Currently a Board Member and Committee Advisor for Data & Analytics and Events, Kathryn has been an active member of Maryland HIMSS since 2010. Having served as President, Vice President, and President-Elect of the Board of Directors, her contributions are endless and dedication is admirable! Her leadership was recognized with a National HIMSS Advocate of the Year award for her contribution to Maryland public policy advocacy including testimony to the Maryland Legislature for Senator Susan C. Lee sponsored telemedicine bills, which later became law.

Enjoy this month’s Get to Know Our Leaders Q&A series as we dive deep with Kathryn to learn more about her professionally and personally. 

1a.     When did you know you wanted to get into healthcare IT and management systems? I was recruited into healthcare many years ago and learned on day one that this industry was for me! I recall rounding with MedStar/Helix Health’s chief medical officer and realizing how much healthcare delivery could be improved by leveraging data and analytics. I am forever grateful for that moment as I became passionate about the path ahead and never looked back!  

1b. Why did you choose this path? It chose me, quite literally! MedStar/Helix was a trailblazer in the 90’s recognizing that other industry analytics expertise could help increase their speed to patient value. I was recruited to launch an analytics function and data warehouse for them based on my Department of Defense experience.  At that time, I had no idea what an amazing journey I had begun! 

2.     What did you study in school? My undergraduate degree is in software engineering and my master’s is a high-tech industry MBA/CIO/PMP curriculum rolled into one degree. Many thanks to Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering for the timeless, valuable principles and lessons I learned from their MS Technology Management.

3.     For those interested in this field, what advice can you share with them about their majors and courses? Choose what makes you feel passionate, and the rest will follow! Healthcare and IT are vast fields with many opportunities and career pathways. You will find a meaningful career path from the fundamentals you learn in any curriculum.

4.     What is the most rewarding part of your daily job? I am most rewarded when sharing with, learning from, and celebrating together the valuable results we deliver in healthcare from our team efforts!

5.     What is the most rewarding part of your MDHIMSS role? I am most rewarded by giving back through serving an industry and others with whom I share the HIMSS journey.  I am grateful to many colleagues who have done the same for me over the years so giving my time and talents back to others is meaningful and completes the circle of serving!

6.     What industry, national, and regional resources do you monitor and trust? Which would you recommend to others in the industry to follow, read, listen, participate, etc.? I monitor many trusted resources to learn and stay current in healthcare, technology, and leadership news, trends, and innovation. I believe it’s valuable to have access to a variety of sources to ensure trusted content when you need to conduct a quick educational deep dive. My favorites include: 

• Gartner – Newsletters including CIO Agenda, Healthcare Digital Transformation, IT and Security, High Tech, Industry Research, Market Guides, Chief Data/Analytics Officer Leadership, etc.
• Becker’s – Hospital Review, Health IT and CIO Report, Revenue Cycle Management Report, etc.
• US Secret Service MCTFT Weekly Bulletin – Curation of cyber threats and shields
• Harvard Business Review – Management Tip of the Day, The Daily Alert, Leadership, etc. and Healthcare Industry Newsletter
• McKinsey & Company – The Daily Read, Insights for CIO, Leadership, etc. and Healthcare Systems & Services
• International Institute for Analytics (IIA) – Blogs and newsletters
• The Enterprisers Project - All things IT tech and leadership
• CIO.com

7.     What new technology holds the most promise for improving healthcare? I am super excited about the value potential from consumer health and wellness apps in conjunction with in-home sensor technology and remote monitoring capabilities. These rapidly emerging innovations hold the promise of enabling and promoting healthy living and aging for seniors at home in coordination with their families and caregivers. It’s not about the ‘cool new tech’ itself, rather, to me, the promise lies in the cool new capabilities enabled through the technology!

8.     What is your favorite quote?  “If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.”  – Steve Jobs

To learn more about the Maryland HIMSS Chapter leaders, visit us for our next Get To Know Our Leaders series Q&A.