Bay Area health care transportation CEO wins North Bay Influential Women Award
Early in her career, Kim Petty established a consultancy that led her to the Cleveland Clinic and collaboration with Dr. Bridget Duffy. Together they established the nation’s first hospital office of patient experience. They went on to found Experia Health, where they were able to research and build a technology platform to help ease people’s health care journeys.
Petty joined Royal Ambulance, where she delved deeper into the intersection of patient engagement, health care transportation and social health determinants. This background prepared her to become CEO of Onward, offering a transportation solution for health care companies — including ride-shares with trained companion drivers providing extra help to seniors, disabled adults and low acuity patients in need of minor physical assistance.
Is there a major accomplishment you would like to share?
Developing relationships has resulted in camaraderie from former teammates and colleagues who made introductions, connections and offered unwavering support.
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in your career?
Challenging conventional thinking around what truly drives peoples’ health. It’s becoming clear to the health care industry that social factors, such as access to transportation, play a significant role in determining more than 80% of health outcomes. To make a meaningful impact, we must shift mindsets and allocate sufficient resources accordingly.
What advice do you have for young professionals entering your profession?
Surround yourself with people smarter than you — those with a different kind of smart. Having a diversity of thought, backgrounds, beliefs and strengths at the table is a critical recipe for success.
What have you learned about your leadership and how will it change the way you lead going forward?
It’s important to me to ensure that I create an inclusive environment where diverse voices are heard and valued. By embracing diverse perspectives and challenging our own biases, I believe we can unlock innovative solutions and have a greater impact with the work we are doing at Onward.
