In an illuminating discussion, we had the privilege of sitting down with Todd Haebich, the Executive Vice President for Asia-Pacific at Altera Digital Health. Our conversation revolved around the pressing challenges confronting the healthcare industry and the innovative strategies required to surmount them, with a particular focus on collaborative efforts, data utilization, and the pivotal role of interoperability. Additionally, we explored the recent developments within the organization following its acquisition by N. Harris Computer Corporation.
Q: Altera Digital Health, previously known as Allscripts, underwent acquisition just over a year ago. Can you provide some insights into this transition?
A: The past year has indeed been an exciting journey for Altera Digital Health. In May of the previous year, N. Harris Computer Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Constellation Software Inc (CSI), successfully acquired Allscripts Healthcare Solutions’ Hospitals and Large Physician Practices business segment. Subsequently, it was rebranded as Altera Digital Health, now operating as a vital business unit within Harris Healthcare.
Harris Healthcare’s affiliation with CSI is particularly noteworthy, as CSI is a publicly traded entity boasting a remarkable $57 billion market capitalization. Over the last 17 years, CSI has maintained an impressive Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 37.4%, placing it among the highest-performing entities in the stock market. To offer perspective, our CAGR surpasses that of industry giants like Apple, Amazon, and Google, underscoring our status as an exceptionally high-performing business within the publicly traded sector.
Q: Altera Digital Health has a substantial presence in the APAC region. Could you shed light on your operations and initiatives in this dynamic region?
A: Indeed, Altera Digital Health has cultivated a robust presence in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, marked by significant growth over the past decade. We are actively engaged in Southeast Asia, specifically in Singapore, the Philippines, and Guam. Our longstanding partnership with SingHealth extends back two decades, demonstrating our commitment to the region. Moreover, we are playing a pivotal role in Australia, where we are supporting SA Health in executing one of the nation’s most ambitious projects. Additionally, in the Gippsland region, we have implemented an innovative, region-wide, cloud-based solution, among several other exciting ventures. We proudly serve more than 100 hospitals across Australia, employing platforms like Sunrise and Altera Opal. Recently, we celebrated securing our first client in New Zealand.
Q: Could you elaborate on Altera Digital Health’s approach to serving its clients within the healthcare industry, particularly as part of the Harris organization?
A: Our paramount objective at Altera Digital Health is to craft technology solutions that are agile, purposeful, and capable of enhancing the quality of care and patient outcomes. We remain steadfast in our commitment to nurturing our clients’ success, understanding that this journey unfolds step by step, mirroring the intricacies of our complex industry. This philosophy is symbolized by our logo, which features a mountain range. Mountains are conquered one step at a time, and our primary focus is to be better today than we were yesterday. Continuous positive progress ultimately yields incremental improvements.
Q: How has Harris Computer Corporation influenced the manner in which Altera Digital Health delivers value to its clients?
A: Our affiliation with a significantly larger and diverse organization, inherently technology-driven, has empowered us to regard technology as a proactive intervention. This vantage point allows us to contemplate the trajectory of technology five years down the road. Only a half-decade ago, few foresaw the critical importance of telehealth, remote health monitoring, or ‘home hospitalization.’ Yet, these concepts are now integral to healthcare delivery. Therefore, we continually challenge ourselves to anticipate the next technological frontiers.
In the immediate term, our focus revolves around ensuring that clinicians possess the right information in the right place at the right time, thus facilitating informed decision-making. We firmly believe that containerized infrastructure is the optimal approach for an Electronic Medical Record (EMR). Interoperability assumes paramount significance when patient outcomes are the central concern. Analogously, an EMR should mimic the electrical system in a house, wherein any compatible appliance can be readily integrated. This approach empowers clinicians to access specialized, cutting-edge technology tailored to their respective fields, ultimately equipping them to provide the highest quality care to patients.
