Samantha Hod
Vice President of Lab Operations, ELLKAY
What made you become involved in healthcare IT?
I have always been passionate about helping people and innovatively solving problems. During my college years, I became involved with Embrace Kids Foundation, an organization supporting families with children battling cancer and other serious health challenges. I spent a lot of time volunteering with the organization at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and regularly engaged with patients, nurses, and physicians. The organization’s focus is to assist patient families with their non-medical needs and provide a sense of normalcy during their treatment. This opened my eyes to the patient’s needs, their families’ vulnerability, and brought to light the criticality for a patient-centric healthcare model. My commitment to Embrace Kids Foundation and my desire to help people in the healthcare industry did not falter when I graduated from college. Instead, it flourished in a whole new capacity. After graduating, I joined the Embrace Kids Foundation Board of Directors, where I continue to serve. I also decided to pursue a career in healthcare IT and joined ELLKAY. I was excited about the opportunity to make a difference in patients’ lives through innovation and technology. By joining a team of forward-thinking and innovative people, the possibilities of providing quality healthcare and solving core industry issues were endless.
How are current trends in Health IT impacting your organization?
Moving forward, interoperability continues to prove itself to be an essential requirement in the healthcare industry. Our systems need to be able to communicate and responsibly exchange data. Digital health is also a prominent trend in the industry. We are moving to a world of digital health with full interaction via technology.
What does innovation in Health IT mean to you?
Innovation is no longer a choice; in this ever-changing environment, if an organization does not innovate, they remain stagnant. It is paramount for success in any field, but especially in Health IT, where advancements are happening every day.
Innovation occurs when professionals approach an existing problem in ways others have not previously thought of. I am so proud to work alongside a brilliant and talented team that continues to challenge one another. Our culture breeds creativity, which fosters the commitment to innovate at every step whenever we can.
What is the most rewarding part of being in the healthcare industry?
How many people can say that their work directly impacts the health and wellbeing of millions of people around the country? Although our jobs are incredibly hectic, knowing that we have the tools to change people’s lives makes it worth it every single day. At ELLKAY, I’m a part of a team that is not only helping people during their most vulnerable moments, but is also enabling and empowering our customers to do the same. Behind all the work my team does are real patients and real lives. To me, that makes everything worth it.
How do you ensure your organization is keeping up with the continual advances in technology?
It is exciting to be a professional in this industry of healthcare IT that is consistently advancing and requiring all healthcare organizations to adapt. I really enjoy being a part of a team that is extremely versatile and flexible. The pandemic gave our team at ELLKAY the opportunity to demonstrate how adaptable we were. We took our lab platform and adapted it to the functionality needed for COVID testing, which continued to change as the pandemic progressed. As our company grows at a rapid pace, we recognize the important role and value we are bringing to our trusted partners. The acquisitions we have made in the past few years have also positioned us well to stay on top of current technological trends. I am proud to be a part of Team ELLKAY.