Leadership in digital healthcare transformation recognised

A passion for leading digital transformation in the healthcare sector motivates UnitingCare’s General Manager, Digital and Technology Delivery, Nichole Aird, to continually strive for excellence.

Coupled with her unwavering determination and ability to inspire others, this passion led to her nomination as a finalist in the Women in Digital 2023 Customer Experience Leader category.

“I work with extraordinary people,” Nichole says. “My team is dedicated, inspirational and smart and although I may be nominated, there’s no way that I could have done it without them.”

Nichole heads UnitingCare’s Hospitals and Family and Disability Services and is leading digital transformation in hospitals and the care space, which includes the transition from paper-based to Electronic Medical Records.

She believes understanding customers’ needs is an integral part of designing and delivering technological solutions to support them in digital transformation.

“I’m passionate about health and while it can be demanding, knowing that you are contributing to making healthcare better for people – they could be your family – is a powerful driver.

“When a multi-vehicle accident occurs, for example, knowing the clinician has the available tools to make their job easier, to be able to make decisions quickly with technology that supports them, makes it clear to me that what we do is critical.

“We might think 30 seconds to log in to a system is fine, but it might be a matter of life or death in an emergency.”

Recognising the profound impact such advancements in healthcare technology and processes could have on people’s lives inspires her determination to contribute to the industry’s growth and improvement.

“As a leader, the most important thing I can do is show my team how things are possible. They are so very smart but sometimes can get caught up in the details so I challenge them to think outside the box.”

Openness, honesty, transparency and compassion are the core values Nichole brings to the job every day.

“Truth, courage and spirit. Always have the courage to tell the truth. Always have the courage to look beyond the current situation.

“Technological advances in the research and delivery of healthcare around the globe means we’ve never been so connected. It’s exciting to be an industry where we are going to enable our clinicians access to the information they need to enhance patient care, streamline operations and improve overall efficiency.”