“Taking risks and embracing growth is key”

Since its establishment in 1988, STChealth—Draft Material has been involved in public health IT design, development, and support for 35 years. They have played a crucial role in various major events, including providing visual displays to the CDC during the 9/11 bioterrorism attack. Having Michael Popovich in the role of CEO, their challenges include bringing health care partners together in the world of vaccines and immunizations, as together they take on pandemics, natural disasters, disease outbreaks, new disease arrivals, and re-emerging diseases. They specialize in the areas in which STC Health partners provide information technology and services to reduce the impact of these events on populations across the US and internationally. Their main goal is to improve the health of every person by providing the necessary vaccinations to protect against diseases like measles, polio, HPV, flu, shingles, RSV, tetanus, pneumonia, and more.

STChealth also built a national immunization network during Hurricane Katrina, allowing healthcare providers across the country to access the immunization records of Louisiana residents. Additionally, they have designed new public health disease reporting and immunization systems for ministries of health in Canada and Hong Kong during the SARS outbreak. They have also been involved in initiatives linking pharmacy and public health for immunizations during the H1N1 bird flu pandemic. During the recent COVID pandemic, their national immunization data exchange processed over 1 billion immunization events in 2021 and 2022, and their state public health immunization registries currently provide over 1 billion patient immunization events online. They have also provided Qatar with vaccination information systems for the World Cup.

The company offers products and services that help state public health departments collect and store immunization records. They also provide technology that allows pharmacies, schools, and electronic health record systems to securely report and access immunization information. Additionally, they have consumer applications that allow individuals to view their immunization history, identify any missing vaccines, and obtain an official immunization certificate.

Local, state, federal, and international ministries of health from Canada to Qatar are among their clients. The majority of independent pharmacies, schools, vaccine makers, private retail pharmacies, and all of the big chain pharmacies.

The business has adapted quickly to keep up with the rapid spread of diseases worldwide. Michael's goal is to be at the forefront and assist their clients using technology and expertise. They aim to evolve their technology solutions and utilize data analytics to anticipate their clients' needs and create new products or services that don't currently exist. They want to lead, and this has worked well over the past three decades. Most recently, their products were COVID-ready before COVID even showed up. Setting goals is easy, but staying focused and knowing when to alter them is hard. Leadership and staff must mentor and support each other to implement these goals. Making these goals measurable and applicable to all corporate levels and jobs is difficult. Leaders can recognize team accomplishments if they are successful, in Michael’s view. This is not as easy as it looks, but a company mission that benefits people makes each job more meaningful.

Michael aims to create a vision that aligns with the company's mission and communicates the "why" effectively. This vision is shared with all staff members and clients, and he also presents ideas on how their current products and services can evolve to meet the needs of the vision. He believes that STChealth's ideas should originate within the company and encourages everyone to adopt this mindset in shaping their initiatives. Moreover, Michael leads by decision and example. He thrives when people use his ideas to improve the organization. His business strategy emphasizes time, surprise, transparency, and trust. Creating a workplace he wants to work in is his leadership philosophy.

The company places a strong emphasis on its working environment, culture, and community involvement. They offer both in-office and remote working options and provide support for employees in both settings. They also prioritize learning through monthly and bi-weekly company talks, where employees can work on their own projects or collaborate as a team. The company utilizes agile engineering and software development methods to ensure efficient product delivery. The committed employees and focus on teamwork contribute to the overall mission of the organization. If you enjoy this type of environment, it is a good fit, but there are also other companies where your skills could be well utilized.

Including new ideas and objects in their business can be frustrating for companies sometimes, and hence, there are constant announcements of innovative products or partnerships that often turn out to be non-existent. However, after being in business for 35 years, they have learned to recognize what will truly become a competitive force. They stay alert and quickly assess the competition, attending industry conferences and examining marketing materials and contracts. They also gather information from their clients and use their position as leaders to stay ahead of competitors. They understand the importance of competition and strive to constantly improve and provide value.

The recent pandemic has revealed deficiencies in the public health system that can be addressed through technology, particularly through the use of data. STChealth, a technology company, is well-positioned to address these gaps and is developing the next generation of integrated public health systems. The value lies in the insights that can be derived from data, as even a single piece of information can make a significant impact on saving lives and improving health. STChealth's experts are focused on analyzing this data and collaborating with their partners to enhance the vaccine-preventable disease ecosystem and benefit individuals and communities worldwide.

For the organization to achieve its zenith, Michael always focuses on the key to growth, which includes engaging professionals, keeping learning every day, taking risks, and having fun to do a better job!