UPHS – Marquette Heroes | Ryan Higbie

What is your role at UPHS – Marquette?
I am the Supervisor of Clinical Informatics in the Information Technology (IT) department at UP Health System – Marquette.

What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare?
Growing up, both my parents worked in healthcare. The field was a good fit while I was in college, and I stayed once I graduated.

What’s a typical day like for you? What is it like working in this field?
The Informatics group is responsible for testing new applications or upgrades and determining the effects on workflow. Tasks on any given day vary greatly. We're available for any issues that arise with the system, but we usually spend a lot of our time working on projects. This includes anything from application and interface testing to build and validation within a particular system. The IT field is constantly changing to meet regulatory, security, or workflow demands.

How long have you been employed here? Have you always been in the same position?
I have been with UP Health System for 26 years. I've been in IT since 2009.

What are some of the big changes you have experienced in this position?
I came to IT in preparation for the launch of what was the new Electronic Health Record (EHR) system in early 2010. Since then, the biggest challenges we have faced include moving to our new facility and the migration of the EHR system to hosted services.

What are some of your interests outside of work? What is your favorite local gem?
My kids are very active in sports, so we spend a lot of time on the road with their various teams all year long. My favorite local gem is the lake. Whether we're taking a quick drive, walking, or just hanging out, we like to be near the water.

What do you enjoy most about working at UPHS – Marquette?
I have worked with a lot of great people over the years. With all the changes and challenges in the field of healthcare, it is always the people that keep us going.