The digital healthcare landscape is ripe with potential, promising revolutionary advancements in patient care, treatment efficacy, and operational efficiency. However, the pursuit of innovation in this sector often faces a recurring challenge: a striking lack of diversity at leadership level. While women constitute more than 52% of the healthcare workforce, they occupy less than 10% of boardroom positions in healthcare organisations (Lancet, 2022).

This imbalance has far-reaching consequences beyond mere representation, impacting our ability to innovate. The industry-wide homogeneity in leadership often results in limited perspectives - potentially overlooking crucial insights that a more diverse group might bring to the table. Consequently, this has historically led to extended timelines for bringing products to market - as teams struggle to create solutions that resonate with the diverse needs of patients and healthcare systems. This has resulted in solutions falling short of their potential impact and adoption rates.

As Executive Vice President for Altera Digital Health in the EMEA region, Rachael is one of the prominent women in digital health who is making a substantial stand to eradicate this. By championing a more balanced boardroom and C-Suite, where diverse voices are not only heard but are valued, she is challenging organisations to tap into more diverse approaches towards innovation and progress.

Rachael’s career within digital health has become a testament to the power of growth-focused leadership and mentality. She joined the company eight years ago as a salesperson and has since ascended through various roles, including management positions such as Director of Client Success, Area Vice President of Client Success, and International Vice President of Client Success - overseeing operations in Australia, Canada, Singapore, and the UK. Her journey has since culminated in her appointment as EVP for the EMEA region in April 2023.

In terms of her leadership style, Rachael has carved out her career by putting equity, opportunity and growth for all members of her organisation first. This has allowed for her team at Altera Digital Health to be better positioned to create solutions that tangibly address the complex needs of patients and healthcare systems.

Rachael reflects on the genesis of this mindset - which is deeply rooted in her Manchester origins and extensive 19-year tenure with the NHS across operational roles and IT roles; and an additional 8-year tenure at an EPR vendor. Her diverse experience illuminated the challenges faced by healthcare systems across multiple ICBs, inspiring her shift towards creating solutions that genuinely improve care access and outcomes. This transition was driven by a commitment to promote equity in developing truly impactful health innovations:

“Equitable decision making”, Rachael stresses, “is so intrinsic to ensuring that patients and providers get the solutions they truly need.” As an organisation, “the solutions we at Altera provide promote better patient care”, because “we lead with diversity in mind first. We advocate for patients to have a better overall experience, and clinicians to be able to provide care efficiently.”

Rachael’s deep empathy for the challenges faced by patients and healthcare providers has been instrumental in shaping Altera Digital Health's methodology towards client success. Under her leadership, Altera has successfully delivered and refined a suite of products that directly respond to the complex demands of modern healthcare. These include EMR and EHR solutions, like Sunrise and Paragon, that effectively support ambulatory care, population health management, and operational systems to improve service provision.

By ensuring that these products are not just technologically advanced but also intuitively aligned with the workflows and needs of healthcare providers, Rachael and her team strive to curate solutions that genuinely enhance the patient experience. Adhering to a 'no bad ideas' philosophy, she encourages input from team members regardless of their seniority, recognising that innovation can come from any corner of the business:

"You know, people can bring their authentic selves to work if they're not fearful. I want people to come to work feeling empowered. I want people to feel that they've got autonomy, to feel like they have a space. They are valued, they have a contribution."

This mindset has created an environment where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but actively sought out, leading to more comprehensive and effective healthcare solutions. Throughout her professional journey, Rachael has not only witnessed - but actively cultivated - the development of numerous teams and individuals. To empower her team, she has implemented a practice of speaking with every single team member every six months. These one-on-one conversations serve multiple purposes: they ensure that each employee feels heard and valued, provide a platform for sharing ideas that might not surface in larger group settings, and allow for personalised support and guidance:

“That's why I ask every single person, do you have any ideas, because that's where innovation comes from. Not one person can have all the ideas, or the best ones. Innovation and successful leadership comes from listening to the people on the ground, the people that are providing support to medical experts and users that provide care to patients day to day.”

By investing this time and attention in her team, Rachael fosters a culture of trust, openness, and continuous improvement. This practice exemplifies Rachael's belief that a company's greatest asset is its people, and that nurturing their growth and well-being is key to achieving organisational excellence.

Looking to the future, Rachael recognises that the continued growth and innovation in digital health field depends on nurturing a diverse talent pool and creating inclusive environments where all voices are heard and valued. She hopes that by instilling her mentality of empathy, continuous learning, and inclusive leadership, these future leaders will carry forward the torch of innovation and compassionate care.

“For women and diverse individuals progressing their careers in digital health, my words of wisdom are: never doubt yourself. Just because you're female doesn't mean you don't have the skills or the right mindset. So, don't ever limit yourself. Don't feel you can't compete in a field that has traditionally been male-oriented. The digital health field needs diverse voices and experiences to truly innovate and address the complex challenges we face. So, I encourage all women in this field to stand tall, speak up, and know that their contributions are not just valuable, but essential for the future of healthcare.”

To learn more about Rachael Fox and the amazing work her team is doing at Altera Digital Health, visit: https://uk.alterahealth.com/

Follow Rachael on LinkedIn and X: @rachael_altera