LHC Board Member Spotlight: Meagan Brasher
At the Nashville Health Care Council we are honored to have a diverse community of healthcare leaders of every level. As healthcare evolves and grows, so does our Council membership. One way we support building and growing the healthcare talent pipeline is the Leadership Health Care (LHC) program. Leadership Health Care fosters the next generation of healthcare leaders by creating educational and networking opportunities for members. We look to our Leadership Health Care Board of Directors to share their experience and spotlight their achievements to provide lessons and examples of success for the full Nashville Health Care Community.
Meet LHC Board Member, Meagan Brasher, VP, Product & Solutions Management, Herself Health.
As a program of the Nashville Health Care Council, how has Leadership Health Care influenced your career?
Leadership Health Care has been foundational to my career journey in Nashville. My husband is a born and raised Nashvillian (aka a unicorn). When I moved here nearly 10 years ago, I knew his family and friends from growing up and I knew my coworkers but I was hungry for expanding my network. One of my coworkers encouraged me to join LHC and it has turned into one of the best decisions I've ever made. Some of my closest friendships were born out of LHC. I have tapped into this network for a variety of needs as I have taken on new roles and projects and needed some guidance and subject matter expertise. Additionally, I have had amazing leadership opportunities through LHC from committee chairing, cohort and coffee group leading to board leadership. Lastly, LHC helps me maintain broad exposure to the healthcare industry at large. Its super easy to have tunnel vision when focused on your day-to-day role, so the education and programming has helped me think more strategically as I am able to see how my organization(s) fit into the overall healthcare ecosystem.
"LHC helps me maintain broad exposure to the healthcare industry at large. Its super easy to have tunnel vision when focused on your day-to-day role, so the education and programming has helped me think more strategically as I am able to see how my organization(s) fit into the overall healthcare ecosystem." - Meagan Brasher, VP Product & Solutions Management, Herself Health
Tell us about a professional success story that you’re proud of:
I launched a new business delivering primary care to the elderly in their homes right as Covid hit. In less than 9 months, I executed the client contract, developed the clinical operating model, bought and configured an EMR and CRM, and hired and trained a local market team, inclusive of ~25 physicians and clinical staff. Then Covid hit and the team and I were running around to hardware stores trying to find PPE to ensure we could safely see patients. I am incredibly proud of the combination of scrapiness and intentionality and ultimately the deep passion for improving lives that came together to pull this off.
What inspired you to choose your current career path?
Working in value-based clinical services businesses has been the perfect combination of what motivates me and what my skill sets are. I am a very mission oriented person. What motivates me every day is feeling like my hard work is making a positive impact on other people's lives. I also like to be intellectually challenged. I initially thought I wanted to be a physician but found my skill sets are better aligned on the business side.
What has surprised you most about working in the healthcare industry?
Despite it being a very massive industry, it is still very interconnected and small at the end of the day. The Nashville Health Care Council - growing the impact Nashville has on the industry at large - has played a huge role in that.
If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice before entering the industry, what would it be?
Don't try to overly plan out your career. The only constant in the healthcare industry is constant change (regulatory changes, M&A, new innovations, etc.). Focus on staying curious and doing impactful work.
How have you built confidence and/or resiliency over the course of your career?
I am a firm believer that whenever you stop learning, its time to take on additional responsibility and/or a new role. I was very timid in doing that at the start of my career, but once I did it once and reaped the benefits, I had the courage to do it again and again.
Learn more about the Nashville Health Care Council program, curated specifically for young professionals and emerging leaders, Leadership Healthcare (LHC).
