Education Is The Foundation To Make Meaningful Changes
Improving healthcare from the ground up at a local level starts with someone who has an inherent understanding of patient care as well as the educational foundation to make some meaningful changes. As a recently graduated Ph.D candidate, a nurse for more than a decade, and a pioneering implementor of informatics in some of California's best hospitals, Rayne Soriano is that man. By analyzing large amounts of patient data and looking for trends, for example, in how many incidents of patients falling to how many "hospital acquired infections" have occurred, Soriano is able to help caregivers identify any trouble spots and put in the corresponding corrective actions.
What is your job?
"As a registered nurse working in information technology, my job is to help clinicians and caregivers in our medical centers implement, adopt, and optimize electronic health records and health information technology solutions."
What do you most enjoy about your job?
"I enjoy working with our patients and caregivers in facilitating the use of informatics and technology to provide better patient engagement and care. I also love working on cutting-edge and innovative solutions to challenges we've experienced in healthcare for many years."
What was your education?
"[I] went to the University of San Francisco to get my BS in nursing. After working in the emergency department for a few years, I went back to school to get my MS in nursing education at CSUS in order to help build a foundation for my career as an educator. As I was teaching a class in 2006, I was then tapped to lead the implementation of the first electronic health record at a Kaiser Hospital, which ignited my career in nursing informatics. I just graduated from UC Davis with my Ph.D in nursing science and healthcare leadership, and hope to pursue further research in health information technology and informatics."
Has your education helped you?
"Definitely! My education prepared me to work across disciplines to examine systems and system changes that need to happen in order to transform the way we care for people, especially during times of change and innovation. I feel like I've built skills to manage major projects, collaborate with many disciplines to solve problems, and lead change in our healthcare system."
Any advice for someone seeking a similar career path?
"Build a strong knowledge and foundation in caring for patients and be aware of the benefits and challenges of technology. Learn about the power of information and analytics and how we can use these systems to improve the contexts in which we deliver healthcare."
Paulo Acoba is a California native raised in the Bay Area and living in the Central Valley. He enjoys distance running, cycling and grassroots motorsports. He holds a degree in management from the University of California Merced. Paulo has been writing for Examiner.com since 2012 and covering the Fresno area.
