As Chief Information Officer for AccessHope, Abhishek Kumar leads strategy and operations of IT infrastructure and oversees the IT Strategy and Information Security Program. Abhishek has more than 15 years of IT experience leading implementations of information technology initiatives to support business objectives, enhance the quality of service, and ensure security.
Prior to AccessHope, Abhishek worked with top hospitals, research centers and Fortune 500 companies including City of Hope, Johns Hopkins, and Johnson & Johnson. Abhishek is known for leading high-performance teams that execute complex IT projects with impactful outcomes.
Abhishek’s team at AccessHope recently completed an initiative to obtain HITRUST certification. Receiving HITRUST certified status demonstrates that AccessHope has met key regulations and industry-defined requirements and is appropriately managing risk. This achievement places AccessHope in an elite group of organizations worldwide that have earned this certification.
Abhishek holds an Engineering degree in Computer Science and is certified in project management, agile methodologies, and IT service management methodologies. In his spare time, he loves spending time with his wife and children, and reading up on technology and startups. He is a past speaker at Salesforce’s Dreamforce event.
Tell us about your path to AccessHope. What led you here?
I have always been passionate about healthcare and technology, so when I first got introduced to AccessHope’s mission, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. Having seen some of my family members go through painful cancer journeys, I wanted to use my skills and make the even the tiniest of differences in patient lives.
AccessHope also brought about this unique opportunity, where we had the freedom to build a technology and network stack, that would revolutionize how we served our members and bring the best of new technologies to the forefront.
What was it like building a remote team and IT infrastructure during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Building a remote team and IT infrastructure during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges and opportunities. It was a rapid transition to remote work that required us to quickly adjust our technology, processes, and communication strategies to support remote teams.
We very quickly made the decision to use cloud-based IT infrastructure, instead of establishing an on-premise infrastructure, network and policies. This decision paid off immensely and is one of the key drivers of our success to this day.
The shift to remote work also brought other challenges in data security and network stability. Being in healthcare, security of any PHI is paramount to us, and therefore we had to ensure that we could effectively deploy security solutions without disrupting any work of our remote teams.
COVID has humbled us all but was also a great learning opportunity and a lesson to be always prepared for the worst.
I can now claim with evidence that our Business Continuity Plan works!
What does a typical workday at AccessHope look like for you?
A typical workday can vary, but I like to divide my day into decisions and execution chunks. I generally spend the first half of the day in meetings with senior management and key stakeholders to align strategy with business goals. I also like to review and analyze data from the previous day to understand our progress to make informed decisions.
The second half is mostly focused on execution, overseeing the development and implementation of projects and initiatives.
Your team recently secured HITRUST certification. Why is this important for AccessHope?
Our HITRUST certification clearly illustrates that AccessHope continues to adopt and exceed industry-leading standards that enable us to stand out as a leader in healthcare services. Our cloud-based software platform that powers our expert reviews enables us to continue Fighting cancer with everything we know™.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
I have an eight-year-old daughter and an eight-month-old son, and I love spending time with them. My daughter’s hobbies are now mine, so we both like to swim when it’s not too cold or watch Disney movies together.
What movie, book, or podcast are you watching, reading, or listening to now?
If I get any spare time, I read and watch a lot of startup and technology related stuff. I recently finished watching “Super Pumped,” a TV series on Uber and “WeCrashed,” another series on WeWork.
I have recently acquired some interest in meditation and have started to read books such as “Warriors Meditation” by Richard Haight.
Anything else you’d like us to know?
There are a very few instances in one’s working life where we can reflect and be fulfilled about the contributions we have made. AccessHope has been one such journey for me and I am grateful for the opportunity.
