Navigating the Next Chapter: focused Expertise in Healthcare Interoperability
the past week has been a period of reflection, and a fascinating study in contrasts. While enjoying a welcome respite, I’ve been concurrently encouraged by positive industry buzz and intrigued by the varied engagement with my recent online presence. My LinkedIn announcement reached over 11,000 views, a strong signal. Yet, a recent blog post garnered a more modest 104 views – a clear indication of the challenges in cutting through the noise.
These mixed signals have been incredibly clarifying.They’ve reinforced a desire to focus my energy on work that truly leverages my experience and passion, and to be realistic about what that looks like as I approach the next phase of my career.
Defining My ideal Contribution
Recent efforts to update my resume have solidified three key areas where I believe I can make the most important impact:
Standards Progress (FHIR): I’m deeply invested in the continued evolution of FHIR as the cornerstone of interoperability.
Profile Development (Implementation guides): Creating practical, usable Implementation Guides is crucial for translating standards into real-world solutions.
Applied Standards & infrastructure: I thrive on working with applications and infrastructure that utilize these standards to solve complex healthcare challenges.Importantly, I’m seeking opportunities that allow me to focus on these technical contributions. The administrative burdens of consulting – business development, billing, and follow-up – are frankly, draining. Similarly, I’m not pursuing traditional corporate leadership roles. I’ve navigated those structures before,and I’m eager to avoid the inevitable process onboarding and internal politics.
My focus is on impactful work,not climbing a corporate ladder. I’m cozy acknowledging that my proximity to retirement shapes this viewpoint, and I’m prepared to prioritize fulfillment over maximizing income.
Continued Commitment to Key Initiatives
Despite exploring new opportunities, I remain deeply committed to several ongoing projects within the healthcare interoperability space:
SHIFT (Consent Implementation): I’m providing subject matter expertise on FHIR Consent and the IHE Privacy Consent on FHIR (PCF) implementation guide. currently, the team is focused on implementation, but I’m eager to contribute through code reviews and continued stakeholder engagement.
HL7 (FAST Consent): My work with HL7’s FAST Consent initiative focuses on defining policies and management steps for consent instances. This requires a pragmatic understanding of regional policies, an area where my experience provides a unique and valuable perspective.
HL7 (AI Openness IG): I’m actively involved in the HL7 AI Transparency Implementation Guide, leveraging FHIR features for tagging AI-contributed data and detailing AI actions through Provenance. I believe the true power of Provenance lies in practical use-case analysis, and I’m dedicated to demonstrating that potential.
These contributions, even on a pro bono basis, are vital to me. I’m confident I have the energy and expertise to continue advancing healthcare interoperability standards for years to come.
I’m actively seeking opportunities to apply my skills and experience to meaningful projects. I believe a focused approach, leveraging decades of experience, can deliver significant value to the right organization or initiative.