Mandira Singh has more than 10 years of experience in leading healthcare technology companies, and in her role today, she oversees the Acute and Payer business for post-acute technology leader PointClickCare. While Singh is known for her expertise in health systems and health plans, this Hot Seat interview sheds light not only on her skilled nursing industry views, but also her career inspiration, personal mantra, people management principles, and more.
Are you a morning person or night owl?
I have always been a morning person. By the end of the day, my ability to be creative is zapped, so I try to create time in the mornings for anything that requires “doing” vs. decision making and conversations that can happen in the afternoon. I also really admire people who don’t need sleep – I am not among them! I am absolutely useless without 6-8 hours of sleep!
What is your personal mantra?
The locus of control lies within the self – it’s a mantra my mom passed down to me and my sister.
Essentially, change, accountability, results (good or bad) – it all sits within you. That said, it’s a reminder to control what you can, and ensure you build trust around you and ask for help on what you cannot.
What would you say your superpower is, and why?
My superpower is saying the important things out loud and being willing to take personal risk to do that. Asking the harder questions or advocating in a sensitive moment – bringing the important conversations to the table and being unapologetically vocal and direct – it’s an instinct but paired with psychological safety can drive great results. I also try not to take myself too seriously – there is always room for humor in any conversation.
It’s 7 am on a Saturday. Where are you right now?
Making pancakes with my kids! Saturday morning routines are pretty set in our household – pancakes, coffee and then a walk to our local farmers market. It’s something I look forward to every week.
What inspires you?
I am consistently inspired by people that are thriving – doing the things they are uniquely gifted in doing. Olympic athletes, master chefs, or gifted presenters in a corporate setting – it’s an amazing thing to see someone perform at their best. If you ask my team, they will tell you that the nerd in me also finds a solid, detailed Gantt chart immensely inspiring.
If you could change one thing about the skilled nursing payment landscape, what would it be?
I would change the payment landscape by grounding providers in data and accelerating the move towards value-based care, helping to provide incentives for care delivery providers to invest in system improvements that reduce health disparities. Every part of the care continuum factors into a patient’s outcomes, so maximizing care collaboration across facilities allows providers to maximize clinical outcomes and ultimately, their reimbursement.
What is your most important people management principle?
As a leader, I see my role as a person who can hopefully unpack a problem and make decisions.
Understanding where there are risks and benefits to drive direction and then really unblock my team members so that they have the autonomy to learn and grow is crucial. If you don’t prioritize at the very top, there is no way that teams you lead can execute. A good leader creates structure and the culture to empower folks to have that conversation, to force a point of view on prioritization at every stage.
Who is your greatest career inspiration?
After moving to the U.S. from India to study opera in college, then working in investment banking to start my career, I eventually found my passion for healthcare technology. I was drawn to the industry because leaders were solving giant problems and having a meaningful impact on patients. I gravitated towards scientists and life sciences CEOs who were really focused on that impact and against all odds. Health tech ended up being the ideal field after I realized that I could never out- think the scientists… but I still find them very inspiring.
What would you say to someone who said working in health care is boring?
Spend an hour at any point of care and you will rethink that response. We impact every single human. How can that be boring? Healthcare isn’t a choice – at some point every one of us makes the quick transition from a person to a patient. It is such a privilege to be able to make that transition easier, and to help ensure that in that vulnerable moment, the system is equipped to help drive the best possible outcome.
What does the nursing home of the future look like to you?
For too long, patients have been in treated in silos even though they are truly on a journey across an entire continuum of care across multiple settings. We have slowly been moving from volume to value-based care, but payers and consumers are demanding less expensive care with better outcomes. Those healthcare providers that can deliver both will emerge as the winners and those who can’t, probably won’t survive.