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e-Health Expert Shares her Career Insights.
Gale Wilson-Steele, CEO of Medseek tells us about her experience in the relatively new field of e-Health. She share her insights and experience with Up Close & Virtual... Read the interview...
Tell us briefly about your company, your area of expertise and responsibilities:
MedSeek provides Internet communications solutions to over 350 hospitals in the US and Canada. This relatively new field of e-health promises to connect patients with caregivers, and contribute to greater efficiencies in the healthcare delivery system, increased patient satisfaction and a better quality of care.
"Everyday we at MedSeek are helping healthcare organizations to become more efficient and effective at accessing and delivering information through the use of Web technology."
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Describe a day in your professional life...
My job is to keep an eye on the bottom line, and stay abreast of the opportunities that can help MedSeek achieve its vision of advancing communications in healthcare using Internet technologies. Working between staff e-mails, operational initiatives, marketing strategy planning and message management, I also maintain Board relations, manage speaking proposals, and help build our industry network.
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How is technology impacting the nature of your work and how you do your work?
Not only is technology the foundation of our products and services, we stay on the cutting edge of Internet communications with Web-based conferencing, corporate Intranet development and e-mail-based company interactions. Still, there is no replacement for the face-to-face meeting, and so travel is usually involved in the initiation and building of important client and partner relationships.
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Was there a lesson or skill learned from your first job that has been invaluable on your career path?
My first job was in marketing, and my second as a construction project manager. Both skill sets are directly applicable to starting and building a company. My biggest lessons have been realized on the elementary school soccer field, however, where I learned to coach many team members to work together synergistically and go for the same goal.
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Has Higher Education been important in your career path? What educational advice would you give to viewers? Tell us the path you took to where you are today.
My BS degree in Biology confirmed my interest in the life sciences, which has played out throughout this foray into the medical space. Most importantly, the challenges I faced at Stanford taught me that everyone can learn to capitalize on his or her strengths, and find alternatives to bolster up the weaknesses. Also, what you don’t already know, you can probably learn.
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What is your work ethic, and how did it develop? What inspires you?
Integrity is an over-used word when it comes to value statements, but for me and the way we work at MedSeek, it is the defining standard. Did we deliver what we promised? Do we deal honestly with each other? Are our relationships built on trust, as only then can they be solid and enduring? I am inspired when I watch this company pioneer new technical ground and through that effort help to make a positive change in a national initiative as great as our healthcare system.
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| "Everyone can learn to capitalize on his or her strengths, and find alternatives to bolster up the weaknesses." --Gale Wilson-Steele |
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What advice would you give to potential job applicants to help them succeed in the ever-changing global marketplace?
Stay flexible, be willing to learn new things, be honest in everything you say and do, follow-through with your promises.
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Do you have suggestions of any professional associations, trade journals, periodicals, events, etc. that someone pursuing a career in your field should be aware of &/or attend?
American Marketing Association and HIMSS.org
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| "Men often view women as having a hidden agenda -- our communication styles are different, and the Mars/Venus confusions can result. My strategy: Keep it as direct as possible. Share plans, not concepts. Get buy-in from the beginning through open collaboration." -- Gale Wilson-Steele |
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Are there any emerging trends in your industy/company that will impact your hiring criteria?
Computer competency is essential for every job at MedSeek.
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Tell us about your Corporate Diversity/Women’s Programs: What is your company doing to educate employees on valuing diversity in the workplace?
We focus on valuing each other in the workplace. With 56 employees we have gender and racial diversity, but mostly we have work cultural diversity within the job orientation of the work groups: sales, engineering, accounting, etc. learning to appreciate each others’ efforts and jobs is a good start in learning to appreciate one another. To do this we have cross-departmental "buddy lunches", company pot-luck events and a family friendly work schedule.
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What women have inspired you on your career path? How?
Carly Fiona for breaking a glass ceiling in a high-tech business, and for earning the respect of a traditional leadership.
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What challenges have you faced in business because you are a woman? Share your strategies for overcoming them.
Men often view women as having a hidden agenda. our communication styles are different, and the Mars/Venus confusions can result. My strategy: Keep it as direct as possible. Share plans, not concepts. Get buy-in from the beginning through open collaboration.
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How do yo maintain balance in your life? or Do you?!
I try to do a little bit of everything, as well as a lot of work: I devote 1/2 hour each morning to a walk-jog. I work 45 minutes/week in the 4th grade class. I connect with each child in a special way: horseback riding with the 10-year old (and husband), dance classes with the 16-year old, attend sporting events as much as possible. We eat dinner as a family 6 nights out of 7, (yes, I cook, but they clean), and I find much joy in gardening. On business travel, I take my husband whenever there are good golfing opportunities.
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| Advice for Job Seekers:
Stay flexible
Be willing to learn new things
Be honest in everything you say and do
Follow-through with your promises
--Gale Wilson-Steele |
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Share your Favorite Inspiration Quote or Words of Wisdom:
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, magic and power in it."
-- Goethe
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Tell us about your latest career-related project:
Co-presenter at HIMSS, Feb. 2004, Client case Study Speaker at WITI, 2003, Women and Technology
Author of e-health articles for trades.
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Thank you Gale Wilson-Steele for sharing your insights and experience!
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