Aleem Bhanji is a digital health technology leader specializing in the Canadian home and community care sector. Currently, the Senior Director for Client Services at AlayaCare, Aleem consults with health authorities, and care organizations of all sizes to ensure that clinical, business and operational goals and values are realized through integrated technology solutions. Aleem has over 20 years of experience in a range of areas in healthcare from a global perspective, including advancing strategic priorities in home healthcare, accelerating population-based health system transformation as well as leading the development and implementation of large-scale software solutions across the continuum of care. Respected and well-regarded by his peers, Aleem has been consulted by boards and organizations of all sizes in the public and non-profit sectors in the areas of strategic planning, operations management, reporting & analytics, project management, lean quality improvement, and management audits. Aleem has earned a bachelor’s degree with Honours in Bioinformatics and Biology from the University of Waterloo, as well as a Master’s degree in Health Sciences from the Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. Aleem is a professional project manager and is a member of the Canadian College of Health Leaders with a CHE designation. Aleem has served on numerous Boards and portfolios and is currently volunteering with the Aga Khan Health Services in East Africa to develop a home and community care program serving across three countries and reaching over 700,000 patients per year.
How long have you been a member of Digital Health Canada?
1.5 years
Why do you want to join the Digital Health Canada Board of Directors at this point in your career?
My dream and passion from my days in high school have been to combine the power and potential of software to cure disease, better human health, and provide a meaningful care experience for Canadians. As a son of immigrant parents, it was instilled in me that the healthcare system in Canada is extremely unique and something that we should treasure as a national symbol. Over my 20-year career, I have worked and found passion and meaning at the intersection of healthcare and technology. Through this journey, my ultimate ambition has remained the same; to create high-performing teams, organizations, and health systems and to spread this drive that I have, to improve health outcomes and the experience of receiving care by leveraging technology. I believe that this motivation coupled with experience and leadership now positions me well to be able to advocate, collaborate, empower and amplify the voice of colleagues, other leaders as well as the next generation to continue to drive an integrated care continuum leveraging digital health technology and to ensure that the legacy of the Canadian health care system is continued to be able to be passed down to a future generation of Canadians. I believe that Digital Health Canada is a powerful platform, empowering health technologists, clinicians, and patients to continuously innovate, share and collaborate ideas and initiatives to better the system for all Canadians and to share our learnings globally and the proposition of joining an organization with this mandate excites me tremendously.
How does your experience align with the Digital Health Canada strategic plan and mandate?
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have been mentored, supported, and have learned from tremendous leaders. I believe that Digital Health Canada’s 2023 Strategy to empower, share knowledge and advance health in a digital world aligns directly with the values and experience that I have been fortunate to have had. I also believe that there is an untapped area for digital health leaders in the home and community care sector and I believe I would be able to encourage this new crop of professionals to join the public discourse to build integrated care systems across the country.
What unique skills, perspectives and contributions would you bring to the Digital Health Canada Board?
I believe that I am a leader that is highly motivated to achieve strategic goals and priorities. I am known for fostering and developing high-performing teams and I believe I am able to bring out the best in individuals. I am easy to work with, respectful, and serve with a high degree of integrity and humility. I have also served on Boards of Directors and understand how to foster good governance and oversight. Professionally, I have tremendous knowledge and understanding of the Canadian healthcare landscape from a government, policy, and healthcare organization perspectives. I am very acutely aware of the challenges that face our public system and I have worked across the continuum of care in both for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. I have connections with academics, policy advisors, healthcare consultants, vendors, and executives in all sectors across the country and globally.
Do you or have or have you ever had any direct patient care experience (clinical)?
No
What segments within the Digital Health Canada community do you feel you will best represent? Select all that apply.
- Executives/CIOs
- Emerging Professionals
- Clinicians
- Vendors
- IM/IT Practitioners
- Leaders
- Academic & Research
- Healthcare Institutions
- Digital Health Entrepreneurs
With which Digital Health Canada committees, task groups or activities have you volunteered in past five years? Describe your most significant contributions to Digital Health Canada’s mission.
I have not been on any Digital Health committees or task groups. However, I have participated in many webinars and discussions as well as co-presented a Wednesday webinar in the fall of 2021. Through my professional and other volunteer engagements, I believe I regularly embody the values and objectives set by Digital Health Canada.
What other board appointments or relevant leadership experiences have you had in the past five years?
From 2017 to 2019 I was volunteering on the Aga Khan Health Board for Canada, developing strategic programming and services to enable and promote healthy lifestyles, and outcomes for the Ismaili community in Canada. I was able to bring a technology dimension to the strategic development. From 2020 to the present, I am volunteering my time to develop a home and community care program with the Aga Khan Health Service in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. The program aims to establish a continuum of care for post-surgical as well chronic patients. This project has enabled me to share best practices and knowledge as well as to collaborate with health care providers, administrators, and digital health technologists globally, and allowed me to share best practices from the Canadian context.
Please tell us why you feel Digital Health Canada members should vote for you.
I am a strategic leader respected and well-regarded by my peers. I have been consulted by boards and organizations of all sizes in the public and non-profit sectors in the areas of strategic planning, operations management, reporting & analytics, project management, lean quality improvement, and management audits. I am a collegial teammate and very easy to work with. I believe that I honor and respect a pluralistic perspective of ideas and that I serve with integrity and humility.
Do you currently hold the Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems – Canada (CPHIMS-CA) credential?
Committed to achieving my CPHIMS-CA
What is your educational background? Please list all degrees and designations.
Honours Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics and Biology from the University of Waterloo. BSc (hons). Honours Masters of Health Sciences in Health Administration from the University of Toronto, Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (MHSc) Project Management Professional (PMP) Certified Health Executive (CHE)
