PT turned Implementation Lead at CipherHealth

 We are excited to share another alterative career route! Although this blog is about an PT turned implementation lead, note that other therapist and assistant's should look into this role too! 

What is your full name, title, and company name for your current, primary role

Lauren Braley PT, DPT, NCS and I am an Implementation Lead for CipherHealth

Where are you located?

Gilbert, Arizona

Where did you go to PT school, and what year did you graduate?

A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona 2017 and then 2018 from the Neuro Residency Program at A.T. Still as well!

What did you do when you first finished school, and for how long?

I was a Neuro PT for 2.5 years before going non-clinical

In what setting(s) did you work, and what types of patients did you treat?

Primarily Outpatient, and Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation, emphasis on vestibular and all neuro patients

What did you enjoy about your early roles? What didn't you enjoy?

I really enjoyed the cross collaboration and interdisciplinary work I was able to do with other therapists, I also built a really successful vestibular program that was very rewarding

I did not enjoy the constant pull between giving my patients what I knew they deserved and keeping up with point of service documentation. I felt trapped flexibility wise, I remember at the same time I was treating PT patients I was also trying to hold a monthly exercise class at an Adult Day Care Program and do some adjunct faculty work/ lab assist work for my alma mater and it was working schedule wise

What else have you done since then, prior to your current role?

• Project Manager/ Consultant for an Adult Day Care Program- trained non-clinical staff on exercise considerations, helped to build out a PT program, etc
• Clinical Liaison for Select Medical
• Utilization Reviewer for naviHealth

When and why did you decide to do something non-clinical?

I wanted to help more than 1 patient at a time and have an impact on the healthcare system as a whole.

What are you doing these days? Are you still treating patients, or are you solely non-clinical?

100% non-clinical and I have never looked back, best choice for me

Did you get any special certifications or training along the way to help you get into your current role?

Lean Six Sigma-helps with process improvement and I was able to get the White Belt Certification with my previous employer. Within the Certification they talk about Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) I love this framework and wish we all used it to help with identifying and eliminating waste within our roles.

How did you find your Implementation Lead job? Did you apply or find it through a connection?

I had job alerts set up on Linkedin, I saw that I fit the criteria for what they were looking for, reached out to a gal currently in the role, introduced myself and saw they had a referral program in place and asked if she wanted to use me as a referral, she vetted me and thought I would be a good fit, so she elected to have me as her referral.

What are some of the things you did to stand out, take initiative, and advance in your career?

I tried my best to authentically network and build relationships when there wasn’t even a job posted yet, highlighting why my skills would be best served on that team and stayed in touch with them so when a job opened up they would think of me.

Prepare a 1 slide PowerPoint deck on a project you have worked on and the results to pull up and share during an interview even if they didn’t ask you to, it shows not only your presentation skills, and confidence but can help you stand out from others

How have people reacted to you leaving patient care?

I remember my clinical boss and other co-workers telling me that I was making a mistake at the time
The amount of therapists in my network that have reached out and inquired about going non-clinical over the last several years has been insane, so many people want to know more about how I build this carrer
Clinicians are curious as to what is on the other side, even if you enjoy patient care still, it’s always a good idea to know what else is out there career path wise

What's a typical day in the life like for you? What types of tasks and responsibilities fill your time as an Implementation Lead?

After sales closes a deal then the Implementation team gets the project, we have an internal handoff meeting, weekly external clients meetings, we build the product/customize it to their liking and train them on it. Typically I will work a project for 5-16 weeks from start to finish.

We own Kick-Off to Go Live and then the client gets handed off a to Customer Success Manager

What are some of the rewards of your role? What are the biggest challenges?

-Rewards: discretionary PTO, flexibility with my schedule, ability to make a large impact on the patient experience from a global perspective
-Challenges: frequent internal and external meetings, startup life

How did your clinical background prepare you for this role? Which skills transferred?

My clinical background set me apart from other candidates going for this role and helped me stand out for sure. Internal and external stakeholder management, prior project experience, and my organizational skills are areas I focused in on as transferable skills.

What type of person do you think would do well in your Implementation Lead role?

Someone who likes to be client facing, solve challenges, work on several projects at once, someone who understands the importance behind improving the patient experience in healthcare today.

Do you work remotely or onsite?

Remotely

Does your organization hire PT, OT, or SLP professionals into non-clinical roles? If so, what type of roles?

Yes there is another PT who works at CipherHealth and she is a Customer Success Manager and there are two RN’s who comprise the Clinical Team

Did you read any books, take any courses, or do anything special overall to get you where you are today?

Linkedin learning- a lot on Customer Success
Podcast- Grow Gain Retain
Certification: Lean Six Sigma-White Belt for process improvement
Books- Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
Tik Tok/ YouTube- Diana De Jesus (Customer Success expert)
Linkedin-Carly Agar (Customer Success expert)

What is a typical career path for someone in your Implementation Lead role?

I truly feel like the world is my oyster there are so many places I could go from here
-Senior Implementation Lead
-We have a clinical team at the organization
-I have a strong interest in Data and Analytics
-Or even a new role that doesn’t exist yet- like internal process improvement for example

What is next for you? What are your high-level career aspirations?

I would like to explore what it is like to be a people leader!

Do you have any special advice for others who want to follow in your footsteps?

You need to learn how to speak to your transferable skills in a very general high-level overview for interview purposes. Sometimes we tend to get so focused on the details of our job it can be challenging to zoom out and see the impact you are making on the whole healthcare system/ organization you work for.

Looking for more information or help to get this position or a similar remote one?

We really hope this article has helped inspire you! Come join our Facebook group on Alternative Careers https://www.facebook.com/groups/altcareersforrehab/ or email us at [email protected] with any questions! 

And don't forget to look into our remote careers courses https://www.alternativehealthcarecareers.com/courses/becomeautilizationreviewer and https://www.alternativehealthcarecareers.com/remote-jobs-course  that provide CEU hours, step by step video guides, email support and most important free RESUME edits!