As the co-founder, CEO and leading force behind new technology development at Azalea Health, Baha Zeidan is a real-life health IT superhero. After graduating from Valdosta State University and climbing the medical laboratory ladder, Baha was ready for a new challenge. Guided by his passion for cloud computing, mobile development, device computing and big data analytics, Baha set off on an epic entrepreneurial journey.
We got a chance to capture a few highlights in a recent interview. Take a look:
Tell me a bit about what you do at Azalea Health.
Azalea Health offers a fully integrated EHR, practice management and RCM billing service solutions to physicians and specialty practices of all sizes. We do the heavy lifting on the practice management side so providers can focus more on patient care. Thanks to new innovations and government regulation, healthcare technology is constantly evolving, and our goal as a company is to help the industry navigate those changes.
What initially sparked your interest and landed you in the HealthIT space?
It was actually accidental. I was working as an intern in the IT department of a medical laboratory company. I was eventually offered a full-time position and worked with that company for seven years. It was a great experience and I learned a lot but eventually hit a glass ceiling and decided that it was time to do something new – something innovative and disruptive.
What spurred you to create Azalea Health? Did you have an “aha” moment or did it happen organically?
I would say the inspiration came through a network of “aha” moments rather than just one. My co-founder, Dan Henry, and I attended Valdosta State University. Doug Swords is the 3rd co-founder, we both use to workout at the YMCA in town. I remember us casually talking about starting a business together one day. Once we discovered that the health IT industry was behind compared to the financial IT industry – lacking digitization, systems and solid infrastructure – we decided that was our chance, and we dove in. It’s been a crazy ride ever since.
Read more of Baha’s entrepreneurial journey – check it out.
