What’s your role at Ursa Health and what do you do?
I’m an analytics engineer for Ursa. In this role, I take client data that our integration engineers have mapped into our Ursa Core Data Model and build analytics that make it meaningful and actionable for our clients.
Sometimes, that work can be as “simple” as aligning insights with elements of a specific client’s data model. Other times, it’s much more complex — like developing an entirely new module to identify opportunities within a particular area of clinical practice.
Can you share a little about your background?
I’m a registered nurse with a master’s degree in health administration. My clinical career spanned inpatient nursing, emergency room care, and rural medical clinic settings.
I later transitioned into inpatient case management and utilization review, where I was first introduced to the complexities of the U.S. healthcare payment system. In that role, I discovered a love for data and analytics, which led me to the value-based care (VBC) arm of the health system. There, I supported the analytics needs of two Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) across multiple payor types.
Since then, I’ve held several roles in VBC analytics, including leading teams at a VBC-enablement startup and at a large health system–based ACO. My work has ranged from building foundational data infrastructure to developing actionable dashboards and creating custom solutions such as risk stratification models and provider-level patient attribution.
Why did you decide to work for Ursa Health?
Ursa checked all the boxes on my must-have list: meaningful work in value-based care analytics, a team with deep expertise in the space, and a supportive environment where I can continue to grow and learn.
What do you find to be the best part about working with Ursa Health?
Having worked in VBC analytics across several organizations, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to wrangle healthcare data into something actionable. The Ursa Core Data Model significantly reduces that burden. The platform “pre-solves” many of the underlying complexities while still allowing flexibility for client-specific adaptations and unique use cases.
Recognizing that “best” implies just one answer, I still have to call out the awesome culture of the Ursa team. The collaboration and camaraderie across the organization are exceptional. Everyone brings deep expertise and a willingness to share it — all in service of better outcomes for our clients.
What is one thing people are surprised to learn about you?
I love technology (which probably isn’t surprising), but I once spent two years almost completely off the grid. I lived in a small village in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, where I operated the only medical clinic for miles around.
My home had woven reed walls and a grass roof, with an outdoor toilet and no electricity or cell service. I loved my time there, even if calling home or checking email required climbing a nearby mountain to get enough signal on a satellite phone to connect.