Non-profit healthcare organizations play a vital role in supporting communities by providing accessible and affordable medical services to those in need. These organizations are driven by a mission to improve the health and well-being of the underserved and vulnerable populations who might otherwise struggle to access proper healthcare. By leveraging donations, grants, and volunteer support, non-profit healthcare organizations can offer a wide range of medical services, from primary care and preventive measures to specialized treatments and mental health support.
In addition to offering medical care, non-profit healthcare organizations often focus on health education and community outreach. They conduct workshops, seminars, and health fairs to raise awareness about prevalent health issues and promote preventive practices.
Through these initiatives, communities gain essential knowledge about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, managing chronic conditions, and identifying early warning signs of illnesses.
By empowering individuals with information, non-profit healthcare organizations empower communities to take charge of their well-being and make informed decisions regarding their health.
Furthermore, non-profit healthcare organizations frequently collaborate with local governments, businesses, and other community-based organizations to create a seamless support system for those in need. These partnerships strengthen the impact of their efforts and allow for a more holistic approach to addressing healthcare disparities.
By acting as a safety net for the medically underserved, these non-profit organizations make significant contributions to the overall health and resilience of the communities they serve, fostering a more equitable and caring society.
Non-profit healthcare organizations like Atlantic Health System are doing their part by serving communities in northern and central New Jersey, as well as eastern Pennsylvania. Atlantic Health serves more than 6.2 million patients and healthcare consumers through its seven award-winning, internationally and nationally renowned hospitals, 400+ ambulatory sites, and network of 5440+ physicians. Leading these organizations are visionaries and leaders equally philanthropic and passionate. Sunil Dadlani is the Executive Vice President, Chief Information and Digital Transformation Officer at Atlantic Health System where he has a multifaceted role including planning, execution, and management.
The Inspirational Beginnings
Sunil Dadlani is one of those leaders whose passion and experiences navigated them through their careers. The passion stands on the strong foundation of education. Sunil built this foundation with his degrees and training in healthcare business and technology. from prestigious institutions. He has pursued multiple master’s degrees and executive leadership programs from prestigious institutions like Harvard, Wharton, MIT, Cornell, Columbia Business School, and the University of Phoenix.
Sunil also gained practical working experience with these programs. He gathered knowledge in healthcare systems, information technology, data science and analytics, emerging technologies like AI, ML, NLP, VR/AR, Metaverse, Blockchain, digital twins, and their practical application in integrated health systems.
His journey in the healthcare world started with a combination of a genuine passion for making a positive impact on people’s lives. It was also fueled by a lot of personal experiences where he saw people around him facing challenges and the complexities that come with healthcare processes.
“One of the most significant inspirations for my career choice was witnessing healthcare professionals dedicating their lives to caring for others; their compassion, resiliency, and commitment to making a difference resonated deeply with me, fueling my determination to contribute in my capacity.”
As Sunil explored the healthcare field further, he realized the transformative power of technology to revolutionize patient care, experience, and engagement and drive operational efficiencies. This realization solidified his determination to become a healthcare Chief Information and Digital Transformation Officer (CIDTO) to lead technological initiatives and strategic planning, helping healthcare organizations adapt to the ever-changing digital landscape.
Making The Difference (by being the difference)
Founded in 1996, Atlantic Health System is one of New Jersey’s major non-profit healthcare networks is Atlantic Health System. They have more than 5,440 affiliated doctors in 12 counties. The system provides treatment at more than 400 locations, including seven hospitals: Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ, Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ, Newton Medical Center in Newton, NJ, Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains, NJ, Hackettstown Medical Center in Hackettstown, NJ, Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, NJ, Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute in Madison, NJ and through its partnership with CentraState Healthcare System in Freehold, NJ.
13 years in a row, they have made it to Fortune Magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For List. Additionally, Morristown Medical Center, which is part of Atlantic Health System, has been named the greatest hospital in New Jersey by Newsweek and US News & World Report.
One of the key differentiating factors of Atlantic Health System is its commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered care. They focus on delivering comprehensive healthcare services across a wide range of specialties and medical disciplines.
Taking The Responsible Roles
Sunil Dadlani handles his position as the Chief Information and Digital Transformation Officer with great dedication and hard work. He describes it as a multifaceted role, encompassing strategic planning, technology management, compliance, budgeting, stakeholder engagement, innovation, and digital transformation. The healthcare industry also requires leadership to drive the effective use of technology and information systems. He works to deliver high-quality healthcare services to the community members Atlantic Health System serves while achieving operational efficiencies.
While leading the way with his leadership style, Sunil has faced several challenges along the way. Sunil came across several of these, and brainstormed ideas to tackle them.
1. Workforce Shortage- Utilizing technology for hyper-automation and process optimization. Sunil established a hybrid workforce model.
2. Data Privacy and Security Atlantic Health System has built strong partnerships with public & private sector entities, including federal & state agencies to optimize data security.
3. Career Development and Work-Life Balance Sunil implemented career development paths for his team members fostering their growth and improving work-life balance
4. Application and Technology Rationalization To reduce technology debt and modernize Atlantic Health System’s tech footprint, they expedited the rationalization of applications and technology.
“Overall, my approach to most challenges that present themselves involve leveraging technology, investing in workforce development, and adopting innovations to address pain points and improve healthcare operations efficiently and securely.”
Strategies And Approaches
Atlantic Health System prioritizes cultivating robust relationships with clients, partners, and stakeholders. This is achieved through effective communication, building trust, and fostering collaboration. By delivering value, prioritizing customer service excellence, and actively engaging in strategic initiatives, Atlantic Health System is able to consistently implement a collaboration-focused mindset to achieve shared goals, benefiting the organization and the communities they serve. Regular feedback and evaluation, coupled with the use of relationship management tools, has helped Sunil address concerns proactively and ensure long-term success in these partnerships.
As a leader, Sunil focuses on creating a positive and empowering work environment where innovation is embraced, leadership skills are developed, and strategic goals are achieved for the organization and its patients. Over the years, Sunil’s career trajectory shifted from being solely focused on technology to integrating business processes and technologies.
Several strategies lead to Atlantic Health System achieving the milestones they aimed and planned for. Supervised by Sunil Dadlani, these strategies range through various areas, goals, and resources.
1. Implementing Epic at CentraState Medical Center.
This implementation is recognized as one of the most successful ones of its kind worldwide.
2. Successfully implementing the Epic Cloud Hosted Read Only Environment, making Atlantic Health System among the first five organizations globally to implement this vital downtime resource.
3. Rolled out nationally recognized AI/ML-enabled initiatives including AI-enabled image read, Cancer Risk Assessment Software, AI enabled Decision Support System, and Digital Twins Technology.
Opportunities in The Healthcare Industry
Some of the biggest opportunities in the healthcare industry in the coming years would be:
• Digital Therapeutics: Digital therapeutics will gain traction as effective interventions for managing chronic conditions.
• AI and Machine Learning: The integration of AI and machine learning in healthcare will revolutionize diagnostics, treatment plans, and administrative processes, leading to more personalized and efficient care.
• Remote Healthcare Services: The expansion of remote healthcare services will offer more options for patients to access specialized care and consultations from the comfort of their homes.
• Data Analytics and Predictive Insights: Healthcare organizations will leverage data analytics and predictive insights to improve patient care, optimize workflows, and enhance decision-making.
• Personalized Health and Wellness: The focus on personalized health and wellness will grow, with increased emphasis on preventive care, lifestyle management, and addressing social determinants of health.
As a leader in the healthcare industry, Sunil Dadlani prioritizes open and transparent communication with stakeholders, actively seeking their feedback to foster a collaborative environment. Additionally, he remains adaptable and open to adjusting his approach based on new information, feedback, or changes in circumstances.
Future Initiatives and Implementations
Atlantic Health System is developing a Digital Experience Platform (DXP) that is comprised of an integrated and cohesive suite of tools that enable the composition, management, delivery, and optimization of digital experiences across a multichannel patient/consumer experience.
The DXP allows the organization to orchestrate a frictionless journey across all digital channels using a digital “orchestration layer” between Atlantic Health technologies utilizing various integration methodologies (APIs, FHIR, HL7, Context-Aware Linking, etc.) to seamlessly handoff from one experience to another.
Words of Inspiration
Sunil Dadlani, a leader, and visionary in the healthcare industry, has gained loads of experience and knowledge along the way. He has his own mantras and pieces of advice to follow.
Be comfortable with being uncomfortable, as a new normal is created every day.
Disrupt yourself before someone else in the industry disrupts you.
