is used thoughtfully and strategically, it can do more than make things run smoothly; it can touch lives, improve care and open doors to possibilities we couldn’t imagine before. 

Q. You and your family have been in Charleston for a few months. How do you like it?

A. We love it. My wife and our two children have embraced Charleston’s history, culture and warmth, both in climate and community. The city offers endless opportunities for learning and exploration, making it an ideal place to raise a family.

Q. What would you like your MUSC colleagues to know about you?

A. I'm a lifelong baseball fan and spend much of my free time at the ballpark with my son's traveling baseball team and my daughter's softball team. Now that we're in Charleston, I'm also hoping to learn how to fish, an entirely new challenge, but one that I suspect will teach lessons about patience, timing and focus that apply just as much to technology as they do to the water.