You have extensive experience in the healthcare field. Can you tell us a bit more about your background?
I began my career as a registered nurse in 2001 and worked clinically for over 10 years. My clinical background is in the emergency room, medical/surgical trauma ICU, and quite a bit of cardiovascular critical care and open heart recovery. I then worked for a large insurance company where I focused on disease management – specifically, telephonic education and follow-up for the beneficiaries of our plan.
Most recently prior to joining CarePort, I was working for a national physician management organization, where I started in a non-clinical nursing role with a focus on clinical performance and quality. I then enrolled in an MBA program and, once the program was completed, I moved into a business operations role. For nearly four years, I was the Regional Director of Business Operations, where I ran up to nine hospital medicine practices across the Northeast.
What ultimately led you to CarePort?
I met Mike Ipekdjian, CarePort’s Director of Customer Success, while at my previous company. He worked at a hospital, and we collaborated closely during the implementation of his hospital’s hospital medicine program, where we focused on improving length of stay, readmissions and BPCI
When Mike left the facility and started his job at CarePort, he reached out to me – about a year ago now – and introduced me to the company. I have always had quite an interest in technology, particularly as it relates to population health – and that’s how I landed here!
What advice would you give someone just starting out in healthcare [or in the nursing field]?
Nursing – and healthcare in general – is a challenging career, particularly given the current challenges we face in our healthcare system on a day-to-day basis. But I encourage anyone to explore the healthcare field – whether clinical or otherwise.
There is incredible opportunity in the healthcare field. If you had asked me in 2001 when I graduated nursing school if I would end up with an MBA and working for a technology company, I would have never been able to envision that. There is also tremendous reward in knowing that the work you’re doing changes people’s lives for the better. Ultimately, my advice is to pursue a career in healthcare and to take advantage of the endless opportunities available to you.
Whether through direct patient or care or something further removed like healthcare technology, your efforts can have a positive downstream effect on people’s lives. As an RN, when I was bedside with a patient, the effect I had on a patient’s life was palpable. As I have moved further away from the clinical side, I still try to connect the work I do to the impact I’m making – and that’s how I satisfy my clinical need for caring for people.
You have been with CarePortfor nearly a year. What is your favorite part about working at CarePort so far?
I really enjoy the collaborative nature of the teams and how we all work together to build on and improve our product to ultimately impact patient lives – not just at specific facilities but across the country as we look to expand and grow. In my unique role, I have the opportunity to work with the implementation, product, engineering and sales team. I have conducted sales demonstrations, which is fun and challenging for me because it forces me to think on my toes.
What is something about you that coworkers would be surprised to learn about you?
My coworkers would be surprised to learn that I was born in Heidelberg, Germany. My parents, who first met in South Carolina, were both in the Army. My mom was a secretary and my dad was a diesel mechanic. We moved back to the U.S. when I was an infant, but it is definitely on my bucket list to see where I was born, and to visit where my parents were stationed to understand what life was like while they lived there.
Are you a binge reader or binge watcher?
I’m actually a binge listener! Since joining CarePort, I have become an avid podcast listener while commuting to and from work on the train. I hadn’t been turned on to this world before CarePort, but there are just so many interesting podcasts out there and I listen to a little bit of everything – medical podcasts, news podcasts and true crime podcasts. I go through them quickly because I have a commute that’s over two hours each way!
Thanks to Tommy for sitting down with us. Like what you’re hearing about CarePort? Take a look at our other recent blog posts.
