Watch: Dr Kellie Stecher interview

HT World talks to the healthcare influencer who put everything on the line for patient advocacy on her mission to deliver change on many fronts.

Putting patients first is a critical requirement of any healthcare professional.

But how many would risk the entire career they had worked tirelessly to establish to do so?

Dr Kellie Stecher lost her job as an obstetrics and gynaecology (OB-GYN) specialist for fighting the corner of a patient at M-Health Fairview in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The patient confided in her that she had been sexually assaulted by a gynaecologist. Dr Stecher reported the incident and was subsequently fired.

A legal battle and numerous headlines across America followed; but the ordeal merely served to galvanise Dr Stecher in her career-long commitment to patient advocacy.

Earlier this year she was named one of the 50 top healthcare influencers by respected journal Medika Life  – in part a recognition of her work addressing inequalities, racism and sexism in maternal health.

Her wide-ranging work also focuses on patient safety, staff and community education and making OB-GYN services accessible and non-judgemental.

In our exclusive video interview, hear her views on the great post-pandemic healthcare resignation, addressing systematic racism in healthcare – and the emerging possibilities of tech in maternal care.

Interview by Health Tech World correspondent Gil Bashe.