January 7, 2025 • 40 mins
In this episode of HTM On The Line, host Bryant Hawkins sits down with Douglas Redwine, a 24-year veteran of the Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) industry. From his unexpected entry into the field to his passion for mentorship and community impact, Douglas shares invaluable insights on navigating challenges, fostering cross-generational knowledge, and redefining the perception of HTM professionals. Tune in to hear how Douglas inspires the next generation and what it truly means to lead with purpose. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation!
We are immensely grateful to our partners— College of Biomedical Equipment Technology, A.M. BICKFORD, INC., UptimeServices, PM BIOMEDICAL, and Talent Exclusive—for their support in making this podcast possible. Their dedication to advancing the Healthcare Technology Management industry is truly commendable. For more information about their contributions and services, please visit their websites.
For more podcast episodes, motivational videos, blogs, and newsletters, make sure to visit our website at htmontheline.com. We look forward to connecting with you.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to another inspiring episode of HTM on the
Line, where we bring the heartof the healthcare technology
management industry to life.
I'm your host, bryant HawkinsSr, and today we have a guest
whose story and impact willleave you motivated and ready to
take on the world, and ready totake on the world.
(00:23):
Joining us is none other thanMr Douglas Redwine, a seasoned
HTM professional, mentor andadvocate for shaping the future
of our industry.
Doug's journey into HTM startedwith a spark of curiosity and
has grown into a blazing passionfor making a difference, from
(00:44):
mentoring students and youngprofessionals to addressing
depressing challenges ofstaffing and knowledge transfer
in our field.
Doug is a man with purpose andvision.
Whether you're a veteran in HTM, a rising star or someone
curious about the work thatkeeps healthcare running behind
(01:07):
the scenes, you'll want to tunein.
This episode is packed withwisdom, inspiration and
actionable insights.
So grab a cup of coffee orsettle into your commute,
because we're about to get intoa conversation that's sure to
(01:27):
light a fire under you.
Let's get started.
Welcome to another episode ofHTM On the Line.
(01:59):
I have a special guest thisweek, mr Douglas Redwine.
How are you doing tonight, doug?
I'm doing great.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I'm glad to be here with Mr Douglas Redwine.
How are you doing tonight, doug?
I'm doing great.
Glad to be here with you.
Thank you for the invite.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Well, we're going to just dig into Mr Redwine just to
see where you're at, how you'redoing.
I know you just relocated fromTexas to Georgia.
How's that relocation going?
Speaker 2 (02:20):
It's going well.
Still, you know learning theropes, but everything is good,
I'm in the right place.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Let's, just in case a few people who don't know who
you are, just give us a littleshort story about how you came
into the industry or what drewyou into the H&M industry.
Give us your story, give usyour background.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Oh, man, that's funny , I just got asked that question
today.
I came into the industry kindof by mistake.
Man, that's funny, I just gotasked that question today.
I came into the industry kindof by mistake.
I was in college.
I went to school and chosearchitecture as my major and
about after the first year wewere doing I don't care and, you
know, out of ignorance Ithought you would be drawing and
sketching because I can draw.
So I was kind of not feelingthe way we were doing it.
(03:01):
So I had a friend who was inthe School of Technology.
He's like how about engineering?
So I had a friend who was inthe school of technology.
He's like, how aboutengineering?
So I grabbed a book we didn'thave, you know, internet at the
time and I grabbed a littlecatalog and scrolling through I
had two criteria make good moneyand help people in engineering
and I came across a brand newfield of study.
They had biomedical engineering, kind of.
Read up on it, I liked the factI never heard heard of it and I
(03:23):
didn't know how much money itmade.
I was 19, so I was like itsounded like something good and
I read about it.
And so doctors and nurses can'tdo their job without these
people and I put my finger onand chose it, and that's how I
came into the career, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
So look hey, man, that's amazing.
It's like I think I kid you not.
Everybody has a story of howthey came into the industry and
it's never the same.
So if you came in at 19, howmany years have you been in the
industry so far?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Oh man, I've been in the industry.
I want to say 24 years.
I'm a quick man.
I took a little break, I left,I was in the field, started in
98.
Pinched it off into somethingelse for a couple years and came
back.
I think about about 24 years,probably 24, 25.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
That's over half your life, man.
Yeah, yes, sir.
Now what would you say would beone of the most rewarding
moments in the 24 years you'vebeen so far, because you
probably got more coming.
But what would you say is oneof your most rewarding moments?
Speaker 2 (04:31):
For me.
I think everything always tiesback to it.
It's the mentoring and hiringaspect of it that's the most
rewarding when I was at one timean adjunct college professor at
a technical college and some ofthose students I was actually
able to hire.
And just knowing I was at onetime an adjunct college
professor at a technical collegeand some of those students I
was actually able to hire, andjust when I was making a
difference in people's lives by,you know, helping with
(04:51):
employment, and then someonecoming to me and looking at me
as a mentor, I think that wasthe most feeling.
And then, secondarily, I thinkthe most fulfilling moment is
during COVID, when I actuallysaw people's perspective change
about how they looked at us.
When we became we were alreadyimportant, but when, I think,
when people started seeing, youknow, how important we were to
(05:17):
the lifeblood of the healthcaresystem, that was really
fulfilling for me to see thatchange.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Yeah, man, covid, covid I still talk about COVID
to this day.
It's like it's that was amoment in time there.
Yes, now there's a lot with allthis staff shortages we have in
our industry right now realhealth care as a whole but and
you mentioned how you mentor andyou love to mentor well, well,
what advice would you givesomeone Cause a lot of people
(05:46):
might be listening, who might beoutside of your reach, but now
you can reach them what advicewould you give to someone who's
just starting out in the HTMindustry and they're looking to
make an impact, like you havedone so far?
What advice would you givesomeone?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Oh, wow.
I would advise them first ofall, to seek to be knowledgeable
in whichever part of the fieldthey're most interested in,
wherever they decide to,whatever area they decide, to
make their expertise be veryknowledgeable overall and then
especially in your domain ofexpertise.
Secondarily, I would advisethem to network.
(06:29):
That's so beneficial, so Ialways promote you have to
network, you have to meet people, you have to get out there.
I would advise them to seekmentorship.
Find someone they can look upto who's already doing and who's
already where they think theymight want to be.
Seek mentorship.
And then I would advise them toparticipate, meaning their
(06:52):
local organization, biomedSociety, htm Society, get
involved, go to the conferences,um, and and lastly, I would
advise them in some type of wayto brand themselves um, be a
(07:12):
walking brand for for HTM, asthey network.
That's right, man.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Cause.
Networking is a great, greatavenue because most biomed style
introverts by nature.
But yeah, they have to networkcause.
That helps a lot.
Yeah, now you mentioned COVIDhow you noticed that they
started looking at the HTMindustry differently.
Now I don't want to say fiveyears, let's just say maybe the
(07:35):
next few years.
What do you see may be thebiggest challenge facing us,
facing the HTM industry, besidesthe staffing issue?
We know that that's one.
What will be another challengeyou think we'll be facing the
industry today and how would youaddress it?
Speaker 2 (07:51):
the challenge yeah that's a good one.
This is something I'm workingon, um.
So the the challenge that I umforesee in the future is
actually related to our currentproblem of recruiting new people
to the field.
Um and and um getting theindustry out there right.
(08:13):
Um the shortage and so the.
The challenge that that ishappening now but it'll be more
so in the future, is that as thecurrent population of htm
veterans retire, they're takinga lot of knowledge with them.
So the problem I see happeningis the cross-generational
training.
Actually, today I went to a sitefor somebody who's getting
ready to retire a biomed three,all these years of experience,
(08:36):
and he's leaving Back-filling.
His position is going to betough and we didn't have an
understudy, a successor behindhim, and I think that's going to
cause a lapse, you know, in ourproductivity in the field,
setting up a system to wheresomebody can, where you identify
in advance the person that willbe next up, and then I know
(09:00):
it's kind of hard sometimes butwe have to find a way to, you
know, get that understudy, towork with that person and get
some of that extra knowledgethat you can only get from a
person in that position.
And then another part of it, Ithink, is in our onboarding
process.
I think, you know, we bringpeople on and we don't have a
real good system most of thetime of onboarding them with the
(09:20):
mindset of I'm going to, youknow, get up under the next
level person and learn, and thenI'm going to also be
responsible for teaching back,you know, so it can just flow
through step by step, um, andI'm still thinking about that,
um, how that works.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
But that's what were my mindset right now yeah,
because you're absolutely right,most likely when the b-med
three retire, even a b-med two.
Now, yeah, it's hard tobackfill it because it's a
challenge.
So yeah, most likely you'regonna come in with a one or you
might have to relocate it too,but then that's a challenge when
(09:55):
someone relocates are theygonna be able to adjust to the
culture they're moving into, youknow?
so that's a lot of challengesthere, but that's a good idea
though cross training and justhoping that BMED 3 would want to
.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
And that's why I say, with the like, with a BMED,
they might be so busy, theymight not want to do it, so we
have to, you know, structure itin a way to where, like, this is
understood this is part of thejob where you, you're BMED 3,
you have knowledge, so you it'skind of your job to help mentor
(10:31):
also, and I don't know exactlyhow to make that work, but it's
something that at least needs tobe addressed and attempted.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
I think one way that can happen that points directly
at the leader.
I mean, if you got the cultureof your barbershop already
working that way, it'll be likesecond nature because your team
is only as good as your weakestperson.
So if you put that mindset intoyour team, then they'll be
mentoring without even knowingthey're doing it.
Now, since we're talking aboutmentorship and leadership as a
(10:58):
leader, what type of strategiesdo you use to motivate your team
when you get into, like, atough situation?
I'm high on motivation and like, say, for instance, covid came
up.
What was one of the things youdid to motivate your team during
this pressure moment that wasgoing?
Speaker 2 (11:18):
on.
So mine is, I want to say,elementary, because I do the
same thing across the board inthe school system and at work
and I think it is leading byexample, being relational and,
for instance, on mine.
So my techs have to come towork during COVID Directors
managers we didn't have to, butI, because they were there, I
(11:39):
showed up Just so they can knowthat I'm there with them and
they have a leader who is notjust going to be in the
background looking at thecomputer and checking what they
do, but actually there andseeing how you know, offering my
assistance in whichever way Icould.
So I believe in being in aposition to be a support and
(12:02):
knowing that I can be leaned onand helping in every way that I
can, leaned on and helping inevery way that I can.
And that's the kind of way thatI, that's the way that I lead
is being very, being veryrelational with my, with my team
.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
That's awesome man.
Your team is blessed to havesomeone like that, because a lot
of leaders don't lead that way.
So now you mentioned you foundout about this industry at the
age of 19.
19.
Yes, sir, and so you came inreal young.
So now you mentioned you foundout about this industry at the
age of 19.
19.
Yes, sir, and so you came inreal young.
So it's not like not like youhad much life experience going
on, so obviously you had somementors in your life, who are
(12:37):
some of the key mentors that youwould say helped shape you into
the person you are today, or atleast gave you the idea of how
to approach each day.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
As as related to uh, htm or in general, both Okay,
okay so.
So, starting now, I'll be briefabout it.
Just, I had a mentor which isprobably why I'm here today as a
young buck, around 12 years oldat my church, a youth minister
(13:11):
who was real pivotal in my lifeand I kind of followed in his
footsteps and that's how youknow.
I know that mentoring helped me, so I want to be like him for
someone else.
So that's the first part.
So a quick background on that.
When I was 12, I was very bad atschool, used to fail and that
kind of stuff, and this guy camefrom.
I was in Fort Worth, texas.
He came from Alaska, justgraduated from Alaska, he went
(13:42):
to Howard University and then hegraduated from Howard and came
to the seminary in Fort Worth toget his master's degree, and so
he was the first person that Ihad met in my life from
somewhere else who was collegeeducated and so that got my
attention.
He was smart and he was cooland I wanted to be like him.
So that was my first influence.
And as far as in the industry,hey man, give him a shout out.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
man, who's your mentor?
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Stanley Williams, stanley Williams, stanley man.
I call him Stanley man.
Okay, he got the same birthdayand I still talk to him every
birthday.
I still call him Awesome, I'm abig brother.
There you go.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Now go back to your HTM mentor now.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
So HTM, and so that came later, because when I went
into it I just did my job and Ikind of choose people, so I
didn't have a real mentor earlyon, and so it's going to be
funny they're going to hear thisfor sure.
So later on, once I decidedthat I want to actually do more
in the industry, that I couldsee the potential and like, oh,
(14:36):
this can be something.
And it was actually.
I met these two people at an MDexpo in Dallas, probably 2016,
maybe 15, 16.
And that was Jewel Newell andDavid Broderick.
They probably don't know it,but meeting them and seeing how
they were operating kind ofinspired me and I could see the
(14:57):
different sides of it.
You know where this can be more.
And so at that one particularevent, when I first started
networking in the industry,those people I chose as my
mentors without asking them.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
I know you knew JC.
Yeah, I knew Jewel when Jewelwas a little bitty Jewel.
Went away for about 10 years,come back around.
I'm like man.
The whole world know who thiswoman is Right.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Yeah, so I threw her that's how I became an adjunct
professor because she was doingit now.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
We know this job.
As much as you love it, it hasits moments.
So how do you stay motivatedand, at the same time, continue
to grow, both professionally and, I'll say, personally, I mean.
I know you're a busy man, buthow do you stay motivated to
continue to do those things?
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Simple.
I'm a purpose driven person andI search for challenges and
look for opportunities.
You know, if I can't find them,I create it.
And so the answer to both ofthose questions is even how he
myself motivated to grow andhelp others.
It's all the same, I like tomove around, a lot I can get.
(16:14):
I'm the kind of person that canget bored with, you know, just
doing the same thing over andover, and so I choose not to
ever get bored, and so I have tomake things fun for myself, and
I'm a creative person, so I'malways looking for the
opportunities to.
You know, how can this improve,or how can I do something
different, or what's on thehorizon?
And so that's how I keep myself, you know, motivated in my day
(16:37):
to day and in this industry.
I see you like to run, man,yeah, I got to do it, you got to
stay busy.
Yes, sir, yes, sir, yes, sir.
Man, yeah, I got to do it, yougot to stay busy.
Yes, sir, yes, sir, yes, sirand that comes directly from
COVID Can't be sitting in thehouse.
I had to get outside.
Yeah, when everything was shutdown.
Oh, really, you know, because Iused to play basketball and you
know, just stay active.
The gyms are shut down and Iwas going stir crazy.
(16:57):
You know no social interactionand stuff like that.
So I got outside and startedrunning and loving it.
And then all the people thatwere outside that I knew were
some a run group.
I joined a run group and herewe go.
I didn't plan on running a halfmarathon when I started, but
you know congratulations I didthat one time, and that one time
(17:21):
only, I made it through.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
But I I was tell you this quick, funny story.
I was running when this ladyhad to be about 65 and she's
here on the back of her shirt.
I may be slow, but you behindme, yeah I zoomed past her man
I'm like man about two hourslater.
I'm walking, I'm walking, andthat's who came trotting by me.
(17:45):
I was saying little speech, yes, sir, and I read her shirt.
I said, wow, it hit me.
I said, yeah, you made me slow,but I am behind you and she
beat me too.
She had that slow, steady pace.
I thought I could just go outthere and just run.
I'm young.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
It sounded like the trailer on a hair.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
That's the message you got.
But, um, now let's think aboutyou mentioned you do a lot with
the community, and that'sawesome.
Now, how can man this is achallenge one here, because you
mentioned about how, um, youwould like for your senior
b-mans to maybe start areplacement or transition plan?
How can we better educate thenext generation about the
importance of HTM?
(18:33):
Because you could teach themhow to repair equipment, but how
can we go about educating themhow to know about the importance
of what we do?
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Wrestle with that a lot too.
I think I like to point toleadership, and I know it's not
exactly part of the jobdescription, but I think that
all of us that you know work inthis industry, love the industry
and care about it, have aresponsibility to promote it as
we go.
I think we're all out andactive and not all, but most of
(19:03):
us are out, active and doingthings and as you go, I think we
we should be mentioning it andand and letting people know what
we do um and trying to recruitum so that people, more people,
can know about it.
Uh, I think I just think that'spart of the calling.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Yes, sir, all right, If you could change one thing.
I know you mentioned duringCOVID that everyone gained a new
appreciation for what we do,but if you could change one
thing about the perception ofHTM, what would it be?
Speaker 2 (19:36):
I have to think more on that, but I think it's
changing now, because I used tohave this deal where I had a
goal for my team.
I used to tell my team that Ididn't want them to.
First of all, I didn't wantthem to look at themselves as
just the fix-it people, and Ididn't want the.
You know, I wanted to be viewedas a viable and important piece
of the puzzle in the healthcarenetwork, and so I used to
(19:59):
always try to teach them to likefirst of all, see yourself, see
, look at what you do and knowhow important it is, and also
don't let any like, let anybodyelse look at you like that.
So I wanted to people withinthe system as a whole not to
just see us as the fix it peoplethat come out of the basement
and grab something.
Could we do much?
So much more than that?
You know, you know everythingwe do.
So I just want to want to wantto want the whole scope of it to
(20:21):
be recognized, and so thatwould be the part that I would
think needs to be the perceptionthat I would like changed.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
That's time to lighten it up some here Okay.
What's one fun fact?
I know you mentioned running.
Yeah, that's something you liketo do, but what's a surprising
fact about yourself that mostpeople in the industry don't
know about you?
Most people in the industrydon't know about you.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Most people, most people in the industry, wouldn't
know that I got bars justjoking, but I used to own a
recording studio and I used todo music and I, you know,
performed in front of you know,crowds as big as 5,000, and you
know, on tour and travel, andyou know not not, let me not
make it sound too but you knowI'm touring and traveling.
(21:07):
You know not, not, let me notmake it sound too but you know
I've done a bunch of shows anddo poetry and things of that
nature.
So all of my stuff, as far ascreativity, started with music
before I did my afterschoolprogram and my books.
It started.
So I still feel like I'm makingmusic in a sense.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
So my creative outlets yes, what type of music
you did, man?
Speaker 2 (21:26):
I mean you said bars, but you're a rapper I was doing
what they were coined as asgospel rap, okay.
Okay, there was a recordingstudio.
I just recorded outside I knowhow to you know work to um the
on the workstation, the digitalaudio workstation, but we also
had an analog board too, so Idid the mixing and and
recordings.
I was a sound engineer oh, wow.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Now a couple, a couple years ago I did this
motivational piece and I calledit dear 1993 me, where I had a
conversation with my youngerself.
Now, if you can, what type,what piece of advice I'll say
would you give to your youngerself starting out in HTM?
If you can go back to that 19year old, what would you tell
(22:11):
your?
Tell him, oh man, starting outin the industry.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
So the advice I gave earlier, I would have told my,
my younger self to take itseriously, look towards the
future in the job network andpursue.
I'm a leader and I pursuedleadership earlier.
Yeah, for sure I kind of for agood period of time I was doing
(22:43):
I'm always busy so I was doingother endeavors and kind of just
doing a job.
So it wasn't until I actuallydecided that I was going to
leave the field because I, youknow, unfortunately and I feel
this is another part maybe Ishould say that we should fix I
don't know, it might not be thesame, just in the places I've
worked, you, you will go up theranks a little bit and then
(23:10):
you're kind of stuck untilsomebody retires or, you know,
passes and you can't getpromoted.
We don't have that many levels,you know, and I was kind of at a
position like, well, I'vereached the top outside of
management, and so I was seekingto, you know, do other things.
And it was at that time that Ikind of discovered, hey, there's
, I can, the field can beimproved and I can, I can do
some extra things, I can, I canmove forward, um, and I can make
(23:32):
it better the type on that onpart about somebody got to die
out for you advanced.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Now you just have to move.
Yeah, relocate I mean.
Unfortunately, you know thekind of work we do.
Yes, sir, if you don't probablydevelop dementia, you make it,
do it up in your 70s right, soyeah if you're waiting on
somebody to retire and they'reclose to your age, then you're
gonna be waiting, so the bestthing to do is to go where that
(23:58):
opportunity is at.
That's why.
That's why I'm where I am rightnow, exactly Now.
You touched on a part about youknow, you did your singing and
gospel rap, but you alsomentioned about books.
So you are published author.
How many times over?
(24:18):
Now?
Four books.
So what type of books are you?
What type of books you writeabout?
Speaker 2 (24:27):
So and so that.
So I'm a published author, butI'm about to be a real published
author, real soon this year,meaning I have a novel, oh okay,
which I'm very, you know,excited about.
So the first books I've I'vedone there was a activity
workbook, um, team STEAM, createsome characters.
I have another book I do afterschool programs and I noticed
(24:52):
that some of my classes likewell, they don't teach kids how
to write anymore.
So I did a writing book.
You know, just a basic, youknow tracing letters and things
of that nature.
I have another book HBCU career,college book to promote HBCUs
because I went to HBCU, andcollege book to promote HBCUs
because I went to HBCU and itwas helpful in my life and so I
know some other people need tobe exposed to it.
So the history of HBCUs and abunch of a real cool book.
(25:15):
I created that one.
And then I created a journalbecause I'm a journal.
So I created a what was how yousay it?
I want to say thought provokingmy mind not working correctly
right now, but writing prompts,a journal with writing prompts
and motivational.
I did 50 different quotes sothey have words of affirmation
(25:37):
on each day and morning andnight journaling session.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Yeah, so what's your favorite part about connecting
with young readers through yourbooks?
Because I noticed you talkabout after school and teaching
them how to write.
So what's your favorite part ofconnecting with young people?
Speaker 2 (26:00):
It's always the so when I'm there physically with
them, I'm outside, when parentssend me stuff, it's the aha
moments, seeing those eyes lightup, helping them to tap into
their creativity.
It's just when I see them getit, you know.
And also when a student.
(26:20):
Because I have a deal where Isay when they say, man, this is
hard, and I clap like yeah, it'shard.
When it's hard, it's anopportunity to get smarter, you
know.
So I have a deal where I saywhen they say, man, this is hard
, and I clap like, yeah, it'shard.
When it's hard, it's anopportunity to get smarter, you
know.
So I have this whole deal.
And when I see thatbreakthrough, when I do a coding
class, or even on the readingexercises, when they're
challenged, and then you knowthe kids, you know, oh, this is
hard and you know we workthrough it.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Yeah, it's hard to get they.
Oh, when they get to thatmoment, I love that.
Well, I can see the thelearning happening.
That's awesome, man.
I was on the internet today andI think sherelle, she um was at
the eye doctor and shementioned um, she's sherelle,
she does oh yeah, insider yeah,and so yes, she said she loved
when the light bulb comes on,when she tell them about the
industry.
But like I, told her for thatlight bulb to cut on and you'd
(27:10):
appreciate it meaning that lightbulb was cutting on inside you
the same way all the time.
That's why you, that's why youcan appreciate it when you see
that light bulb cut on insomeone else and that's a
calling.
That's that's what a callingpart comes in, because your
light bulb cut on.
Every morning when you wake upit's on.
And that's why you keepcreating, because it's
(27:31):
constantly cutting on, andthat's when that job becomes a
calling and everybody don't havethat.
So hopefully, listening to thispodcast, you can motivate them
to turn their light bulbs on,because we all have one we just
have to tap, we have to tap intoit turn their light bulbs on,
because we all have one.
We just have to tap.
We have to do it now, do youtell?
Speaker 2 (27:52):
young kids about the htm industry do you most?
Oh yeah, most definitely.
Yeah, it's so, as I saidearlier, as, as you go, you're
promoting and branding it right,and so a big piece of my deal
is, you know, um, what I do do,um, so I definitely.
I actually use the htm in thebox, sometimes from different
for different pieces of it.
(28:13):
Um, and then myself, as anexample, I have a whole little
video mock-up thing I do tointroduce myself, and that's the
big part of it, and I alwayscome back to it and then I um,
um, start at the, the piece ofequipment and what it does, so
they can kind of get a visualfor what it is and then take it
back to like now in thebackground, somebody works on
that and makes it happen, and Ican see the connection during
(28:35):
those times too.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
So, most definitely, so about how many years now,
you'll say, you've been talkingwith the young kids and doing
after school programs?
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Oh well, in after school programs.
Oh well, well.
And after school programs um.
Since 2011, that's 14 years wowso and so, in those 14 years,
how many kids you think you'vetouched?
oh, man, man, thousands,thousands and thousands.
Yeah, um, and I guess I have a.
(29:05):
I have some rough notes.
I need to really go back on itbecause I have this deal where
in the coding classes I didwhere I have that actual log of
signing in and that was over afew thousand in that piece of it
and so over the years, wow.
That's awesome Now it's beenthousands of students.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Thousands of kids and that makes people may hear that
and say man, that's got to be.
But just the fact you'rereaching out that thousand comes
real fast.
You know, it's not like youhave to go far to find a
thousand kids, like people maythink.
Not really easy to find athousand kids.
Now out thousand, let's justsay 14, 000.
(29:45):
I give you a thousand a year.
Can you share one story about achild or group of kids who are
positive, had a positive impactfrom your efforts?
Can you share one story?
oh, wow I have a few, well, yourfavorite, one, one or two.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
So okay, one of them and and, like you know, a lot of
times you're planting seedsright because you you get them
for a summer camp or you havethem for a semester, so you
don't know the end resultscompletely, but I do know.
One time one of my friends Ihave I need to go find a picture
, I have a picture of it I hadthese two young girls.
They were fifth graders andthey did not want to code, they
did not want to participate, andI pulled up Black Girls Code on
(30:30):
their computer and when theysaw it, the little girl said she
looked like me.
And I got a picture of themjust all of a sudden on the code
, because they saw an image ofsome little girls that were
doing it too, and that was oneof my breakthrough moments of
seeing.
Like you know, it's all aboutexposure and kids need to see it
sometimes.
Um, so that was one.
Whether they kept doing it ornot, I don't know, but I do know
(30:52):
at that moment you know they,they participated and for the
rest of the semester, that lightjust by seeing that moment,
that light bulb?
yes, sir.
Um, then I have.
Well, I have several studentsthat went on to college and
stuff like that.
But another one I'd like toshare, and this is not a kid,
it's an adult.
She my school program, shebecame one of my assistants and
(31:16):
she got so into it.
She decided to go to school andget her a tech degree,
associate's, and she's nowworking for an IT company and
doing very well, and so that,right, there is one of my
favorite stories.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Yes, sir, so she got influence indirectly.
Yes, sir.
Now what do you think kids needmost today?
And what would you think kidsneed most today?
And what would you think itwould be if you had to say,
because you know, everybodyalways say, the kids today are
different, but what do you thinkkids need the most today?
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Kids are different, but kids are the same as we were
when we were little.
They need attention, they needguidance, positive guidance, and
(32:20):
they need exposure to thepossibilities and they need
reassurance that they arecapable of doing those things,
that they get exposed to thoseextra things, because I think a
lot especially the kids that arein the urban schools and
different areas where I workit's just they don't know what
they can do because they onlysee the environment around them
a lot of times.
So they need some people whocare to come in and talk with
(32:43):
all that said mentorship andkind of point them in a certain
direction.
Hey, look over here.
You see that you know what youcan do.
That too, you know.
You can be that, you should.
You know experiment.
And part of my class is, youknow, my deal is dream, explore,
create, and you don't have totry to be something, but I just
want you to like think about andlook at things differently and
try stuff, things differentlyand try stuff.
(33:08):
You know, and that's kind ofwhat I go to the schools to do
is to help their dream you canhave, give them something to
explore and, you know, let themsee that they can create awesome
man.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Now I know you relocated, so do you plan on
expanding the work for kids?
Speaker 2 (33:22):
and most definitely yes, sir, sir, yeah, I'm already
mapping it out and I can't waitto, you know, expand my
territory, learn the you knowarea around here and get started
.
I'm going to start, of course,this semester.
Spring semester is the perfecttime for after school career
days and things of that nature.
(33:43):
And, yeah, rare days and thingsof that nature.
I'll get my after schoolprogramming restarted out here.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
How do you go about just starting an after school
program?
Is that something that takes alot of work?
That's just something you can'tjust.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
I guess it does, but it doesn't.
You have to be when you're acreative person.
Can I tell you how it started?
Speaker 1 (34:08):
Yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Okay, so I owned a recording studio.
After a while, you know, asthings started getting
digitalized, the studio was lessa big full-scale studio is not
needed as much right, becausekids can do things on their
computers.
And so it came a time I wasn'treally recording bands anymore.
It was people bringing me theirmessed up mixes and want me to
(34:31):
fix it, or coming with somebeats and rapping on top of it.
So it was no longer fun anymorebecause the creativity was
getting taken away from it.
And so I made a pivot becausepeople didn't know how to mix
and created a program that Icalled the Media Arts Program.
I put together this wholebrochure and all this kind of
stuff and I went to a highschool I didn't know after
school program existed and justsaid, hey, I have something that
(34:54):
I want to do after school forthe kids.
And I didn't know about thatschool program.
And they said do you have anappointment with the principal?
I said no, I just have this.
You know, I got this brochure.
I want to talk to him about it,and the after-school program
director just happened to be inthe office that day.
He took it and he's like man,this is what we need, and I was
at a high school.
They allowed me to build astudio, the kids to build a
(35:17):
studio from ground up and werecorded, wrote screenplays, put
on, you know, for the community, put on plays.
They performed they, you know,for the community to put on
plays.
They performed.
They did the lights, they didthe curtains and everything.
And so I think I went off trackbecause you were questioning.
But so for me, creating anafter school program happened,
you know, organically, I guessyou can say, except for me
(35:38):
taking the time to be crazyenough to create a program that
nobody asked for.
And after that I was in thedoor and so I just kept
expanding.
So I went from the media artsprogram to coding classes and
drone classes and things of thatnature.
So how do you create an afterschool program?
Have a vision, have a dream,really care about the kids and
(36:01):
go forth with it.
You know there's a need for it,and there's a need if you step
in if there's work to do.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
Tech Choice Awards.
Somebody I know is up forDirector Manager of the Year.
This award here is alsosponsored by NW Imaging, so how
do you feel about thatnomination?
Speaker 2 (36:29):
I mean, I feel I feel real good about the nomination.
It's always good to benominated and recognized for
your work and, uh, what's goodabout that is it comes from from
your peers, or from your, fromyour, your people, right, and so
they nominate you.
So there's always a I say a ablessing to be recognized in
(36:49):
that manner.
Well, congratulations on yournomination, man.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
I wish you nothing but the best.
Thank you, and Doug alwaysappreciate you, man, and if you
ever want to come on the showagain, you're welcome Anytime to
promote your book.
I'll be glad to assist any wayI can, and what you're doing
with the kids is dear to myheart because I'm the same way.
I like to reach out to theyoung ones.
They are our future and that'snot just a cliche.
(37:15):
That's a fact and what you'redoing is great and it's
appreciated.
My brother and I thank you forcoming on now.
I appreciate it.
Do you have any final words youwant to share with the HTM
industry in closing?
Speaker 2 (37:29):
oh man, this is the kind of stuff to freestyle.
I just want to say thateverything I said in the
interview but anybody listeningto this, I'm pretty sure you're
connected and you're in theindustry, and so I would just
like to leave a note that thelittle nugget that make sure as
(37:51):
you go you're promoting thefield, cause you never know who
you might touch and influence toto join us in advancing HTM.
That's my piece.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
Sir, appreciate you, man.
Thank you again for coming on,man.
You much appreciate it.
As we wrap up today's episodeof HTM on the line, I hope
you're walking away with morethan just knowledge.
I hope you're inspired.
Douglas Redwine has reminded usof the power of mentorship, the
(38:27):
importance of leadership and thenecessity of passing on the
torch in our field.
His story is proof that HTMisn't just a career.
It's a calling where passionand purpose intersect.
Htm industry.
(38:50):
Doug's advice to become awalking brand for HTM and to
promote the field wherever yougo is a challenge we all need to
embrace.
If we don't shine a light onwhat we do, who will?
And for anyone listening who'soutside our industry, let this
episode be your introduction tothe people behind the technology
that keeps healthcare alive.
(39:11):
We're more than fix-it people.
We're problem solvers,innovators and lifesavers.
Doug, thank you for sharingyour journey, your vision and
your wisdom.
The work you're doing toinspire the next generation and
elevate the HTM industry isnothing short of extraordinary
(39:33):
To all our listeners.
Remember this your impact isgreater than you realize and the
future of HTM depends on all ofus stepping up to lead, to
mentor and to innovate.
Thank you for tuning in and ifthis episode moved, you share it
with someone who needs to hearit.
(39:54):
Don't forget to subscribe formore inspiring stories and
conversations.
This is Brian Hawkins Srsigning off.
Until next time, stay motivated, stay committed and stay on the
line.
Y'all be safe out there.
Welcome to another inspiring episode of HTM on the
Line, where we bring the heartof the healthcare technology
management industry to life.
I'm your host, bryant HawkinsSr, and today we have a guest
whose story and impact willleave you motivated and ready to
take on the world, and ready totake on the world.
(00:23):
Joining us is none other thanMr Douglas Redwine, a seasoned
HTM professional, mentor andadvocate for shaping the future
of our industry.
Doug's journey into HTM startedwith a spark of curiosity and
has grown into a blazing passionfor making a difference, from
(00:44):
mentoring students and youngprofessionals to addressing
depressing challenges ofstaffing and knowledge transfer
in our field.
Doug is a man with purpose andvision.
Whether you're a veteran in HTM, a rising star or someone
curious about the work thatkeeps healthcare running behind
(01:07):
the scenes, you'll want to tunein.
This episode is packed withwisdom, inspiration and
actionable insights.
So grab a cup of coffee orsettle into your commute,
because we're about to get intoa conversation that's sure to
(01:27):
light a fire under you.
Let's get started.
Welcome to another episode ofHTM On the Line.
(01:59):
I have a special guest thisweek, mr Douglas Redwine.
How are you doing tonight, doug?
I'm doing great.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I'm glad to be here with Mr Douglas Redwine.
How are you doing tonight, doug?
I'm doing great.
Glad to be here with you.
Thank you for the invite.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Well, we're going to just dig into Mr Redwine just to
see where you're at, how you'redoing.
I know you just relocated fromTexas to Georgia.
How's that relocation going?
Speaker 2 (02:20):
It's going well.
Still, you know learning theropes, but everything is good,
I'm in the right place.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Let's, just in case a few people who don't know who
you are, just give us a littleshort story about how you came
into the industry or what drewyou into the H&M industry.
Give us your story, give usyour background.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Oh, man, that's funny , I just got asked that question
today.
I came into the industry kindof by mistake.
Man, that's funny, I just gotasked that question today.
I came into the industry kindof by mistake.
I was in college.
I went to school and chosearchitecture as my major and
about after the first year wewere doing I don't care and, you
know, out of ignorance Ithought you would be drawing and
sketching because I can draw.
So I was kind of not feelingthe way we were doing it.
(03:01):
So I had a friend who was inthe School of Technology.
He's like how about engineering?
So I had a friend who was inthe school of technology.
He's like, how aboutengineering?
So I grabbed a book we didn'thave, you know, internet at the
time and I grabbed a littlecatalog and scrolling through I
had two criteria make good moneyand help people in engineering
and I came across a brand newfield of study.
They had biomedical engineering, kind of.
Read up on it, I liked the factI never heard heard of it and I
(03:23):
didn't know how much money itmade.
I was 19, so I was like itsounded like something good and
I read about it.
And so doctors and nurses can'tdo their job without these
people and I put my finger onand chose it, and that's how I
came into the career, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
So look hey, man, that's amazing.
It's like I think I kid you not.
Everybody has a story of howthey came into the industry and
it's never the same.
So if you came in at 19, howmany years have you been in the
industry so far?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Oh man, I've been in the industry.
I want to say 24 years.
I'm a quick man.
I took a little break, I left,I was in the field, started in
98.
Pinched it off into somethingelse for a couple years and came
back.
I think about about 24 years,probably 24, 25.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
That's over half your life, man.
Yeah, yes, sir.
Now what would you say would beone of the most rewarding
moments in the 24 years you'vebeen so far, because you
probably got more coming.
But what would you say is oneof your most rewarding moments?
Speaker 2 (04:31):
For me.
I think everything always tiesback to it.
It's the mentoring and hiringaspect of it that's the most
rewarding when I was at one timean adjunct college professor at
a technical college and some ofthose students I was actually
able to hire.
And just knowing I was at onetime an adjunct college
professor at a technical collegeand some of those students I
was actually able to hire, andjust when I was making a
difference in people's lives by,you know, helping with
(04:51):
employment, and then someonecoming to me and looking at me
as a mentor, I think that wasthe most feeling.
And then, secondarily, I thinkthe most fulfilling moment is
during COVID, when I actuallysaw people's perspective change
about how they looked at us.
When we became we were alreadyimportant, but when, I think,
when people started seeing, youknow, how important we were to
(05:17):
the lifeblood of the healthcaresystem, that was really
fulfilling for me to see thatchange.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Yeah, man, covid, covid I still talk about COVID
to this day.
It's like it's that was amoment in time there.
Yes, now there's a lot with allthis staff shortages we have in
our industry right now realhealth care as a whole but and
you mentioned how you mentor andyou love to mentor well, well,
what advice would you givesomeone Cause a lot of people
(05:46):
might be listening, who might beoutside of your reach, but now
you can reach them what advicewould you give to someone who's
just starting out in the HTMindustry and they're looking to
make an impact, like you havedone so far?
What advice would you givesomeone?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Oh, wow.
I would advise them first ofall, to seek to be knowledgeable
in whichever part of the fieldthey're most interested in,
wherever they decide to,whatever area they decide, to
make their expertise be veryknowledgeable overall and then
especially in your domain ofexpertise.
Secondarily, I would advisethem to network.
(06:29):
That's so beneficial, so Ialways promote you have to
network, you have to meet people, you have to get out there.
I would advise them to seekmentorship.
Find someone they can look upto who's already doing and who's
already where they think theymight want to be.
Seek mentorship.
And then I would advise them toparticipate, meaning their
(06:52):
local organization, biomedSociety, htm Society, get
involved, go to the conferences,um, and and lastly, I would
advise them in some type of wayto brand themselves um, be a
(07:12):
walking brand for for HTM, asthey network.
That's right, man.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Cause.
Networking is a great, greatavenue because most biomed style
introverts by nature.
But yeah, they have to networkcause.
That helps a lot.
Yeah, now you mentioned COVIDhow you noticed that they
started looking at the HTMindustry differently.
Now I don't want to say fiveyears, let's just say maybe the
(07:35):
next few years.
What do you see may be thebiggest challenge facing us,
facing the HTM industry, besidesthe staffing issue?
We know that that's one.
What will be another challengeyou think we'll be facing the
industry today and how would youaddress it?
Speaker 2 (07:51):
the challenge yeah that's a good one.
This is something I'm workingon, um.
So the the challenge that I umforesee in the future is
actually related to our currentproblem of recruiting new people
to the field.
Um and and um getting theindustry out there right.
(08:13):
Um the shortage and so the.
The challenge that that ishappening now but it'll be more
so in the future, is that as thecurrent population of htm
veterans retire, they're takinga lot of knowledge with them.
So the problem I see happeningis the cross-generational
training.
Actually, today I went to a sitefor somebody who's getting
ready to retire a biomed three,all these years of experience,
(08:36):
and he's leaving Back-filling.
His position is going to betough and we didn't have an
understudy, a successor behindhim, and I think that's going to
cause a lapse, you know, in ourproductivity in the field,
setting up a system to wheresomebody can, where you identify
in advance the person that willbe next up, and then I know
(09:00):
it's kind of hard sometimes butwe have to find a way to, you
know, get that understudy, towork with that person and get
some of that extra knowledgethat you can only get from a
person in that position.
And then another part of it, Ithink, is in our onboarding
process.
I think, you know, we bringpeople on and we don't have a
real good system most of thetime of onboarding them with the
(09:20):
mindset of I'm going to, youknow, get up under the next
level person and learn, and thenI'm going to also be
responsible for teaching back,you know, so it can just flow
through step by step, um, andI'm still thinking about that,
um, how that works.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
But that's what were my mindset right now yeah,
because you're absolutely right,most likely when the b-med
three retire, even a b-med two.
Now, yeah, it's hard tobackfill it because it's a
challenge.
So yeah, most likely you'regonna come in with a one or you
might have to relocate it too,but then that's a challenge when
(09:55):
someone relocates are theygonna be able to adjust to the
culture they're moving into, youknow?
so that's a lot of challengesthere, but that's a good idea
though cross training and justhoping that BMED 3 would want to
.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
And that's why I say, with the like, with a BMED,
they might be so busy, theymight not want to do it, so we
have to, you know, structure itin a way to where, like, this is
understood this is part of thejob where you, you're BMED 3,
you have knowledge, so you it'skind of your job to help mentor
(10:31):
also, and I don't know exactlyhow to make that work, but it's
something that at least needs tobe addressed and attempted.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
I think one way that can happen that points directly
at the leader.
I mean, if you got the cultureof your barbershop already
working that way, it'll be likesecond nature because your team
is only as good as your weakestperson.
So if you put that mindset intoyour team, then they'll be
mentoring without even knowingthey're doing it.
Now, since we're talking aboutmentorship and leadership as a
(10:58):
leader, what type of strategiesdo you use to motivate your team
when you get into, like, atough situation?
I'm high on motivation and like, say, for instance, covid came
up.
What was one of the things youdid to motivate your team during
this pressure moment that wasgoing?
Speaker 2 (11:18):
on.
So mine is, I want to say,elementary, because I do the
same thing across the board inthe school system and at work
and I think it is leading byexample, being relational and,
for instance, on mine.
So my techs have to come towork during COVID Directors
managers we didn't have to, butI, because they were there, I
(11:39):
showed up Just so they can knowthat I'm there with them and
they have a leader who is notjust going to be in the
background looking at thecomputer and checking what they
do, but actually there andseeing how you know, offering my
assistance in whichever way Icould.
So I believe in being in aposition to be a support and
(12:02):
knowing that I can be leaned onand helping in every way that I
can, leaned on and helping inevery way that I can.
And that's the kind of way thatI, that's the way that I lead
is being very, being veryrelational with my, with my team
.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
That's awesome man.
Your team is blessed to havesomeone like that, because a lot
of leaders don't lead that way.
So now you mentioned you foundout about this industry at the
age of 19.
19.
Yes, sir, and so you came inreal young.
So now you mentioned you foundout about this industry at the
age of 19.
19.
Yes, sir, and so you came inreal young.
So it's not like not like youhad much life experience going
on, so obviously you had somementors in your life, who are
(12:37):
some of the key mentors that youwould say helped shape you into
the person you are today, or atleast gave you the idea of how
to approach each day.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
As as related to uh, htm or in general, both Okay,
okay so.
So, starting now, I'll be briefabout it.
Just, I had a mentor which isprobably why I'm here today as a
young buck, around 12 years oldat my church, a youth minister
(13:11):
who was real pivotal in my lifeand I kind of followed in his
footsteps and that's how youknow.
I know that mentoring helped me, so I want to be like him for
someone else.
So that's the first part.
So a quick background on that.
When I was 12, I was very bad atschool, used to fail and that
kind of stuff, and this guy camefrom.
I was in Fort Worth, texas.
He came from Alaska, justgraduated from Alaska, he went
(13:42):
to Howard University and then hegraduated from Howard and came
to the seminary in Fort Worth toget his master's degree, and so
he was the first person that Ihad met in my life from
somewhere else who was collegeeducated and so that got my
attention.
He was smart and he was cooland I wanted to be like him.
So that was my first influence.
And as far as in the industry,hey man, give him a shout out.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
man, who's your mentor?
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Stanley Williams, stanley Williams, stanley man.
I call him Stanley man.
Okay, he got the same birthdayand I still talk to him every
birthday.
I still call him Awesome, I'm abig brother.
There you go.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Now go back to your HTM mentor now.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
So HTM, and so that came later, because when I went
into it I just did my job and Ikind of choose people, so I
didn't have a real mentor earlyon, and so it's going to be
funny they're going to hear thisfor sure.
So later on, once I decidedthat I want to actually do more
in the industry, that I couldsee the potential and like, oh,
(14:36):
this can be something.
And it was actually.
I met these two people at an MDexpo in Dallas, probably 2016,
maybe 15, 16.
And that was Jewel Newell andDavid Broderick.
They probably don't know it,but meeting them and seeing how
they were operating kind ofinspired me and I could see the
(14:57):
different sides of it.
You know where this can be more.
And so at that one particularevent, when I first started
networking in the industry,those people I chose as my
mentors without asking them.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
I know you knew JC.
Yeah, I knew Jewel when Jewelwas a little bitty Jewel.
Went away for about 10 years,come back around.
I'm like man.
The whole world know who thiswoman is Right.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Yeah, so I threw her that's how I became an adjunct
professor because she was doingit now.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
We know this job.
As much as you love it, it hasits moments.
So how do you stay motivatedand, at the same time, continue
to grow, both professionally and, I'll say, personally, I mean.
I know you're a busy man, buthow do you stay motivated to
continue to do those things?
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Simple.
I'm a purpose driven person andI search for challenges and
look for opportunities.
You know, if I can't find them,I create it.
And so the answer to both ofthose questions is even how he
myself motivated to grow andhelp others.
It's all the same, I like tomove around, a lot I can get.
(16:14):
I'm the kind of person that canget bored with, you know, just
doing the same thing over andover, and so I choose not to
ever get bored, and so I have tomake things fun for myself, and
I'm a creative person, so I'malways looking for the
opportunities to.
You know, how can this improve,or how can I do something
different, or what's on thehorizon?
And so that's how I keep myself, you know, motivated in my day
(16:37):
to day and in this industry.
I see you like to run, man,yeah, I got to do it, you got to
stay busy.
Yes, sir, yes, sir, yes, sir.
Man, yeah, I got to do it, yougot to stay busy.
Yes, sir, yes, sir, yes, sirand that comes directly from
COVID Can't be sitting in thehouse.
I had to get outside.
Yeah, when everything was shutdown.
Oh, really, you know, because Iused to play basketball and you
know, just stay active.
The gyms are shut down and Iwas going stir crazy.
(16:57):
You know no social interactionand stuff like that.
So I got outside and startedrunning and loving it.
And then all the people thatwere outside that I knew were
some a run group.
I joined a run group and herewe go.
I didn't plan on running a halfmarathon when I started, but
you know congratulations I didthat one time, and that one time
(17:21):
only, I made it through.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
But I I was tell you this quick, funny story.
I was running when this ladyhad to be about 65 and she's
here on the back of her shirt.
I may be slow, but you behindme, yeah I zoomed past her man
I'm like man about two hourslater.
I'm walking, I'm walking, andthat's who came trotting by me.
(17:45):
I was saying little speech, yes, sir, and I read her shirt.
I said, wow, it hit me.
I said, yeah, you made me slow,but I am behind you and she
beat me too.
She had that slow, steady pace.
I thought I could just go outthere and just run.
I'm young.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
It sounded like the trailer on a hair.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
That's the message you got.
But, um, now let's think aboutyou mentioned you do a lot with
the community, and that'sawesome.
Now, how can man this is achallenge one here, because you
mentioned about how, um, youwould like for your senior
b-mans to maybe start areplacement or transition plan?
How can we better educate thenext generation about the
importance of HTM?
(18:33):
Because you could teach themhow to repair equipment, but how
can we go about educating themhow to know about the importance
of what we do?
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Wrestle with that a lot too.
I think I like to point toleadership, and I know it's not
exactly part of the jobdescription, but I think that
all of us that you know work inthis industry, love the industry
and care about it, have aresponsibility to promote it as
we go.
I think we're all out andactive and not all, but most of
(19:03):
us are out, active and doingthings and as you go, I think we
we should be mentioning it andand and letting people know what
we do um and trying to recruitum so that people, more people,
can know about it.
Uh, I think I just think that'spart of the calling.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Yes, sir, all right, If you could change one thing.
I know you mentioned duringCOVID that everyone gained a new
appreciation for what we do,but if you could change one
thing about the perception ofHTM, what would it be?
Speaker 2 (19:36):
I have to think more on that, but I think it's
changing now, because I used tohave this deal where I had a
goal for my team.
I used to tell my team that Ididn't want them to.
First of all, I didn't wantthem to look at themselves as
just the fix-it people, and Ididn't want the.
You know, I wanted to be viewedas a viable and important piece
of the puzzle in the healthcarenetwork, and so I used to
(19:59):
always try to teach them to likefirst of all, see yourself, see
, look at what you do and knowhow important it is, and also
don't let any like, let anybodyelse look at you like that.
So I wanted to people withinthe system as a whole not to
just see us as the fix it peoplethat come out of the basement
and grab something.
Could we do much?
So much more than that?
You know, you know everythingwe do.
So I just want to want to wantto want the whole scope of it to
(20:21):
be recognized, and so thatwould be the part that I would
think needs to be the perceptionthat I would like changed.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
That's time to lighten it up some here Okay.
What's one fun fact?
I know you mentioned running.
Yeah, that's something you liketo do, but what's a surprising
fact about yourself that mostpeople in the industry don't
know about you?
Most people in the industrydon't know about you.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Most people, most people in the industry, wouldn't
know that I got bars justjoking, but I used to own a
recording studio and I used todo music and I, you know,
performed in front of you know,crowds as big as 5,000, and you
know, on tour and travel, andyou know not not, let me not
make it sound too but you knowI'm touring and traveling.
(21:07):
You know not, not, let me notmake it sound too but you know
I've done a bunch of shows anddo poetry and things of that
nature.
So all of my stuff, as far ascreativity, started with music
before I did my afterschoolprogram and my books.
It started.
So I still feel like I'm makingmusic in a sense.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
So my creative outlets yes, what type of music
you did, man?
Speaker 2 (21:26):
I mean you said bars, but you're a rapper I was doing
what they were coined as asgospel rap, okay.
Okay, there was a recordingstudio.
I just recorded outside I knowhow to you know work to um the
on the workstation, the digitalaudio workstation, but we also
had an analog board too, so Idid the mixing and and
recordings.
I was a sound engineer oh, wow.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Now a couple, a couple years ago I did this
motivational piece and I calledit dear 1993 me, where I had a
conversation with my youngerself.
Now, if you can, what type,what piece of advice I'll say
would you give to your youngerself starting out in HTM?
If you can go back to that 19year old, what would you tell
(22:11):
your?
Tell him, oh man, starting outin the industry.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
So the advice I gave earlier, I would have told my,
my younger self to take itseriously, look towards the
future in the job network andpursue.
I'm a leader and I pursuedleadership earlier.
Yeah, for sure I kind of for agood period of time I was doing
(22:43):
I'm always busy so I was doingother endeavors and kind of just
doing a job.
So it wasn't until I actuallydecided that I was going to
leave the field because I, youknow, unfortunately and I feel
this is another part maybe Ishould say that we should fix I
don't know, it might not be thesame, just in the places I've
worked, you, you will go up theranks a little bit and then
(23:10):
you're kind of stuck untilsomebody retires or, you know,
passes and you can't getpromoted.
We don't have that many levels,you know, and I was kind of at a
position like, well, I'vereached the top outside of
management, and so I was seekingto, you know, do other things.
And it was at that time that Ikind of discovered, hey, there's
, I can, the field can beimproved and I can, I can do
some extra things, I can, I canmove forward, um, and I can make
(23:32):
it better the type on that onpart about somebody got to die
out for you advanced.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Now you just have to move.
Yeah, relocate I mean.
Unfortunately, you know thekind of work we do.
Yes, sir, if you don't probablydevelop dementia, you make it,
do it up in your 70s right, soyeah if you're waiting on
somebody to retire and they'reclose to your age, then you're
gonna be waiting, so the bestthing to do is to go where that
(23:58):
opportunity is at.
That's why.
That's why I'm where I am rightnow, exactly Now.
You touched on a part about youknow, you did your singing and
gospel rap, but you alsomentioned about books.
So you are published author.
How many times over?
(24:18):
Now?
Four books.
So what type of books are you?
What type of books you writeabout?
Speaker 2 (24:27):
So and so that.
So I'm a published author, butI'm about to be a real published
author, real soon this year,meaning I have a novel, oh okay,
which I'm very, you know,excited about.
So the first books I've I'vedone there was a activity
workbook, um, team STEAM, createsome characters.
I have another book I do afterschool programs and I noticed
(24:52):
that some of my classes likewell, they don't teach kids how
to write anymore.
So I did a writing book.
You know, just a basic, youknow tracing letters and things
of that nature.
I have another book HBCU career,college book to promote HBCUs
because I went to HBCU, andcollege book to promote HBCUs
because I went to HBCU and itwas helpful in my life and so I
know some other people need tobe exposed to it.
So the history of HBCUs and abunch of a real cool book.
(25:15):
I created that one.
And then I created a journalbecause I'm a journal.
So I created a what was how yousay it?
I want to say thought provokingmy mind not working correctly
right now, but writing prompts,a journal with writing prompts
and motivational.
I did 50 different quotes sothey have words of affirmation
(25:37):
on each day and morning andnight journaling session.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Yeah, so what's your favorite part about connecting
with young readers through yourbooks?
Because I noticed you talkabout after school and teaching
them how to write.
So what's your favorite part ofconnecting with young people?
Speaker 2 (26:00):
It's always the so when I'm there physically with
them, I'm outside, when parentssend me stuff, it's the aha
moments, seeing those eyes lightup, helping them to tap into
their creativity.
It's just when I see them getit, you know.
And also when a student.
(26:20):
Because I have a deal where Isay when they say, man, this is
hard, and I clap like yeah, it'shard.
When it's hard, it's anopportunity to get smarter, you
know.
So I have a deal where I saywhen they say, man, this is hard
, and I clap like, yeah, it'shard.
When it's hard, it's anopportunity to get smarter, you
know.
So I have this whole deal.
And when I see thatbreakthrough, when I do a coding
class, or even on the readingexercises, when they're
challenged, and then you knowthe kids, you know, oh, this is
hard and you know we workthrough it.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Yeah, it's hard to get they.
Oh, when they get to thatmoment, I love that.
Well, I can see the thelearning happening.
That's awesome, man.
I was on the internet today andI think sherelle, she um was at
the eye doctor and shementioned um, she's sherelle,
she does oh yeah, insider yeah,and so yes, she said she loved
when the light bulb comes on,when she tell them about the
industry.
But like I, told her for thatlight bulb to cut on and you'd
(27:10):
appreciate it meaning that lightbulb was cutting on inside you
the same way all the time.
That's why you, that's why youcan appreciate it when you see
that light bulb cut on insomeone else and that's a
calling.
That's that's what a callingpart comes in, because your
light bulb cut on.
Every morning when you wake upit's on.
And that's why you keepcreating, because it's
(27:31):
constantly cutting on, andthat's when that job becomes a
calling and everybody don't havethat.
So hopefully, listening to thispodcast, you can motivate them
to turn their light bulbs on,because we all have one we just
have to tap, we have to tap intoit turn their light bulbs on,
because we all have one.
We just have to tap.
We have to do it now, do youtell?
Speaker 2 (27:52):
young kids about the htm industry do you most?
Oh yeah, most definitely.
Yeah, it's so, as I saidearlier, as, as you go, you're
promoting and branding it right,and so a big piece of my deal
is, you know, um, what I do do,um, so I definitely.
I actually use the htm in thebox, sometimes from different
for different pieces of it.
(28:13):
Um, and then myself, as anexample, I have a whole little
video mock-up thing I do tointroduce myself, and that's the
big part of it, and I alwayscome back to it and then I um,
um, start at the, the piece ofequipment and what it does, so
they can kind of get a visualfor what it is and then take it
back to like now in thebackground, somebody works on
that and makes it happen, and Ican see the connection during
(28:35):
those times too.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
So, most definitely, so about how many years now,
you'll say, you've been talkingwith the young kids and doing
after school programs?
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Oh well, in after school programs.
Oh well, well.
And after school programs um.
Since 2011, that's 14 years wowso and so, in those 14 years,
how many kids you think you'vetouched?
oh, man, man, thousands,thousands and thousands.
Yeah, um, and I guess I have a.
(29:05):
I have some rough notes.
I need to really go back on itbecause I have this deal where
in the coding classes I didwhere I have that actual log of
signing in and that was over afew thousand in that piece of it
and so over the years, wow.
That's awesome Now it's beenthousands of students.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Thousands of kids and that makes people may hear that
and say man, that's got to be.
But just the fact you'rereaching out that thousand comes
real fast.
You know, it's not like youhave to go far to find a
thousand kids, like people maythink.
Not really easy to find athousand kids.
Now out thousand, let's justsay 14, 000.
(29:45):
I give you a thousand a year.
Can you share one story about achild or group of kids who are
positive, had a positive impactfrom your efforts?
Can you share one story?
oh, wow I have a few, well, yourfavorite, one, one or two.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
So okay, one of them and and, like you know, a lot of
times you're planting seedsright because you you get them
for a summer camp or you havethem for a semester, so you
don't know the end resultscompletely, but I do know.
One time one of my friends Ihave I need to go find a picture
, I have a picture of it I hadthese two young girls.
They were fifth graders andthey did not want to code, they
did not want to participate, andI pulled up Black Girls Code on
(30:30):
their computer and when theysaw it, the little girl said she
looked like me.
And I got a picture of themjust all of a sudden on the code
, because they saw an image ofsome little girls that were
doing it too, and that was oneof my breakthrough moments of
seeing.
Like you know, it's all aboutexposure and kids need to see it
sometimes.
Um, so that was one.
Whether they kept doing it ornot, I don't know, but I do know
(30:52):
at that moment you know they,they participated and for the
rest of the semester, that lightjust by seeing that moment,
that light bulb?
yes, sir.
Um, then I have.
Well, I have several studentsthat went on to college and
stuff like that.
But another one I'd like toshare, and this is not a kid,
it's an adult.
She my school program, shebecame one of my assistants and
(31:16):
she got so into it.
She decided to go to school andget her a tech degree,
associate's, and she's nowworking for an IT company and
doing very well, and so that,right, there is one of my
favorite stories.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Yes, sir, so she got influence indirectly.
Yes, sir.
Now what do you think kids needmost today?
And what would you think kidsneed most today?
And what would you think itwould be if you had to say,
because you know, everybodyalways say, the kids today are
different, but what do you thinkkids need the most today?
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Kids are different, but kids are the same as we were
when we were little.
They need attention, they needguidance, positive guidance, and
(32:20):
they need exposure to thepossibilities and they need
reassurance that they arecapable of doing those things,
that they get exposed to thoseextra things, because I think a
lot especially the kids that arein the urban schools and
different areas where I workit's just they don't know what
they can do because they onlysee the environment around them
a lot of times.
So they need some people whocare to come in and talk with
(32:43):
all that said mentorship andkind of point them in a certain
direction.
Hey, look over here.
You see that you know what youcan do.
That too, you know.
You can be that, you should.
You know experiment.
And part of my class is, youknow, my deal is dream, explore,
create, and you don't have totry to be something, but I just
want you to like think about andlook at things differently and
try stuff, things differentlyand try stuff.
(33:08):
You know, and that's kind ofwhat I go to the schools to do
is to help their dream you canhave, give them something to
explore and, you know, let themsee that they can create awesome
man.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Now I know you relocated, so do you plan on
expanding the work for kids?
Speaker 2 (33:22):
and most definitely yes, sir, sir, yeah, I'm already
mapping it out and I can't waitto, you know, expand my
territory, learn the you knowarea around here and get started
.
I'm going to start, of course,this semester.
Spring semester is the perfecttime for after school career
days and things of that nature.
(33:43):
And, yeah, rare days and thingsof that nature.
I'll get my after schoolprogramming restarted out here.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
How do you go about just starting an after school
program?
Is that something that takes alot of work?
That's just something you can'tjust.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
I guess it does, but it doesn't.
You have to be when you're acreative person.
Can I tell you how it started?
Speaker 1 (34:08):
Yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Okay, so I owned a recording studio.
After a while, you know, asthings started getting
digitalized, the studio was lessa big full-scale studio is not
needed as much right, becausekids can do things on their
computers.
And so it came a time I wasn'treally recording bands anymore.
It was people bringing me theirmessed up mixes and want me to
(34:31):
fix it, or coming with somebeats and rapping on top of it.
So it was no longer fun anymorebecause the creativity was
getting taken away from it.
And so I made a pivot becausepeople didn't know how to mix
and created a program that Icalled the Media Arts Program.
I put together this wholebrochure and all this kind of
stuff and I went to a highschool I didn't know after
school program existed and justsaid, hey, I have something that
(34:54):
I want to do after school forthe kids.
And I didn't know about thatschool program.
And they said do you have anappointment with the principal?
I said no, I just have this.
You know, I got this brochure.
I want to talk to him about it,and the after-school program
director just happened to be inthe office that day.
He took it and he's like man,this is what we need, and I was
at a high school.
They allowed me to build astudio, the kids to build a
(35:17):
studio from ground up and werecorded, wrote screenplays, put
on, you know, for the community, put on plays.
They performed they, you know,for the community to put on
plays.
They performed.
They did the lights, they didthe curtains and everything.
And so I think I went off trackbecause you were questioning.
But so for me, creating anafter school program happened,
you know, organically, I guessyou can say, except for me
(35:38):
taking the time to be crazyenough to create a program that
nobody asked for.
And after that I was in thedoor and so I just kept
expanding.
So I went from the media artsprogram to coding classes and
drone classes and things of thatnature.
So how do you create an afterschool program?
Have a vision, have a dream,really care about the kids and
(36:01):
go forth with it.
You know there's a need for it,and there's a need if you step
in if there's work to do.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
Tech Choice Awards.
Somebody I know is up forDirector Manager of the Year.
This award here is alsosponsored by NW Imaging, so how
do you feel about thatnomination?
Speaker 2 (36:29):
I mean, I feel I feel real good about the nomination.
It's always good to benominated and recognized for
your work and, uh, what's goodabout that is it comes from from
your peers, or from your, fromyour, your people, right, and so
they nominate you.
So there's always a I say a ablessing to be recognized in
(36:49):
that manner.
Well, congratulations on yournomination, man.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
I wish you nothing but the best.
Thank you, and Doug alwaysappreciate you, man, and if you
ever want to come on the showagain, you're welcome Anytime to
promote your book.
I'll be glad to assist any wayI can, and what you're doing
with the kids is dear to myheart because I'm the same way.
I like to reach out to theyoung ones.
They are our future and that'snot just a cliche.
(37:15):
That's a fact and what you'redoing is great and it's
appreciated.
My brother and I thank you forcoming on now.
I appreciate it.
Do you have any final words youwant to share with the HTM
industry in closing?
Speaker 2 (37:29):
oh man, this is the kind of stuff to freestyle.
I just want to say thateverything I said in the
interview but anybody listeningto this, I'm pretty sure you're
connected and you're in theindustry, and so I would just
like to leave a note that thelittle nugget that make sure as
(37:51):
you go you're promoting thefield, cause you never know who
you might touch and influence toto join us in advancing HTM.
That's my piece.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
Sir, appreciate you, man.
Thank you again for coming on,man.
You much appreciate it.
As we wrap up today's episodeof HTM on the line, I hope
you're walking away with morethan just knowledge.
I hope you're inspired.
Douglas Redwine has reminded usof the power of mentorship, the
(38:27):
importance of leadership and thenecessity of passing on the
torch in our field.
His story is proof that HTMisn't just a career.
It's a calling where passionand purpose intersect.
Htm industry.
(38:50):
Doug's advice to become awalking brand for HTM and to
promote the field wherever yougo is a challenge we all need to
embrace.
If we don't shine a light onwhat we do, who will?
And for anyone listening who'soutside our industry, let this
episode be your introduction tothe people behind the technology
that keeps healthcare alive.
(39:11):
We're more than fix-it people.
We're problem solvers,innovators and lifesavers.
Doug, thank you for sharingyour journey, your vision and
your wisdom.
The work you're doing toinspire the next generation and
elevate the HTM industry isnothing short of extraordinary
(39:33):
To all our listeners.
Remember this your impact isgreater than you realize and the
future of HTM depends on all ofus stepping up to lead, to
mentor and to innovate.
Thank you for tuning in and ifthis episode moved, you share it
with someone who needs to hearit.
(39:54):
Don't forget to subscribe formore inspiring stories and
conversations.
This is Brian Hawkins Srsigning off.
Until next time, stay motivated, stay committed and stay on the
line.
Y'all be safe out there.
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