I am a diversified health care professional with over twenty-three years of health care, public policy and government/stakeholder relations experience across the private, public and not-for- profit sectors including several leadership and governance roles throughout my career. I have a passion for championing value-based innovation and digital health to improve quadruple aim outcomes with multiple stakeholders and through strategic channels. In context of my focus on digital health, for the past six years I have focused on digital health policy and stakeholder engagement during my tenure in the Office of the Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care from 2016-2018. During this time, I worked on implementing the Minister’s vision for digital health and collaborated with the Ministry’s Digital Health Team to implement digital health policy and funding decisions. Following this, my individual consulting firm, Health Innovation Rx, focused on engaging and advancing the role of Ontario-based digital health solutions through policy engagement with the Ontario Government. I lead this initiative in partnership with Global Public Affairs. Over the past approximately three years, I have been working on advancing the role and value of sensor-based glucose monitoring to support quadruple aim outcomes. This has included the role and value glucose monitoring technology to enable remote patient monitoring and virtual diabetes care. Through this ongoing process, I have advocated and advanced knowledge-sharing with the provincial government, government agencies, MPPs, clinicians, patient groups and leading organizations including Digital Health Canada, Medtech Canada and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (e.g., Realizing the full Potential of Virtual Care in Ontario Report, 2020) https://www.linkedin.com/in/saurabh-popat-9528729
How long have you been a member of Digital Health Canada?
2-3 years
Why do you want to join the Digital Health Canada Board of Directors at this point in your career?
I have over twenty-three years of diverse health care ecosystem professional experience across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors including stewardship of digital health strategies and engagement with digital health ecosystem leaders. I believe that my extensive experience, particularly in the medtech industry, would serve the Digital Health Canada Board well, particularly to support and the strategic plan including the advancement and advocacy priority/focus of Digital Health Canada with governments and relevant stakeholders across the country in order to influence the future of health care in a rapidly evolving digital world. In addition, the rapid convergence of digital health, devices and diagnostics/digital therapeutics*, presents opportunities for Digital Health Canada to educate and amplify learnings and use cases in this area to empower and help lead knowledge-sharing and professional development of Digital Health Canada members/community. I am seeking to be an active leader not just a participant leader on the Board. *https://techtrends.cadth.ca/ https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/life-sciences/our-insights/how-the-medtech-industry-can-capture-value-from-digital-health
How does your experience align with the Digital Health Canada strategic plan and mandate?
Based on my extensive government and stakeholder experience, I am excited by the opportunities to support Digital Health Canada’s advancement and advocacy with government stakeholders in order to amplify the evolving role and importance of digital health as a key policy and funding priority. In addition, given my extensive experience in the medtech sector -which has been rapidly innovating to lead and integrate digital health solutions – I can focus on amplifying use cases and learning from this sector to support the knowledge sharing, connecting and educating/empowering members of the Digital Health Canada community.
What unique skills, perspectives and contributions would you bring to the Digital Health Canada Board?
My background, professional experiences and personal values align very well with many of the values of Digital Health Canada including innovation, collaboration, integrity and diversity. To support the key priorities of Digital Health Canada including knowledge-sharing and advancement and advocacy, I believe that it is important to include a leader with diverse and medical technology sector experience such as myself. For example, I have had the opportunity to advance and advocate for various digital health ideas and solutions with government and other stakeholders. I could also serve as an ambassador for Digital Health Canada to attract and grow a diverse membership that could include medtech and other sector leaders which could also contribute to furthering the mandate and priorities of Digital Health Canada.
Do you or have or have you ever had any direct patient care experience (clinical)?
Not direct but I have engaged and worked closely with patients, patient groups and clinicians on strategic advocacy initiatives.
What segments within the Digital Health Canada community do you feel you will best represent? Select all that apply.
- Vendors
- Leaders
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 secured Abbott’s inaugural membership to Digital Health Canada in 2019/2020 – I secured support for two Digital Health Canada conferences in 2019/2020 – I collaborated on the deployment of a Webinar Wednesday session on Virtual Care and Diabetes on September 16, 2020 – As Co-Chair of national digital health committees at Medtech Canada and Diabetes Canada, I have always advocated for the need to engage and support Digital Health Canada through direct engagement, attending conferences, etc.
What other board appointments or relevant leadership experiences have you had in the past five years?
– Co-Chair, National Digital Health Committee, Medtech Canada, Jan 2021 – present – Co-Chair, Digital Diabetes Care Committee, Diabetes Canada, Jan. 2020 – present – Co-Chair, Hospital-to-Community Committee, Medtech Canada, Jan.-Dec. 2020 – Board Member, MEDEC, representing Baxter Corporation Canada, 2014-2015 – Board Member, Canadian American Business Council representing Baxter Corporation Canada, 2013-2016
Please tell us why you feel Digital Health Canada members should vote for you.
1. I will bring a diverse perspective to the Board having served in government and given my extensive medtech leadership experience. This will support Digital Health Canada’s advocacy and advancement focus to drive leadership and shape the future of health care as well support knowledge-sharing across the Digital Health Canada community. 2. I am seeking to be an active leader versus a participant leader and will focus on short-term and longer-term priorities that will help drive the mandate of Digital Health Canada as well as drive growth. 3. I am seeking to broaden my professional development and exited to learn from other Board members and actively contribute to serve the Digital Health Canada community. 4. My personal and professional values are well aligned with the values of Digital Health Canada, particularly in context of innovation, collaboration, diversity, integrity and being a servant leader.
Do you currently hold the Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems – Canada (CPHIMS-CA) credential?
No
What is your educational background? Please list all degrees and designations.
– Certified Health Executive (CHE), Canadian College Health Leaders (2015) – Master of Health Administration, Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa in the MHA (1998) – Bachelor of Science, Dalhousie University (1995)
