Written by Erin Mosleth, Healthtech Recruiter
One of the most valuable lessons I learned early in my Healthtech career—and continue to rely on—is the power of meeting clinicians where they are and observing their workflows firsthand. In Lean organizations, this practice is often called Gemba, the act of going to the front lines to truly understand how work happens in real time.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to observe a wide range of clinical settings. I’ve sat in on joint replacement surgeries, shadowed physicians in traditional family medicine clinics, and even worked overnight shifts during a Level 1 trauma center go-live—all to better understand how technology fits into the fast-paced world of healthcare.
While many healthcare organizations grapple with similar challenges, each physical location, provider, and patient is uniquely different. These nuances matter—and overlooking them can make or break a Healthtech solution. That’s what makes designing successful healthcare technology so complex. But I’ve found that recognizing, acknowledging, and adapting to these differences has made me far more effective in my role.
For example, later in my career, I worked as a project manager overseeing a new software implementation for case managers across a healthcare system. Case management workflows vary drastically depending on the setting—whether in an outpatient clinic, the hospital, ED, or a health plan environment. By immersing myself in their day-to-day work, I was better equipped to understand their pain points, advocate for their needs, and help bridge the gap between technology and clinical practice. This hands-on approach strengthened my ability to communicate with stakeholders, address concerns, and drive meaningful change.
Advice for Healthtech Candidates
If you’re looking to build a career in Healthtech, here’s my biggest piece of advice: get as close to the front-line users as possible. Whether you’re in product, customer success, engineering, or project management, spend time observing clinicians and staff in their actual work environments. Sit in on clinical rounds, observe how documentation flows in the EHR, and ask thoughtful questions about their biggest pain points. The more you understand their world, the better you’ll be at building solutions that truly work for them and solving real-life issues.
Healthcare is complex, and no two workflows are identical. Be curious, be humble, and be willing to learn. Your ability to listen, adapt, and advocate for users will set you apart in this field.
How do you get closer to your front-line users? How has it helped you become more successful in your work?