Better people
“There is no better reward than witnessing how the software, combined with proper digital transformation, eases the workflows of our customers,” Alja Babič described her passion for healthcare and digital transformation.
As the Better Meds implementation consultancy lead, Alja takes care of the implementation processes within the Better Meds team – from the implementation itself to working with clients and managing the implementation team. She is passionate about digital transformation, and the thought of helping people and making their lives better motivates her to stay in healthcare. And why does she believe in Better? “I love seeing people helping each other to achieve the same goal,” she said. Get to know Alja in the interview below.
As the Better Meds implementation consultancy lead, what are your primary responsibilities, and what does your typical day look like?
My primary responsibilities are providing an overview of Better Meds implementations worldwide, offering hands-on implementation consultancy for some UK clients, managing projects for customers in Wales, and leading implementations in Slovenia. I also support and coordinate the implementation team. I usually kick off my working day by tackling emails and setting my list of priorities, as well as catching up with clients. In the second part of the day, I catch up with the amazing Better Meds implementation consultancy team. I would like to highlight that the whole team is made up of enthusiastic and proactive individuals, always focused on finding solutions and improving processes.
What initially attracted you to the field of healthcare software systems, and what has kept you passionate about it?
With a background in business informatics, I was incredibly passionate about digital transformation during my studies. I primarily focused on ERP implementations like SAP and Microsoft Navision. At the age of 21, I joined a case study where Better provided us with a project. I instantly fell in love with the company and told my team I would work there one day. The Better team invited me to join as a marketing specialist, and I am still grateful to Roko for allowing me to pursue my passion for digital transformation. This opportunity enabled me to develop the implementation methodology for Better Meds and later work on the implementation tool, a system supporting digital transformation that could be used by hospital project teams. As the workload increased, we brought Ashok and Carolina on board, and our implementation team has been growing ever since.
I love healthcare because it's so complex that just when you think you have it all figured out, another layer of complexity that needs exploring emerges. What motivates me the most is seeing users happy and satisfied with the system. There is no better reward than positive feedback and witnessing how the software, combined with proper digital transformation, eases the workflows of our customers.
Can you describe what an implementation project looks like, and what are the key factors that contribute to a successful implementation project, from start to finish? What do you find most rewarding about leading implementation projects?
In my opinion, the key factors for a successful project are people and engagement. Software doesn’t mean anything if users aren’t willing to use it. And when I say people, I don’t just mean users. I mean everyone involved in the process: hospital teams, project teams, service delivery, and even the Better Meds team, developing and evolving the software.
The implementation project goes like this: first, we sign the contract, which gives us the green light to start. We typically begin with a discovery phase, where we share our knowledge about Better Meds, the digital transformation process, and lessons learned. We do our best to pair new clients with existing ones in a buddy system, so they can share knowledge and support each other. Then we move to the "as-is" and "to-be" stages, where we analyse current business processes and how our system fits into them. We handle all the necessary configurations, integrations, and so on. Next comes the realisation phase, where we set up all the environments with the desired configuration. Once the client is happy with the setup, we proceed to user acceptance testing, where Better Meds is tested inside out to ensure it suits the business processes. After that, we move to the training phase, where we train super-users, who then train the end users. When everyone is familiar with the system, we are ready to go live.
In my opinion, this is the most exciting part – the go-live day. We have multiple approaches. Clients mostly choose a phased rollout, where they go live on a pilot ward and add additional wards each week. Alternatively, there is the big bang approach, where the whole hospital starts using Better Meds in a day or two. There are many variations, but the best description of go-live is this: go-live day is like a wedding day – if everything goes well, you'd love to do it again, but if you’ve done it right, you probably won’t have to.
Although the whole process has been summarised in one paragraph, in reality, the entire implementation project involves months of planning and usually takes 6 - 12 months to complete.
You mentioned that you enjoy solving problems, exploring new technologies, and learning new skills. What recent technological advancement or tool has excited you the most, and why?
It might not be the most thrilling answer, but ChatGPT has genuinely excited me. I can’t imagine how I managed before it came along!
What was the best advice you got in your career, and have you followed it?
My advice is to always remember the importance of balancing work and personal life. At work, while each contribution is valuable, roles can often be filled by others, and that is a healthy and necessary aspect of any organisation – a healthy mindset includes recognising you are not irreplaceable. I think we need to learn to prioritise to maintain a fulfilling life both professionally and personally.
Looking to the future, what are your aspirations for your career and in the broader field of healthcare technology and implementation?
I would like to stay in healthcare because the thought of helping people keeps me motivated. I want to work with different teams, making sure everyone feels supported and is thriving towards their goals. In terms of implementation, we aim to develop a more agile implementation methodology that supports more big-bang rollouts. Of course, this doesn’t depend solely on the methodology but also on the hospital’s readiness and resources.
You have just recently returned to work from your maternity leave. What has motherhood taught you, and have you changed in any way?
Becoming a mother has taught me patience. I also feel more confident in my actions and the things I deliver because I now pay more attention to details. Additionally, I can make decisions more easily and quickly than before. Motherhood also strengthens your prioritisation skills, and it has taught me how to manage both professional and personal responsibilities more efficiently, so coming back to work was a pleasure. But, as I always say, at home, I am irreplaceable, at work, not so much. I stick to this rule every day.
What do you like to do in your free time, and what keeps you passionate outside of work?
My friends would describe me as an old soul. I enjoy crafting, especially crocheting in the evenings, where I create octopuses for premature babies in Slovenian hospitals. I also love animals, and my ultimate life goal is to own a farm—quite different from my current role! Most of all, I cherish the time spent with my lovely family, ideally horseback riding together.
What does Better mean to you?
A lot of things, but mainly I love seeing people helping each other to achieve the same goal. We often go above and beyond for the success of our customers.
