Name and how long you have been in the industry
I’m Pamela Arora, CEO of AAMI. For decades, I’ve been involved in various aspects of the healthcare technology industry, from manufacturing to technical applications in care delivery across clinical settings like hospitals and clinics.
How did you get into the industry? Anything that drew you in?
My journey into the healthcare technology industry began as a programmer at Wayne State University, where I quickly realized how technology could transform lives. Over the years, I’ve taken on leadership roles at organizations such as EDS, Perot Systems, UMass Memorial Health, and Children’s Health in Dallas. I focused on leveraging technology to enhance patient care and operational efficiency in these roles.
Now, as President & CEO of AAMI, I am dedicated to advancing medical technology and collaborating with key stakeholders to improve healthcare outcomes. As a Standards Development Organization, AAMI plays a critical role in facilitating the creation, adoption, and application of standards across the healthcare ecosystem, driving innovation that enhances safety and efficiency in care delivery.
While I’ve always been passionate about making a difference, the importance of healthcare became intensely personal when my mother did not receive the care she needed during an acute healthcare episode and when I underwent life-saving cancer care myself. These experiences underscored standards’ crucial role in ensuring safe, effective, and innovative care. We all want a high-quality Healthcare experience for family, friends, and ourselves. This fuels my dedication to our important work at AAMI.
What milestones or contributing factors helped elevate you to where you are today?
When I was young, my mother said everything I learned was valuable. This is especially true for advancing in your career. When we think about learning, we usually consider formal education, such as certifications, school, and college degrees. I’ve learned a lot from formal education and classroom learning over the years. But a big part of learning comes from taking on challenges. Working with high-performing teams helps you improve your skills even more. This aspect of learning never gets old for me; it’s like winning an Olympic gold medal. Finding a challenge that excites you and the right team to take it on – whether it’s an organization, association, charity, or sports team – will lead to success over time.
What roadblocks did you have to overcome?
Roadblocks are a matter of perspective. Early in my career, I worked at two Perot Companies, EDS and Perot Systems. Ross Perot Senior would say, ‘Life is never more fun than when you’re the underdog competing against the giants.’ I appreciated this quote, which has the visual of David versus Goliath. If others are running from a problem, it’s a relevant issue with pain, and solving it can be career-making. The messiest issues provide the most learning and the ability to excel.
Over the years, I have had many examples of challenging problems and transitions. The most complex and gratifying have been working with a team of sharp talent. Joining AAMI has had it all. One, it has global challenges and goals as a Standards Development Organization (SDO) that strives for global harmonization, best practice delivery in events, and training within one of the most complex Industries: healthcare. Internally, AAMI has a high-performing team and brilliant stakeholders who wish to elevate Healthcare Delivery globally.
What do you feel makes a great leader in this industry?
Great leaders have a perspective of not expecting a perfect world and take ownership of building a better one. I have seen this repeatedly with the AAMI Workgroups and Committees, who tirelessly work toward better approaches.
Great leaders are resilient and handle changes well. Transitions are like new chapters in an interesting book, and your attitude dramatically affects whether they become opportunities for you and your organization. Even during the challenges of COVID-19, the entire healthcare sector adapted. Many people received life-saving treatment during the global crisis, including myself. This treatment required our colleagues in Health Technology Management to be on the front lines, ensuring the necessary medical equipment was available. I am very thankful for the strength of the healthcare industry. Having worked in healthcare for decades, I see the resilience and expect significant changes, including advancements in applied technologies such as AI.
What advice do you have for the other women in HTM?
There is a song by Natasha Bedingfield called “Unwritten.” The song’s message is that you shouldn’t let others define you. You should define yourself and believe in yourself. Write your own story. If you can dream it, you can achieve it. Life is your gift.