MedicaSoft's Chief Strategy Officer Helen Figge, PharmD, has had a distinguished career in healthcare informatics and technology. She serves in senior advisory roles to organizations across the U.S. and sits on committees and boards for HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society), NAHDO (National Association of Health Data Organizations) and other organizations.
She also is the executive in residence for Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston and President of the HIMSS NYS Chapter and was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees for Maria College, Albany, NY. Here she discusses healthcare innovation, cybersecurity, and some of the defining experiences of her career.
Note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Question: Dr. Figge, you have an extensive leadership background in healthcare informatics, technology, and higher education. Across these experiences, what strategies or practices have been most crucial to your development as a leader?
Dr. Helen Figge: The ability to learn from anyone who has the skills necessary to further and broaden mine has been crucial in my development as a leader. I think being able to open our minds to innovative ideas, even those that might even go "against the grain", provides an opportunity to rethink paths, processes, and goals. I am also a particularly good listener and only speak about things I am confident about. This helps build integrity, which is essential for strong leadership.
I also embrace feeling "uncomfortable" because this keeps me on a learning path and looking to the future. I love to learn new things from everyone because some of the best ideas, decisions and practical wisdom can come from those you least expect.
Q: Digital innovation is exploding in healthcare. At the same time, cyberattacks are becoming more pervasive. In this complex and challenging environment, where are you seeing the greatest opportunities for improvement?
HF: One way to minimize cyber risks is through awareness and self-diligence. The technology out there that is designed to do harm was created by "someone." That "someone" understands the human side of technology and as such takes advantage of those vulnerabilities. The first line of defense against these attacks is the healthcare worker using technology. Being extra cautious when opening emails, links or even answering cell calls from unknown numbers is the first line of defense. Then you want to get protocols, processes, and systems in place to continue to minimize risk. The old saying "if you see something, say something" holds true for this as well. When normal patterns are broken and you recognize it, say something. You might save your organization and yourself a lot of unnecessary turmoil that takes months and even years to resolve.
Q: How has mentorship played a role in your career? As healthcare staffing challenges persist, what elements of mentorship do you think leaders should embrace to support the workforce in the near and long term — why?
HF: Plain and simple mentors have created my career. Gravitating to those leaders that I wanted to be like someday was powerful to me. My passion is to help others and mentor those that want to make a difference in the lives we all touch. While educational degrees and certifications are great and necessary, it is the practical experiences that turn a good leader into a great one. Best mentoring advice: practice what you preach.
Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to women in healthcare looking to grow as leaders and drive measurable results?
HF: Be yourself. Do not rely on excuses as a reason for failure. Take failure as a lesson learned and criticism as a positive not a negative. Always keep an open mind. Do not rely on other people's opinions but determine your own independently. Bring positivity to your work environment. People will respect you and follow you. Remember, leaders can only be leaders if someone wants to follow them. And finally, learn, learn, learn. I am learning Spanish, for example, for no reason other than I love how it sounds and recall spending time with college friends from Puerto Rico. Someone asked me, "why are you learning Spanish now so late?" And I said, "why not?"
Q: Is there anything we did not cover or any concluding thoughts you would like to share?
HF: Every person has the power to influence other people both in their personal lives, at work and in their community. Be decent, caring, honest and, most importantly, fair, and impartial. Those traits get you through the good times and are needed the most during the tough times in any person's career and life.