What is a healthcare interface professional?

A healthcare interface professional is an expert who operates across clinical, operational, and technological domains within healthcare organizations. They help bridge gaps between disciplines such as medicine, management, and health informatics. According to HIMSS, their role is becoming increasingly critical to modern healthcare operations.

What is Dr. Mark Schnitzer's professional background?

Dr. Mark Schnitzer holds a B.S. and Master's in Electrical Engineering and attended Texas A&M Medical School before completing a neurosurgery residency at Johns Hopkins. He has served as medical director at two large healthcare organizations and has worked in healthcare systems across Southern California, Hawaii, and Abu Dhabi. He is now a coach and consultant specializing in healthcare quality and informatics.

Why are interface professionals valuable in healthcare?

The healthcare industry faces an overload of information, patient safety challenges, and rapid digital transformation, making professionals who can navigate multiple disciplines especially valuable. Interface professionals help organizations manage these complexities by connecting clinical needs with technology and operational demands. HIMSS research indicates that many healthcare organizations view this capability as a critical operational asset.

The Responsibilities That Interface Professionals Navigate in Healthcare

This episode of 'I Don't Care with Kevin Stevenson' explores the role of interface professionals in healthcare — experts who bridge clinical, operational, and technological domains. Host Kevin Stevenson speaks with Dr. Mark Schnitzer, a neurosurgeon-turned-healthcare executive and consultant, about navigating complex healthcare systems. Their discussion covers Dr. Schnitzer's career journey, cross-cultural healthcare experience, and his approach to informatics and patient safety.

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By Kevin Stevenson · September 22, 2023, 10:48 AM UTCDr. Mark SchnitzerHealthcareI Don't CareInterface Professional

Key takeaways

Interface professionals bridge clinical care, management, and technology, and are increasingly critical to healthcare organizations according to HIMSS.

Dr. Mark Schnitzer's career — from electrical engineering to neurosurgery to healthcare informatics — exemplifies the multidisciplinary nature of interface work.

Experience across diverse healthcare environments (Southern California, Hawaii, Abu Dhabi) informs a broader perspective on quality assurance and patient safety.

The healthcare industry grapples with an overload of information, patient safety concerns, and an increasingly digital landscape. This fact makes professionals who can bridge the gaps between various healthcare disciplines a precious commodity. In fact, according to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), a lot of healthcare organizations and workers believe that it is becoming a critical aspect of their operations. Enter the interface professionals, or experts who straddle the worlds of healthcare, management, and technology.

How do these interface professionals navigate the complex, interconnected systems of healthcare? And what does it take to excel in multiple domains at once?

The latest episode of "I Don't Care with Kevin Stevenson" aimed to answer those pressing questions with distinguished guest, Dr. Mark Schnitzer. Dr. Schnitzer is an embodiment of what an interface professional should be. On the show host Kevin Stevenson explored Dr. Schnitzer's storied career as a neurosurgeon, healthcare executive, and now a coach and consultant in healthcare quality and informatics.

Some other points that Stevenson and Dr. Schnitzer's discussion included:

The transition from electrical engineering to medical school and the subsequent choice of neurosurgery as a specialization.
Dr. Schnitzer's experience in healthcare systems in different cultural settings, notably Southern California, Hawaii, and Abu Dhabi.
His unique approach to healthcare informatics, quality assurance, and patient safety.

About the Guest

Dr. Mark Schnitzer is board-certified in healthcare quality and management. He has an impressive academic background, with a B.S. and Master's in Electrical Engineering, followed by a stint at Texas A&M Med School and a neurosurgery residency at Johns Hopkins. He has served as a medical director of two large healthcare organizations and currently works as a coach and consultant.