As the world of healthcare continues to evolve, so do the roles and experiences of women within it. In recent decades, women have increasingly stepped into leadership roles, pushing for more excellent representation and recognition in healthcare.
Danielle Solomon is one such woman in healthcare who persevered, driving significant changes, and shaping the field’s future. As national industry leader and partner at FORVIS, she carries the company’s mission by making a meaningful difference at higher standards.
Let us learn more about Danielle and her path to becoming a leader in the healthcare industry.
Outside Insight
Danielle’s career trajectory may have followed a different path if she had not decided to take a break from accounting and work for a health system. During her time there, Danielle acquired invaluable industry knowledge and experience beyond her finance and accounting background. When she returned to an advisory and accounting firm, now known as FORVIS, with one of the largest healthcare practices and a team of highly passionate professionals – Danielle realized that this decision ultimately proved a game-changer. At FORVIS, Danielle has continued to demonstrate insurmountable strengths in helping to lead a team of over 950 healthcare professionals. Her ability to bring a unique perspective and passion for the healthcare industry has been crucial to FORVIS’ continued success in providing an exceptional client experience to those it serves across the healthcare continuum.
Overcoming Hurdles
Not unlike most women, Danielle’s doubts and guilt have been a constant companion throughout her career. Awareness and acceptance of these feelings is key and understanding how to manage these feelings. For example, she has deliberately challenged herself (personally and professionally) to make at least one bold move a day and be nimble to pivot at any time if needed, reviewing what she has learned and what has changed along the way. Her experience as a single parent with a demanding career requires her to operate with a bold mindset and focus on remaining true to herself and her ‘why’ in life while managing her time effectively and prioritizing her professional and personal responsibilities and aspirations.
Danielle was excited to face a new challenge – the merger of her firm BKD with another firm, DHG, to create FORVIS(the combined entity is now a top 10 public accounting and advisory firm). She is honored to lead a practice that works tirelessly to inform clients and the healthcare industry of the expanded services FORVIS offers as well as connect FORVIS teams to maximize engagement and career development While a rewarding challenge, Danielle remains dedicated to being the best professional she can be while also being the best parent for her children.
Unlocking Potential
Danielle strives to redefine how a leader looks and acts. Thus, in 2018 when Danielle first took the National Industry Leader role, she began with an address to the entire practice focused on Appreciation, Authenticity, and Achievement – her core pillars for personal growth. As the national industry leader for healthcare, Danielle stresses the power of uplifting others, operating, and communicating with authenticity, and encouraging FORVIS healthcare team members to bring their authentic selves to work daily. Through her ultimate goal that stems from her vision of leading boldly and inclusively, she desires to create an environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging.
Danielle along with FORVIS leadership believe in unlocking the full potential the firm’s clients, people, and communities. FORVIS’ healthcare professionals are dedicated to truly listening and understanding their client’s needs to deliver an Unmatched Client Experience™. FORVIS prioritizes providing its clients with the best service. This unwavering commitment to excellence sets the firm apart from the industry services of other accounting and advisory firms, and clients can trust the firm will strive to provide the highest level of care.
Preparing for Next Change
The healthcare industry is evolving rapidly, and technology is expected to play a crucial role in improving health outcomes, enhancing the consumer experience, and managing costs. Advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and machine learning can be used to improve patient care and outcomes. As patients face various challenges, technology can provide more information to help manage care and make informed decisions.
Danielle asserts, “We know that our industry will continue to face challenges while also evolving very quickly – this includes financial stressors, consumers seeking care in new ways, and more. I see a clear path to embrace e technology’s role in improving health outcomes, the consumer experience, and managing costs and we’ve really only scratched the surface with possibilities. We don’t lack data in healthcare. Finding ways to organize and use this data is our struggle to help us better manage care and make decisions.”
Danielle and FORVIS are committed to leveraging innovation and data to empower healthcare providers with the tools and solutions they need to deliver high-quality care more efficiently. At FORVIS, we have an entire team devoted to cultivating, preparing, and launching innovative product ideas that have been submitted by FORVIS client service professionals based on client and/or industry needs. We believe in principled innovation and disruptive thinking, where we encourage ‘why’ or ‘why not’ thought processes and endeavor to deliver products that create true, transformational value for our current and future clients.
Tech Forward
Data is a powerful tool that is fundamental to influencing and supporting decisions in the healthcare industry. Although technological solutions have been deployed, there is still a long way to go as interoperability remains a challenge, and a lack of data standards serves as a significant barrier to progress. Despite this, the technology generates vast data that can be strategically leveraged to understand the market, consumers, and clinical and financial performance.
The primary focus is on driving performance by creating insights and making them available to those on the front lines rather than limiting reports and dashboards to executive and managerial ranks. With time, these systems are expected to become more predictive and aid decision-making in real-time rather than evaluating decisions that have already been made. The aim is to obtain critical data, develop tools and technologies, and help clients make decisions, find opportunities, and be their best.
Danielle says, “For example, we are working with healthcare providers across the spectrum to utilize our Clari3ty Solution Set to help providers keep tabs on three critical organizational health indicators – agility, burnout, and forward-looking confidence. Over the past 6 to 12 months, we’ve noticed a shift in the workforce’s health, and we’re using this kind of data to help clients to focus on considerations to address those workforce issues.”
Public Health Emergency
Danielle closely monitored the impending end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) that has been in place since January 2020 and ended May 11, 2023. As someone who has been in the industry for many years, she knows this will cause a shift across the healthcare landscape. Danielle anticipates that changes will be on the horizon, and healthcare organizations will be challenged once again to lead through change. Danielle and the FORVIS healthcare team are committed to staying vigilant and proactive in navigating these updates to ensure that FORVIS and whose we serve are well-prepared for what lies ahead.
This is positive progress; however, the PHE’s end means the fight against COVID-19 still needs to be finished. Providers will continue monitoring the ongoing effects of the pandemic.
Beyond the Horizon
Danielle’s goal for FORVIS’ healthcare practice is to serve all those in the industry in some capacity and help them reach their full potential. She is dedicated to supporting and challenging her professionals to innovate and disrupt to stay ahead in the ever-changing industry. Danielle understands the importance of being proactive and prepared for the future. She believes empowering her team to do the same will lead to continued success in serving clients and advancing the healthcare industry.
Danielle has set several personal goals for herself, including advocating for health literacy at an earlier stage. She believes high schools should require an individual finance class that includes a more robust education about healthcare choices, as many young adults need more understanding of basic healthcare terms. Danielle also aims to be her best leader, creating an environment where everyone around her can thrive at their highest level. In addition, she understands the importance of becoming a Corporate Athlete by creating rituals around the high-performance pyramid of physical endurance and emotional, mental, and spiritual capacity. Danielle is dedicated to achieving her personal goals and positively impacting the healthcare industry and those around her.
Danielle advises aspiring business leaders to explore their passion and their authentic self and commit to learning more about themselves. . She says, “Build strong, trustworthy relationships. Having a team around you that challenges you to be your best self is crucial to success in business and, well, honestly… life.”
“We’ve all learned the pace of change will only get quicker. Learn to thrive in that environment while continuing to embrace change and disruption. Surround yourself with people who support and challenge you to be your best self.”
“Lastly, I encourage the next generation to remain nimble in this ever-evolving landscape. Always be ready to adjust your strategy and expect the unexpected. For instance, few could have anticipated the effect of a pandemic and just how drastically things have changed since 2020. I would remind young leaders to rethink their approach as trends change and new challenges arise,” Danielle concludes.
