VITAS IT Provides Quality Support
Naresh Samlal, associate VP of IT support, says, the VITAS culture is “unparalleled in the sense that we are unified in providing the absolute best experience for our patient care staff.”
Hospice happens around the clock. The VITAS information technology support team stands ready 24/7, embracing a can-do attitude to ensure care never falters due to a downed router or system lockout.
This team of passionate professionals makes sure every technological tool used within the organization features a human touch and serves the people-focused mission of hospice.
At VITAS, a complex technological infrastructure enables everything from corporate operations to emergency communications to the interdisciplinary teams who provide hands-on care to patients.
The IT support team is constantly developing and maintaining tools and systems critical to everyday operations. “The tech our employees utilize is leading-edge; it’s not what you’d find in a typical healthcare system,” says Naresh Samlal, associate vice president of IT support at VITAS. “We’re very passionate about continuously supporting our business, which is evolving faster than ever before.”
Passion drives Naresh. He began his IT career right out of high school on a hunch that experience and certification would take him farther in his field than a college degree.
Despite taking a less-traveled career path, his commitment to self-improvement, adaptability, and responsiveness to the needs of others was rewarded with professional possibilities at VITAS.
Before joining VITAS, Naresh sharpened his engineering and management skills in a variety of industries. In 2014, he was the owner and operator of an IT consulting firm when a significant life event drew his attention to healthcare: His grandmother underwent triple bypass surgery.
“During that experience, I was exposed to healthcare in an intimate manner, and it made me really appreciate what healthcare professionals do,” he says. “I wanted to be a part of that in my own way, knowing that while I can’t do what they do, I can help by doing what I do better than anybody else.”
VITAS’ reputation as a leader in providing people-focused care—and as a respected employer of passionate, purpose-driven individuals—drew Naresh to the organization. He joined VITAS as an IT manager and rose to the position of director of mobility and process automation in just over a year.
Shortly after receiving a promotion to AVP of IT support, Naresh witnessed the meaning of hospice firsthand.
“My grandmother passed away on our service,” he says. “I had the good fortune of introducing hospice and VITAS to our entire family, and it’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to us.”
Throughout Naresh’s tenure with VITAS, IT support has developed powerful tools and solutions to challenges. Virtual reality therapy, an award-winning VITAS app, a Dynamic 365 sales platform, a fully mobilized nursing force, and support for remote work all owe their successes to VITAS’ can-do IT experts.
“It’s an exciting time to be a part of the VITAS technology team,” he says. “We are challenged with doing more than simply keeping the lights on, which is a common theme during this pandemic for most healthcare systems.”
Naresh is proud of the awards, national media coverage, and industry recognition his team has received for their work over the years.
“At VITAS, we get to play with and leverage next-level technology—not just in healthcare, but in the tech landscape as a whole,” he says. For example, VITAS is the only major healthcare provider in the US to use virtual reality technology in the treatment of patients rather than strictly as a training tool.
“We have a culture in IT unlike anywhere else I’ve been; it’s unparalleled in the sense that we are unified in providing the absolute best experience for our patient care staff,” says Naresh. “We truly believe in our mission.”
If you’re interested in joining a team defined by people-focused compassion and industry-leading expertise, explore VITAS openings near you.