Employee Spotlight: Chris Miesse
Born and raised in the heart of Texas is our very own Chris Miesse who is one of our Directors of Business Development for HTM. In celebration of HTM Week, Chris breaks down his journey into HTM and his perspective on the industry. Read on to learn his insights!
What is your role and responsibilities?
My title is Director of Business Development and I’m responsible for driving company growth and expansion through new clients. I am a part of the Growth team or sales, so getting new clients for InterMed in the HTM space is my goal. From a territory perspective, since I’m based in Dallas, TX, I’m mainly focused on the surrounding states, so New Mexico, Oklahoma Arkansas, and Louisiana. But I also leverage my contacts in my network that reach out to the West Coast from Washington to California.
What is your career and educational background that led you to HTM?
My degree is in finance and accounting, so I started my career as a controller in the healthcare industry, an industry I happened to fall into when job hunting. After a few years with my first company, I made the transition to another, still within their finance department. However, as I started to work more with sales, I made the lateral transition into HTM sales and spent nine years in the space. After that position, I stayed in sales, but it moved into more broad medical services until contacts I had at InterMed reached out and I’ve been here, back in HTM Sales, for about six months now.
What do you love about HT and your role in it
HTM plays a vital role in improving patient outcomes and enhancing healthcare delivery, it makes a difference. I love being able to provide hospitals with the latest technologies and solutions that enhance patient care and drive outcomes; ultimately, I love making a difference.
In your words, what is HTM and why is it important in the healthcare industry?
HTM professionals are responsible for overseeing the entire lifecycle of medical technology within a healthcare organization. Thus, it’s important because it plays a critical role in patient safety, quality of care, and regulatory compliance. Not to mention, technology is always changing and we’re the front line of defense when it comes to its upkeep.
What are some common misconceptions about HTM that you’ve encountered?
That HTM isn’t as important as clinical care. Clinical care will always be the primary focus of hospitals, but HTM plays a critical supporting role. Without well-managed and properly functioning medical equipment and technology, healthcare providers can’t deliver safe and high-quality care to patients. HTM is essential for driving positive clinical care delivery. PLUS, it has an impact on patient satisfaction through functioning equipment.
What would you say are some key factors healthcare systems consider when selecting an HTM provider?
The main key factors that come to mind are cultural fit, expertise, range of services offered, quality of service, cost-effectiveness, technological innovation, and reputation. When I say cultural fit, I mean our company personality, as a group of people, meshing and fitting with the client’s personality, as their group of people, just like how two individuals become friends.
How do you see the future of HTM evolving?
Through advancements in medical technology for one. As technology continues to advance, we will need to stay aware of new developments and help integrate these technologies into healthcare facilities. This could include artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, wearable technology, telemedicine solutions, and robotics, among many others. For another, there will be an increased focus on cybersecurity. As healthcare technology becomes more interconnected and digitized, cybersecurity threats pose a huge risk to patient safety and data security. We will need to drive cybersecurity measures like encryption, network segmentation, access controls, and security audits, to safeguard medical devices and hospitals from cyber threats.
