Evidence Based…Transition to Business

The clinician impact on the business world, especially in the digital health industry, is easy for me to see — I’ve been doing this relatively successfully for a few years. And now major companies are starting to catch on:

On January 13th of this year, McKinsey published a report on digital health companies. The report detailed the 6 strategic moves that digital health companies need to make in order to be successful. One of the moves? Adding more clinicians.

“It is imperative that companies employ individuals with strong medical and clinical capabilities, an understanding of the underlying disease and treatment paradigms, and an ability to navigate the healthcare landscape.” That’s us. We are the individuals with the perspective they need to be successful.

We know how medicine works and how hospitals and clinics run and we are able to make a huge impact on companies diving into the healthcare world. With our firsthand knowledge of the healthcare gemba, we can offer insights and strategies that companies need in order to build and sell products that will make the healthcare industry better as a whole.

The report goes on to discuss the importance of marrying technical expertise with clinical/medical expertise. A clinician with technical skills who is willing to help companies develop tools for healthcare systems is rare. But that clinician is rare because our niche of defectors from patient care is small. If you’re reading this, you are already ahead of the game.

If you, a clinician, are willing to learn a few technical skills and think beyond differentials and diagnostics, then you will be a major asset to any digital health company — let alone companies in other industries. It may sound daunting, but trust me, we’re starting the game on 3rd base. Most clinicians, whether they know it or not, have already been trained to handle many of the technical skills that McKinsey is referencing. The EHR programs that you’ve been using for years are incredibly technical and knowing the ins and outs is a valuable skill set. Plus, if you are willing to learn a little code or data analytics, your value will skyrocket.

McKinsey’s report is not a beacon of light or a pot of gold, but it does illustrate that we have value outside of patient care and that non-clinical companies are finally starting to both recognize and need it. A little extra effort and a few new skills are needed, but that’s a small price to pay for curing burnout, improving your work-life balance, and maybe even making more money.

For more insights like this and advice on transitioning from clinical work to the business world — as a side gig or full time — check out my newsletter, Translational Medicine