"Technology must serve people, not just be technology for technology's sake or technology for advancement." This powerful statement by Paige Piani, President of Encora's Healthcare and Life Sciences business unit, encapsulates her vision for the future of healthcare technology. With nearly five months at the helm, she brings a wealth of expertise and is already making significant strides in balancing innovation with patient-centric care. We had the opportunity to sit down with Paige to learn more about her journey, leadership philosophy, and the future of healthcare technology.
Paige’s role involves a delicate balance of strategic planning, operational management, and fostering collaboration within her team. "On a day-to-day basis, my work is about making decisions that advance company goals while ensuring we remain committed to improving patient care through cutting-edge technology," she explains. This balance doesn't come easily. In an industry where technological advancement often dominates conversations, Paige emphasizes that the true north star must always be patient outcomes. As a leader, she constantly seeks to innovate and improve care. It's the true measure of success. Her approach combines vision, flexibility, and a deep sense of ethical responsibility.
Core Values That Drive Success
While proudly upholding Encora's core values—enterprise value, curiosity, ownership, diversity, and excellence—Paige also champions integrity, empathy, innovation, collaboration, and accountability, which are important when dealing with people's lives. "These values are really essential in guiding decisions that not only drive business success for Encora and our clients but also ensure that the technology we create improves patient care and supports healthcare in meaningful ways," she says.
Redefining Leadership in Tech
As a woman leading in the tech industry, Paige has a refreshing take on what it means to redefine leadership. For her, redefining leadership means challenging traditional norms and embracing a more human and inclusive approach. "Leadership is not about authority; it's about empowering others, fostering innovation, creating environments where diverse voices are not only heard but celebrated." she asserts. Emotional intelligence, authentic communication, and creating an environment where diverse voices are celebrated are central to her leadership style. She is also a strong advocate for mentoring and uplifting other women in the industry.
Thriving as a Woman in Tech
When asked about the qualities essential for women in tech, Paige highlights, emotional intelligence and confidence. "Leaders who demonstrate empathy, self-awareness, and strong interpersonal skills can build trust with their teams, foster collaboration, and maintain healthy work environments." She does acknowledge the unique challenges many women face, "Women often struggle with imposter syndrome. Building confidence is crucial to thriving in this space," she emphasizes. Throughout her career, she has often found herself "the only female in the room"—a common experience for women in tech leadership. Yet she sees this not as a limitation but as an opportunity to bring diverse perspectives to the table and mentor others facing similar challenges.
Advocating Woman Leadership as a Woman Leader
Women leaders bring a unique blend of empathy and innovation to the future of healthcare. Paige highlights the increasing presence of women in the healthcare sector compared to other industries. "Our ability to connect innovation with compassion allows us to develop solutions that truly prioritize patient well-being and equity," she says.
Mentorship, creating inclusive environments, and advocating for education and gender equity are key to empowering women leaders. "Women bring empathy, creativity, and problem-solving to leadership, making their involvement essential to the future of healthcare technology," she emphasizes.
Fostering Diversity and Inclusion
Paige believes that diversity is an ethical responsibility and a business imperative. "Having a team that reflects diverse backgrounds leads to better solutions and more inclusive patient care," she notes. Her team promotes diversity through inclusive hiring practices and cultivating a collaborative culture. This perspective is especially important in healthcare, where patients come from all backgrounds and interact with technology in different ways. By fostering inclusive environments and diverse teams, Paige believes healthcare innovations can become more effective, accessible, and equitable.
Balancing Innovation with Patient Care
Innovation in healthcare technology must always serve patient outcomes. One of the most significant challenges is balancing cutting-edge innovation with the responsibility of improving patient care. Paige emphasizes aligning technology development with patient-centric goals, regulatory compliance, and iterative testing. "What's the patient problem we're trying to solve? And that's always the lens that we should be taking in anything that we're doing." "We can be enamored with new technology, but the true measure of success is improved patient care," she states.
The Future of Healthcare Technology
Looking ahead, Paige envisions transformative changes in healthcare technology. She identifies several key areas that will shape the future:
- AI and Machine Learning in diagnostics and treatment
- Personalized medicine
- Telemedicine and remote patient monitoring
- Wearables and health data integration
- Digital therapeutics and mobile health apps
- Genomics and precision medicine
- Health equity and social determinants of health
Encora is actively investing in these areas to stay at the forefront of healthcare innovation.
Lessons from Leading in Healthcare Tech
When asked about her biggest lesson as a leader, Paige reflects, “While not exclusive to healthcare, I've learned that success is built on the strength of relationships. Building trust and understanding diverse perspectives is the foundation for sustainable growth and innovation."
Paige Piani's 8 Tips for Thriving as a Woman Leader in Tech
- Embrace a growth mindset: "Innovation requires adaptability and resilience. Always be willing to learn, pivot when needed. See challenges as opportunities for growth."
- Find your passion and purpose: "For me, I have been in technology my entire career and the way that I got into more of the healthcare technology side is because I've always had this passion to help people."
- Develop strong relationships: "Surround yourself with a supportive network of mentors, peers, experts in the field. Build those relationships with others who challenge and inspire you."
- Lead with empathy: "Ultimately it's about improving people's lives and meeting our clients' needs. Always keep the human element as the heart of what you do."
- Take calculated risks: "Don't be afraid to take the first step out of your comfort zone. Try new things, whether it's a groundbreaking project or a new leadership opportunity."
- Champion diversity: "Advocate for diversity in all forms—gender, race, background, and thought. A diverse team is one of the best ways to create solutions that are innovative, inclusive, effective."
- Stay resilient and advocate for yourself: "The path to leadership can be challenging, and you may face setbacks or doubters along the way. But remember, resilience is key."
- Focus on long-term impact: "While short-term wins are super important, always think about the long-term impact of your work. How can what you do contribute to improving healthcare for future generations?"
Final Thoughts
Paige Piani's approach to leadership in healthcare technology offers a compelling vision for the future—one where innovation serves humanity, diverse perspectives drive better solutions, and technology enhances rather than replaces the human touch in healthcare.
As she puts it: "Ultimately, leading a business unit in healthcare and life sciences tech has reinforced the understanding that innovation in healthcare must be done with compassion, focused on real-world outcomes and an unwavering commitment to improving patient lives, not just about the technology."
In a rapidly evolving landscape where technology and healthcare increasingly intersect, leaders like Paige remind us that the most important metrics aren't technical specifications or adoption rates, but rather the tangible improvements in people's lives. By keeping this focus central to innovation efforts, the future of healthcare technology looks not just more advanced, but more human-centered—exactly where it needs to be.
