Firasat brings more than 25 years of experience successfully advancing and executing complex infrastructures for businesses in multiple industries. He took time from leading the further development of our AI-powered platform to answer some questions.
Q: While you have extensive IT experience across various industries, this is your first foray into healthcare. What attracted you to the field?
Firasat: I have long been drawn to the healthcare field due to the multitude of opportunities to modernize processes, reduce overhead, and improve patient outcomes through technology. Joining SnapCare was a natural choice, as it is uniquely positioned as a healthcare technology platform. SnapCare’s workforce solution leverages AI-enabled automation and predictive modeling to connect facilities, agencies, and clinicians, addressing staffing needs while gaining efficiencies and reducing costs. This transition has been both exciting and rewarding for me.
Q: Much of your experience has been with customer service companies such as Ticketmaster and Orbitz. What did you learn there that you can carry over into the world of workforce solutions?
Firasat: At Ticketmaster and Orbitz, I learned that user experience, iterative innovation, and speed of delivery are critical to a successful platform. Also, leveraging rapid prototyping and data-driven designs are essential techniques for delivering compelling user experiences. I believe these practices will be integral in transforming healthcare workforce solutions. Moreover, the core aspects of creating scalable platforms are consistent across industries, including high availability, security, infrastructure automation, and enterprise data management. Applying these principles will help drive SnapCare’s platform forward.
Q: Why is it important that a tech-powered company like SnapCare continually improve and refine its technology?
Firasat: Continuous innovation and refinement of technology are crucial for tech-powered companies to stay competitive and adapt to changing market conditions. By regularly updating technology, companies like SnapCare can leverage the latest advancements in AI, data analytics, and automation to provide better results and cost-effective solutions. Also, there is a tremendous potential for companies striving for novel innovation to fundamentally transform an entire industry to out-flank the competition by leaps and bounds.
Q: Workforce staffing is by its nature a people-oriented business. How can technology be used to make that more efficient for clients without losing that emphasis on people?
Firasat: SnapCare takes a ‘more tech, right touch’ approach. The company’s platform provides a smarter and lower-cost way for facilities to manage their workforce needs, control costs, and help facilities deliver quality patient care.
Technology coupled with AI plays a powerful role in delivering an intelligent and interactive engagement for people to feel connected to a platform at their convenience in their channel of choice. Technology will make their interactions easier, convenient, and to the point. Moreover, AI-driven solutions are better at extracting intent to guide them to the best possible result matching their personal and professional needs.
Q: What book are you currently reading?
Firasat: I recently finished reading How Big Things Get Done, by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner (Random House). It is a detailed analysis of why big projects go wrong so often, and their lessons learned and practical steps to prevent it. The authors present invaluable experience collected through decades of work in a down-to-earth and engaging way.
Q: What is your favorite place to travel to?
Firasat: I recently traveled to the south of Spain (Andalusia) — Cordoba, Seville, and Granada. It definitely ranks very high among my favorite places because of the history, architecture, people/culture, and, of course, food. It was amazing to experience a blend of different cultures and religions that has been melded over the past 1000+ years.
Q: Tell us something about yourself.
Firasat: I’m married with five amazing kids (2 daughters, 3 boys) between the ages of 26 and 2. I moved from Chicago to Phoenix in 2019. Living in Arizona for the past 5 years, I have grown fond of road and trail cycling with some hiking. Once in a while, I convince my knees to play through the pain of a full-court basketball game.
Words to live by or favorite motto:
Be kind to fellow travelers, we are all on this journey together.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
To be a successful leader, distinguish between perception and perspective to make better decisions.
Check our press release for more information on Firasat Hussain’s new role as SnapCare’s Chief Technology Officer.
