Meet Lara Fowler, the Vice President of Customer Engineering at Zyter|TruCare. She’s a passionate healthcare advocate, a licensed care provider, and a human-centered problem solver.
As Zyter|TruCare’s Vice President of Customer Engineering, Lara Fowler represents more than just her title. Her mission to better the health and well-being of human lives manifests in every decision she makes. This passion isn’t confined to her storied corporate career but also revolutionizing how healthcare innovates.
From Operating Rooms to Digital Health
A pivotal interaction with the healthcare system set Lara in a direction she hadn’t initially considered. Originally toying with the idea of social work, she eventually gravitated towards more clinical roles.
After completing her BA in Psychology with a minor in Biology from Samford University in 1998, Lara delved into the medical realm, taking on the role of a perfusion assistant. She participated in open heart surgeries in the operating room, playing an integral part of the OR team ensuring the patient’s well-being during these critical procedures. This hands-on experience ignited her passion, propelling her toward nursing school.
The operating room began to feel like home. Lara developed a strong bond with her surroundings, colleagues, and especially the diverse patients she cared for. This deepening connection to healthcare inspired her to expand her expertise, culminating in a BS in Nursing in 2002.
For several years, Lara dedicated herself to a maternal special care unit. Here, she navigated the multifaceted world of maternal care, from pre-delivery to recovery. During this tenure, Lara’s insights into the confluence of technology, societal factors, and emerging healthcare trends began to take shape.
As she advanced in her profession, Lara exhibited leadership by introducing training initiatives for her colleagues. The High-Risk OB Boot Camp was a standout, positioning her as a thought leader and educator.
By 2011, she embraced a pivotal role as a Nurse Manager in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Emergency Department. This multifaceted position highlighted the broader potential that awaited her beyond direct clinical care.
In 2013, a new venture beckoned. Lara explained her motivation: “I firmly believe that technology and digital tools should make all healthcare experiences better for both patients and providers. When I couldn’t find readily available solutions that achieved this vision, I decided to use my background and knowledge to help. Hence, my move to the world of digital health. Using my strengths to help build something better was worth it.” Joining Healthways, now rebranded as Sharecare, as the Director of Center Operations, Lara began to merge her hands-on clinical experience with the possibilities of digital health.
A year later, she transitioned to Ascension. In this dynamic environment, she helmed diverse projects, from spearheading Care Coordination in various healthcare settings to initiating an SMS-based health management program for diabetes patients.
In 2019, Lara joined Salesforce, focusing initially on HLS Commercial Industry Strategy. Lara’s prowess was soon recognized, earning her a promotion where she strategized across a broader spectrum of health sectors.
By 2023, a fresh chapter began with Zyter|TruCare, signaling yet another milestone in Lara’s dedicated journey through healthcare.
Falling in Love with the Problem
Practical problem-solving is essential in leadership, though methods to tackle challenges differ significantly. Lara proposes a unique approach, endearingly phrased as “fall in love with the problem, become enamored with the issue.”
“We’re conditioned to think, ‘Oh, that’s a problem. I’m going to solve it.’ Yet, pausing and deeply connecting with the problem yields greater results,” she suggests. “Instead of hastily seeking a resolution, immerse yourself in the challenge. Understand its nuances. Dine with it. I find immense pleasure in this approach.”
This technique emerged from her extensive experience in addressing the diverse needs of her nursing team and the patients under their care.
Throughout her journey, Lara gleaned insights from her female mentors and fellow nurses, recognizing specific attributes pivotal for women to excel in leadership roles. She recalls, “One of the skills that I had to cultivate, especially in large healthcare organizations dominated by male voices, was to present genuinely and confidently.”
Lara’s evolution into an effective leader was underpinned by self-actualization — a term Forbes defines as complete confidence in one’s abilities and potential. This awareness deepened her commitment to tackle systemic issues in patient care. “It became clear that I was adept at problem-solving,” she notes. “Given my dedication and understanding of the issues, I recognized the value of my insights. It was imperative to voice them.”
While Lara’s confidence is palpable in her speech and demeanor, its true essence becomes apparent when considering her motivation. She passionately emphasizes, “The ultimate goal is enhancing people’s health. I’ve always believed healthcare is inherently human. At its core, it’s about one individual offering assistance to another. Whether you’re a phlebotomist, a dietitian, or a cardiovascular surgeon, the crux lies in human connections and conversations. This fundamental belief in human-centric care propels me forward every day.”
Showing Up with Kindness
Lara’s insights about the healthcare industry extend beyond textbooks and medical procedures. The guidance that resonates with her daily is profoundly simple. “My mom always told me to show up with kindness first,” she reflects. “Even if you’re nervous and scared, you’ll figure it out.”
Lara embodies this advice through her words, posture, and demeanor. Walking into a room with kindness in her eyes, her shoulders squared, and a genuine smile radiating confidence, she influences not only her mindset but also the perception of her patients.
A cherished memory Lara often reflects upon is the counsel from one of her most influential medical-surgical nurse instructors. This mentor would tell her students, “Walk in the room like you know exactly what you’re doing, even if you’ve never done it before.” This wasn’t mere bravado. Her instructor had experienced firsthand how a person’s entrance could forge or fracture trust with a client, a colleague, or a patient. “My teacher deeply felt that entering confidently puts the patient at ease, paving the way for a smoother interaction.”
This philosophy extends to how Lara navigates workplace dynamics. “I firmly believe that most people approach situations with the best of intentions, genuinely striving to excel. With this in mind, I, too, come forward with pure intentions. We may falter or find areas needing refinement, but with mutual understanding, I believe we’re all in this together, striving to improve, and we’ll navigate our way through.”
The Power of Active Listening Harmonizes Success
Her inclination to actively listen, to genuinely engage with others, and to collaboratively propel objectives forward is not merely a personal strength. Empirical data support it. Research from 2010 involving 700 participants in group tasks revealed that teams with a higher proportion of women displayed enhanced collaboration. Additionally, when given the reins of leadership, women often exhibit transformational leadership qualities, profoundly impacting their teams and organizations.
Lara firmly professes, “I strongly believe that when a team is trying to solve something or move work forward or improve the state of something, you’re going to get further if you come together as a team and hear different perspectives.”
A Breath of Fresh Air at Zyter|TruCare
When Lara joined Zyter|TruCare, she sensed a unique energy. “There’s a spirit of celebration about what we’re doing and how we’re moving the industry forward. I think that supports all of the people here. Women here are allowed to speak up, think differently, and be true to themselves. It feels like there is a very even field.”
She credits the leadership for cultivating this inclusive environment. “The leadership has done an outstanding job bringing in strong voices from diverse backgrounds, and that’s important to me,” she highlights. Drawing parallels to her nursing days where every patient required tailored care, she observes, “There’s no one size fits all approach in healthcare, every situation is different, and the same applies to this team, there isn’t a single-minded way of working, everyone is so different.”
Innovation’s Ripple Effect Touches and Improves Multiple Lives
Embarking on her nursing journey, Lara was acutely aware of the tangible difference she’d make. “I know that people are walking around today having a happy, healthy life because of some action that I took, something that my hands did. Whether it was a medication I delivered or chest compressions that I did.”
Yet, she hadn’t fully anticipated the magnitude of her broader influence. Transitioning to a role where she harnesses technology and leads teams with the potential to touch millions is both humbling and awe-inspiring for her.
“I’m proud of both of those stages. I’m super proud of the work I did in a one-on-one setting, but the work I do now trickles down to nurses trying to do what I was trying to do years ago. And hopefully, the technology made it easier for them, and they did it more effectively. The fact that I’ve been able to grow my career to have this level of scope, scale, and impact can overwhelm me a bit. I never thought I would be able to impact so many lives.”
Allowing Passions to Pave Your Path
Navigating the challenges of a demanding career, especially in healthcare, requires more than technical prowess; it demands alignment with personal passion and core values. Reflecting on her encounters with budding professionals, Lara shares an indispensable piece of advice. “Whenever I talk to people who are earlier in their career, often nurses struggle in the hospital setting with burnout, we always talk about what they are passionate about. Some say they are passionate about helping young nurses in their careers, and they decide to go back and become an educator. Or maybe it’s the financial side of things, so they pursue a degree in business. The bottom line is to align it with your career’s core values. Ask yourself what your motivation is. What are you trying to achieve in this world? All of this is important.”
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