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For The Record with Lisa Lavin, Founder & CEO, Ōmcare
Lisa Lavin is founder and CEO of Ōmcare, a subsidiary of Anser Innovation. Ōmcare is a digital health company pioneering products that enable remote care. Ōmcare extends the reach of caregivers and redefines medication adherence.
Lisa has over 25 years of experience building new business from the ground up within the healthcare and high-tech sectors. Lisa is active in local and national organizations that support entrepreneurialism and women in business. Lisa is a Minnesota Cup Division winner, Eureka Award winner for Innovation, was recognized by Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal as one of 25 Woman to Watch, Minnesota Business’ Real Power 50 and The New York Observer’s 2020 List of the Hottest “Flyover Tech” Companies in Digital Health.
Give us the Omcare elevator pitch.
Ōmcare is a digital health company pioneering products that enable remote care in the home. Ōmcare extends the reach of caregivers and enables visual confirmation of real medication adherence, resulting in lower healthcare costs and healthier populations. Ōmcare is changing the way the world cares.
What have been the company’s most exciting milestones thus far?
- Ōmcare has formalized an agreement with Ecumen and Thrifty White Pharmacy for the pilot of the Ōmcare Home Health Hub. Ōmcare is expanding partnerships with other pharmacies, providers, payers, and channel partners for national launch later this year.
- Ōmcare’s third patent was published July 9, 2019. Other patents are pending.
- US 9,202,011, US 10,078,732 and US 10,347,377
- Ōmcare has attracted top talent with over 150 years of combined experience in healthcare and innovation. The company and its leadership has been recognized as Minnesota Cup Division winner, Eureka Award winner for Innovation, Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal 25 Woman to Watch and Minnesota Business’ Real Power 50 and was named among the “20 Hottest Flyover Tech Companies” by The New York Observer, based on insights from a panel of healthcare and business experts at the 38th Annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference.
Board of Directors:
- Lisa Lavin, Founder, Chairman and CEO
- Jeannine Rivet, Fmr CEO UnitedHealthCare, Optum
- Jodi Hubler, CEO Lemhi Ventures, President Bind On-Demand
- Amanda Brinkman, Chief Brand & Communication Officer Deluxe
- Mark Gingrich, CIO Surescripts
- Dr. David McLean, CEO Emerging Therapy Solutions, Inc.
- Kevin Nieuwsma, CEO GPSip
- Braden Kroll, President Krollstar LLP
What are the big milestones to come in the next few years for Omcare?
With the cost of healthcare rising out of control and the high growth of aging, mental health, and complex populations, it is clear that we need to look at more affordable ways to provide care. We need to bring care into the home – remotely. The future of care in the home requires a coordinated, secure, engaging interface that supports people with daily functions like taking their medications, as well as interacting with their clinicians remotely as needed to optimize health and independence for as long as possible.
Ōmcare uniquely enables one-touch human connection, remote care and remote visual confirmation of right pill, right time, right person. The economic (cost / lifesaving) benefits of the Ōmcare Home Health Hub is linked directly to improved medication adherence in the aging, mental health, and complex condition populations. For the first time, we will be able to deliver the right pill, at the right time, to the right person – remotely. What is currently costing $150 or more per day will now cost pennies per day, not to mention the cost savings due to the avoidance of hospitalization from adverse drug events.
Ōmcare will be the conduit of care for the home, will redefine medication adherence as right pill, right time, right person and will reduce healthcare costs for high-risk populations.
What does leadership look like to you?
I believe a good leader leads like a goose.
Back in the beginning of my career, I was given an opportunity to lead a large department and a team of about 30 people. Being a “high achiever,” I was compelled to succeed at whatever cost. Unfortunately, in my attempt to achieve my goals, I left a lot of destruction in my wake. My leadership style was “bullish,” de-energizing and demoralizing to my team. While I thought I was leading, no one was following.
Fortunately, my boss saw what was happening and gave me a book to read entitled, Flight of the Buffalo. Boiled down, this book compares the leadership style of the buffalo compared to a goose. The buffalo-style leader is like the bull in china shop, clearly making her way through any obstacle, but leaving complete destruction in her wake. I was leading like a buffalo.
The goose leader is all about collaboration and shared leadership. When you see geese fly, the formation provides the means for the group to achieve much more together than any individual flying solo. And, the lead goose at the point of the ‘V’ formation is always changing – sharing the burden of leadership. When not in the lead position, each goose is honking and supporting the leader.
From that moment, I vowed that I would lead like a goose.
What is the best advice you have received in your career? What is the worst?
Best advice
- My humility and willingness to learn makes all things possible
- The next thing is the best thing
- When clarity is sought, keep stumbling toward the light
Worst advice
- You can’t do it. Don’t even try
What have been the most rewarding moments in your career?
Seeing something you’ve developed make a difference in a person’s life. It’s happening every day!
What is one personal goal for the upcoming year?
Launch Ōmcare and watch it soar.
How do you relax / decompress?
My favorite place is in the woods. Meditational walks in nature feeds my soul. This time of year, you will often find me “shed hunting” – following deer trails through the woods searching for antlers that have been “shed” by male deer in early spring.
What do you enjoy most about the Medical Alley community?
Minnesota is the Medical Silicon Valley of the North and the Medical Alley Community is the “who’s who” of healthcare. Medical Alley is my go-to resource for all things medical. Thank you, Medical Alley!
Welcome to Medical Alley Association’s For The Record interview series! Join us as we sit down with innovators in the delivery, payment, technology, and policy industries, giving us – and in turn, you – access to diverse perspectives on how healthcare is changing and what lies ahead.
Medical Alley is the global epicenter of health innovation and care; For The Record, is meant to share insights and spark discussion. If you have a perspective on the future of healthcare, feel free to share it by reaching out to Jamie Oyen, Marketing Manager at joyen@medicalalley.org
