The Intersection of Passion and Purpose

Healthcare is not an easy industry. It takes passion, commitment and a personal connection to a meaningful purpose. For those on the front lines of COVID-19, as well as the many people working behind the scenes to support them, a career in healthcare is more than just a job. It’s a shared purpose to make life better—for patients, of course, but also the doctors, nurses, pharmacists and others who care for them.

The stakes are high. This isn't the kind of work one simply leaves at the door at the end of the day (or night). So, what drives us to keep going? What's our "why?"

For Dionysia "Nysi" Young, it starts with a memory of her grandparents' house and studying the many pill bottles on her grandfather's table.

"There were a lot of duplicates, and I'm asking him questions and realizing that he's just picking up the medication because he's told to. He came from that era of not really questioning—you just did what your doctors told you to do."

Young brings her passion for patient advocacy, building relationships and solving healthcare problems to Education Services—the team that delivers an ever-expanding roster of training courses designed to help customers realize the value of our network and solutions faster and better.

"My background as a Pharmacy Educator for Kaiser Permanente and the lifelong connections I made there sparked my passion for healthcare and education," Young says. "Seeing firsthand what you can bring to people and their families and how you're changing their worlds—that's a huge impact. My biggest 'why' is to make sure that people who don't have an advocate can still get the care that they need, and should expect, without barriers caused by simple things that Surescripts can alleviate The flip side of that coin—when the information is not there—can be very scary. So, healthcare will probably always be a part of something that I do."

For Young, staying energized despite challenges is all about having the right perspective and recognizing that her reach goes further at Surescripts.

"My influence goes far beyond the topics we present during training," she explains. "These interactions have become daily opportunities to provide support and advocacy to our customers. We connect them with whatever they need, and as a result, we become more like partners. They help Surescripts improve just as much as we help them. I have come to understand the power of making sure that people are empowered to make decisions and have the right information—and that we're talking with people, not at people. My team has always been a part of the Customer Group. And that's very important to me because that's where I can always understand why the customer comes first in all our decisions."

Young is one among hundreds of passionate and purpose-driven team members at Surescripts who stand proudly behind the front lines. She and her fellow health IT professionals remain dedicated to serving the nation during COVID-19 and beyond.