Find out what is needed to enter the field of health technology from Dr. Kev Lim
Being a Field Expert is Sufficient for Doctors to Enter into Health Technology
Doctors don’t need to know programming or coding to enter the field of Health Technology. They just need to be the field expert (a person familiar with the market) who can identify the pain points. The doctor needs to identify where the pain points are, which part can be improved, and the possible solutions to improve the situation.
As an example, when Dr. Lim was at the hospital for his daughter’s health condition, he noticed the long queues, unusually long waiting period for patients and the congested waiting rooms. This served as an impetus for him to solve the problem of long queues at the hospital.
So the doctor as a field expert needs to identify the pain points and know the solutions that work best to overcome that problem. He/she would then need to hire a person who can convert the doctor’s thought process into a software.
Roles Available for Doctors in Health Technology
i) Founder of the Health Tech company could also be the field expert . He/she has a team helping him/her with programming, coding, and innovation. The field expert must be able to identify the pain points and the solution to the problem.
ii)Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is one who provides guidance and supervises the entire health technology process.
iii)Medical Affairs Manager is one who assists the CMO in his duties.
iv)Innovation Technology Specialist is a medical doctor who knows programming and coding and or has a Masters in Computer Science
v) Clinical AI researcher – This role requires that the doctor train the computer to think like a doctor.
vi)Digital Transformation Specialists/ Officers are medical doctors who train doctors in GP clinics and hospitals in the adoption of digital solutions such as teleconsultation, teleradiology, and other digital solutions.
The Outlook for Doctors Entering the Field of Health Technology
According to Dr. Lim, there are many opportunities for doctors in health technology arising from pain points within the healthcare system. Doctors need to be able to make some observations and identify pain points. Who better than doctors to play a key role in health technology? “Health technology is here to stay. Whether a person likes it or not, digital health will be part and parcel of clinical practice, “ says Dr. Lim.
There are many areas of growth in health technology and much to innovate in the field. As an example, Dr. Lim cites that doctors can come up with software that will enable patients with chronic conditions to do self-monitoring at home with alerts being sent to their doctors should an abnormality occur. This will save the patients’ time because of reduced doctor visits.
The Personality Traits and Skill Sets Needed in Health Technology
In the field of health technology, doctors must dare to challenge themselves, be willing to leave their comfort zones and start from scratch, be able to think out of the box, be passionate about using technology to improve healthcare, possess a hunger for continuous learning and be willing to keep a busy schedule. They must also be focused and be willing to persevere, be open-minded and be willing to take risks. These are the character traits needed for the innovation and development of digital solutions.
The skill sets needed for health technology are management and leadership, sales and communication, people and networking abilities. These skill sets are extremely helpful as well in the business development aspect of health technology.
Pros and Cons of Entering the Field of Health Technology
Doctors entering the field of health technology will discover things about themselves that they never knew. For example, doctors might realize that they are really good at socializing and networking and are gifted in the business development aspect of health technology.
Doctors’ minds and ways of viewing things will be greatly expanded as well. For Dr. Kev Lim, his mind was opened as he attended non medical-related conferences. He learned how to manage finances, know the latest digital technology developments, brush up on his business model, run a company, learn about accounting etc.
He adds, “ These are things you wouldn’t try in the medical field. I think I have learned a lot more in the past two years than I’ve learned in the 10 years before that!”
Every six months, new technology emerges which doctors must be aware of to stay relevant in the field.
On the downside, doctors will miss clinical medicine and solving clinical problems.
Considerations for Doctors When Joining Health Technology
“Think long and hard before leaving the government service because once you’ve left the service, there’s no turning back. It’s a done deal,” noted Dr. Lim. He urges doctors to make an informed decision on the matter. “But if you know that health technology is the right choice for you, you will definitely have a good future here,” he said.
Charles Darwin said, “It is not the strongest of species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” Quoting Darwin, Dr. Lim said that doctors must learn to adapt and fit into their new chosen fields whatever they may be. As doctors are gifted and intelligent people, they will do well in any chosen field provided they’re aware of their giftings.
