From Clinical Audits to Health Tech Solutions: Discovering My True Purpose

Throughout my journey, a core theme has been discovering and staying true to a sense of purpose and refusing to be confined by traditional paths or the status quo. During medical school, I recall getting immense satisfaction from conducting clinical audits. Unlike my peers who typically audited 100 cases, I took on 1,000 cases, and was lucky enough to present my findings at national conferences. These experiences ignited a passion for understanding how things work behind the scenes and I used audits as opportunities to delve deeper into core issues and present innovative solutions.

A Tangible Success: Improving Patient Admission Rate Errors

One memorable achievement was while working for the PNI department at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital. When I started, I was shocked to learn that everyone had gotten used to starting operating 1-2 hours later than scheduled on most days because of legacy technology. After a few weeks of going along with it, I decided to use my first quarterly clinical audit as an opportunity to figure out what was actually going on. By auditing problem cases, I identified that implementing a simple button on the Electronic Health Records (EHR) system to schedule blood tests pre-operatively for specific patient groups could eliminate the majority of these delays. This change led to a 68% reduction in patient admission errors and ensured that surgical days started on time. This success was a testament to the power of data-driven solutions and highlighted the significant impact that meticulous audits could have on patient care.

The Frustration of Inaction: A Call for Change

However, successes like this were few and far between. More often than not, I was disheartened by the lack of action following departmental audits. I found it incredibly challenging to work in environments where change seemed impossible, and staff were left to repeatedly complain about the same unresolved issues. At the same time, I was witnessing numerous tech projects fail despite substantial investments—sometimes running into the hundreds of millions—underscoring a critical realisation: effective and rapid change required someone within the clinical world who understood both medicine and technology.

Transitioning to Health Tech: Bridging the Gap

This realisation propelled me to change career paths. I knew that to drive meaningful change, I needed a comprehensive understanding of both business and technology. Unlike medicine, where extensive knowledge can be gained from textbooks and shadowing seniors, mastering technology required hands-on, real-world experience. To achieve this, I made the unconventional decision to self-fund my transition into health tech, investing $600k of my earnings as a locum doctor. This extensive "underground" pursuit of knowledge, skills, and experiences was a deliberate choice to ensure I could one day manage and lead the entire process of integrating technology into healthcare effectively.

Overcoming Personal Struggles: Building Resilience

My journey was not without its struggles. Transitioning from being a straight-A student who was accustomed to commanding respect on the wards to navigating the uncertainties of the business world was immensely challenging. I faced a near constant barrage of failures and had to earn people's trust and respect from scratch. Impostor syndrome loomed large, making me question everything I was doing. At the same time, the personal sacrifices I had to make to the lifestyle that I had grown accustomed to can also not be understated. These experiences were humbling and painful, but they built my resilience and determination.

Adding to these challenges, the passing of my brother last year was a profound moment of reflection for me. Over the years, his unwavering support and belief in me became a source of inspiration, reinforcing my commitment to advancing health technology. This personal loss underscored the importance of taking the time to chronicle my experiences and start publishing my body of work to help others avoid the mistakes I made along the way.

Core Values: The Pillars of Success in Health Tech

Throughout my journey, I learned that anyone can achieve their dreams with four core attributes: Focus, Discipline, Integrity, and Gratitude. These values have been my compass, guiding me through the highs and lows of my career transition. While the path I chose was extreme, my unwavering vision and adaptability ensured that I stayed on course, no matter how long it took to reach my destination. These core values are now the foundation of my approach in health technology, driving me to create solutions that are both effective and impactful.

Honoring My Brother’s Legacy: Inspiration and Motivation

Over the last year I, for the first time, began to truly contemplate the impact of my work and the importance of being more intentional about the next steps I wanted to make. In many ways, my efforts over the last year are a tribute to him—a way to honor his belief in me. This personal loss reinforced my commitment to advancing health technology, ensuring that his legacy lives on through my work.

Chronicling the Journey: From Hardships to DrAdamRead.com

Over the past 12 years, I meticulously documented my journey through journal entries, spreadsheets, pitch decks, product designs, and team meeting notes that I have on a battered old hard drive. This extensive record-keeping was invaluable, especially during the recent eight-week process of mapping out, designing, and building DrAdamRead.com. This website is not just a glorified portfolio; it’s the culmination of 12 years of hard work, failure, learning, and growth. I found the process that has gone into creating DrAdamRead.com has helped me identify my strengths, acknowledge my weaknesses, and effectively chart the next steps in my career.

A Message to Aspiring Change-Makers: Never Stop Believing in Yourself

To anyone contemplating a career change but unsure of where to start, I dedicate this journey to you. Follow your dreams with unwavering determination and hold steadfast to the four core values: Focus, Discipline, Integrity, and Gratitude. Yes, your path will be fraught with challenges that will test the limits of your resolve, but with faith, resilience and an open mind, you can achieve anything you set your heart on. I hope my story inspires you to take that leap of faith and believe in yourself.

Introducing My Body of Work: Bridging Medicine & Technology for Better Outcomes

This week, I am thrilled to introduce DrAdamRead.com—a testament to my dedication to advancing health technology and evidence-based medicine. This platform embodies my commitment to making meaningful contributions to the healthcare industry by leveraging technology to improve outcomes and streamline clinical practices. Whether you’re a fellow healthcare professional, a researcher, or someone passionate about health tech, I invite you to join me on this exciting journey. Together, we can transform the future of healthcare.

Thank you for reading. Here’s to embracing change, overcoming challenges, and building a healthier tomorrow.

Warm regards,

Dr. Adam Read