National Health IT Week is a nationwide awareness week focused on the value of healthcare IT. In an effort to spread the work, HIMSS has organized a blog series called #IHeartHIT Stories. The below is my submitted story to inspire progress.
I approach healthcare IT not as a job or a series of projects but with a sense of mission to enable our colleagues to positively impact people’s lives and to contribute to the betterment of society. By working together, we can persevere through the obstacles and become an agent of positive change in our mission to provide cost-efficient, high-quality healthcare to all segments of our society.
My children saw how the results of my work at various institutions, such as UCLA Health System and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, made a difference. By witnessing technologists and clinical teams working together to improve patient care, research, and the training of future healthcare providers, they were inspired to make a positive impact on people’s lives. They also had the opportunity to meet and interact with my colleagues on both the IT and clinical side of care and were exposed to the professionalism, work ethic and dedication that my peers brought to work.
This experience has provided my children with a perspective that they have used to make decisions on their life pursuits. My son attended the US Air Force Academy and is a captain in the United States Air Force stationed at their Special Operations Command Center; my middle daughter acquired a degree in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts and is an artist based in Manhattan, NY; and my younger daughter is pursuing studies in healthcare and environmental sciences. While they will develop their individual life missions, their endeavors in their respective fields will hopefully enable them to be in the position to have a positive impact on people’s lives.