Like many industries today, healthcare is overflowing with data. As electronic health records (EHRs) have risen to become the industry standard for clinical data, so too has the number of technologies healthcare providers use to deliver care. These systems are live 24 hours a day, constantly creating valuable data to update doctors, nurses and other members of the care team about the status of their patients.
The caveat here is that this information is only valuable if it’s given to people who can act on it in a timely manner, and that’s why PerfectServe—with its portfolio of solutions and Dynamic Intelligent Routing capability—is raising the bar on system interoperability. By integrating with existing healthcare systems and facilitating the efficient and accurate exchange of vital information, PerfectServe is improving the delivery of care for patients and clinicians alike.
As we venture further down the path to true interoperability, PerfectServe is welcoming a new leader with wide-ranging experience in both the healthcare and technology industries. With his strategy, business development and operations acumen, Guillaume Castel, who became CEO of PerfectServe on July 1, will help to accelerate the company’s growth and market leadership. Like any good leader, Guillaume knows how to articulate a vision, and he sat down with us to share a few thoughts about his decision to join the company, what he’s learned about healthcare from previous roles and why PerfectServe is uniquely positioned to improve the healthcare industry.
Oh, and there’s some stuff about basketball and family, too.
Well, for starters, this is an exciting change for you! Can you share why you chose to join the PerfectServe team?
Having been immersed in a health organization—Inova Health System—for the last 18 months, and having served hospitals with the Advisory Board for the four years before that, I’ve seen firsthand where it’s possible to have the greatest impact in the healthcare industry. When I think about the trifecta of enabling communication across care teams, improving patient engagement and reducing costs for hospitals, I get really excited. PerfectServe is situated right at the intersection of those initiatives, so leading the company is the best way for me to impact all three at once.
Why make the switch from a healthcare provider to a healthcare IT company like PerfectServe?
My strategy was to go inside of a hospital to understand how it works, how people make decisions and to get a feel for what the most pressing needs are for healthcare systems. I’m more knowledgeable now after being on the front lines for a while, so to speak, but for my next step, I wanted to be in a position to effect more widespread change in the industry. I believe I can do just that at PerfectServe, and what’s particularly rewarding is that the hard work I put in here will only strengthen our dedication to doctors, nurses and other clinicians, as well as patients and their families. Finding purpose is easy when you’re helping people live better, healthier lives.
You’ve worked extensively in healthcare and technology, having previously been at Inova, the Advisory Board and Cisco. In a way, it seems like PerfectServe is an ideal place to bring all of that expertise to bear in one place. Would you agree?
Yes! If you think about my past two decades, I essentially spent the first 13 or 14 years with technology firms that were trying to deploy solutions to industries. I’ve had the opportunity to see instances where that was being done well and, frankly, other situations where there was room for improvement. Broadly, I’ve learned that verticalizing technology offerings is hard. My experience has given me a very clear sense of what good technology looks like, how tech firms are managed, how decisions are made and how product roadmaps are built. At PerfectServe, I’ll be combining that experience with my time going deep in the provider space, and I think both will be essential as we map out the next five years.
When you’re not entrenched in a hospital or doctor’s office every day, it’s a bit more difficult to imagine why quick, reliable communication is so important for members of the care team and for patients. How did your time at Inova Health System – a PerfectServe customer – influence the way you view our suite of products?
It is critically important in hospitals to get the right message to the right person at the right time. I knew this before I went to Inova, of course, but being immersed in that world every day really solidified the importance of efficient clinical communication. It was critical five years ago, and it’s even more important today because things have gradually become more complicated – there’s more data, more systems working in concert, more expectations from patients. Getting it right is really consequential because we can help health systems improve the way they deliver care and save lives, and we can improve the way patients interact with healthcare systems.
Coming at it from another angle, we’re also a really good vector for cost reduction. When you think of just one of the potential benefits offered by a platform like PerfectServe—decreased length of stay, for instance—and multiply the patient hours saved per bed across an entire organization, the savings add up quickly.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities or areas for growth for PerfectServe moving forward?
Terry and the PerfectServe team have done a fantastic job shaping the company’s vision and assembling a group of products that deliver tremendous value to healthcare organizations. Work has already begun integrating these solutions, and my main order of business is to support the team as they continue working to deliver a seamless user experience and reduce the number of systems these organizations have to manage.
Another major priority for the company is to articulate PerfectServe’s role in the next evolution of healthcare technology. As organizations are nearing the end of their EHR implementation initiatives, their focus must shift toward eliminating inefficiencies and reducing care delays. PerfectServe’s objective is to deliver technology that helps clinicians communicate and act in real time, thereby improving quality, patient experience, operations and the financial health of the organization. We’re very excited about the opportunity to take chaos out of healthcare with a care team collaboration platform that unifies systems and caregivers in their mission to improve health and quality of life.
I believe your wife is a physician, which probably gives you some additional perspective on the challenges doctors face practicing in today’s healthcare environment. What does your family think about your new role?
Yes, my wife is a physician and a professor, so I’m aware of these challenges on multiple levels. This familiarity has certainly contributed to my career trajectory and to my interest in PerfectServe’s mission.
As to your second question, my family, including my teenage son and daughter, are all pretty nonchalant about my career in general. I wouldn’t have it any other way – it keeps me humble!
Shifting gears a bit, you mentioned that you love sports and, in particular, basketball. Are you more of a college guy, or do you prefer the NBA?
I’ve been an NBA fan for the longest time, but once Zion Williamson arrived at Duke last season, I was hooked and watched a lot of their games. What he does is absolutely unreal – he’s an incredible talent.
Do you have a favorite team?
Yes! I’m a diehard Lakers fan. When I moved to the United States from France, I spent six months in Los Angeles and saw my first NBA game there. If you can believe it, Kobe Bryant was just getting started with the organization at the time – it’s been a while! I’m a loyal guy, so I became a Lakers fan after seeing my first NBA game in LA, and I did the same with the NFL after seeing an Eagles game in Philadelphia.
Well, I guess the only thing left is to welcome you to the PerfectServe team!
Thank you! I’m thrilled to be here. Terry and the team have done an incredible job listening to customers and building a solution that has a real impact on quality of care. I’m honored to take the reins and look forward to collaborating with Terry, the executive staff, the board of directors and all of our talented employees as PerfectServe continues to grow.
