RIYADH: Raheeq Al-Harbi achieved almost perfect grades in her high school exams. In Saudi Arabia, that usually means a career in medicine.
Today, however, her career journey, running nearly a decade in the digital healthcare industry, is hugely successful, and did not include going to medical school.
Though excited by the prospect of a medical career in her early years, Al-Harbi did not refuse to become a doctor with her family.
“They were scared about the long night movements at the hospital and essentially taking up my life,” she said. “So I thought okay, I’ll follow my older sister’s lead and follow software engineering instead.”
In fact, Al-Harbi went on to earn a BA in information technology (IT) from King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh. She fell in love with analytics and software engineering the day she attended her first speech.
A fresh start
After graduating, Al-Harbi briefly worked at a local bank, supporting the back office of IT finance.
“I worked in the finance department, which was a key part of the bank. Although it was very challenging, I was still able to prove myself, ”she said.
“But I could say that working in finance wasn’t a job for me – 8am to 5pm in a cube, with the computer only to keep me company. Yes, I love software engineering, but I also love interacting with real people, solving problems together. More importantly, I wanted to use my skills to improve the quality of life of those in need. ”
So Al-Harbi decided to bring her IT knowledge to the healthcare field and entered King Fahad Medical City (KFMC), one of the largest medical and research centers in Saudi Arabia. . “I remember the first day after I got the job, I thought, this is me, I belong here,” she said.
Ironically, her family ‘s concerns about spending her time in hospital arose. “I lived there practically, from morning until late at night. At one time, I even slept in the ER because I was working on an important project setting up an ER system, ”she said.
“Despite the sleepless nights, however, I was happy and passionate to work with my team on something meaningful. You can see the impact of our work on the people – the patients we served. It was a great joy. ”
Over the next few years, Al-Harbi has won several awards, including KFMC’s Saudi Healthcare Innovation Award for designing patient pathways to reduce population in various sectors.
That year, not only was she the youngest person to be considered for such an award, but she was also the only woman to receive one.
At the time, she had another problem because her job had earned her a scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in the USA.
She enjoyed her job so much that she did not want to leave it behind, and as an effective multitasker, she continued to work while studying part-time, earning her MBA from University Prince Sultan.
‘Wings for flight’
Shortly after receiving her MBA, GE Healthcare approached her and jumped at the chance.
“It was one of the best decisions I ever made. GE has given me the wings to fly, so to speak, ”she said.
“I am grateful for the opportunities GE has provided for both my professional and personal growth – from project management to forecasting, from analytical-only duties all the way to the commercial world.”
Today, Al-Harbi is a senior solutions architect with GE Digital, responsible for the business aspects of consumer solutions.
This means she is highly experienced in understanding customer needs and pain points, and is fully equipped to design solutions that deliver the best business results.
“What I love about my job is that I’m always looking for new ideas to find solutions to problems. Each project is like a jigsaw puzzle that needs to be solved, ”she said.
“This is the beauty of our work – no two days are as they used to be. We strive to be innovative and challenge the status quo in all circumstances, and each customer has its own challenges and opportunities. ”
While at GE Digital, she has supported a major digital transformation project of the Saudi Ministry of Health’s electronic medical records, as well as the highly regarded Mawid patient recruitment app.
In particular, she developed a patient travel plan for ministerial hospitals called the “Golden Package.”
This initiative has been implemented in ministerial hospitals across the UK, and is considered the standard to be followed.
Perks and challenges
Al-Harbi has attended many international conferences throughout her career, and has participated in a number of panel discussions, including the 2018 Arab Women’s Forum of Chief Executive on Empowering Women who are entrepreneurs in the Middle East.
She spoke about the key role that women play in empowering businesses and consumer knowledge, as well as women’s careers in science, technology, engineering and math, and beyond.
Looking back on her career so far, Al-Harbi’s most important piece of advice for young Saudi women is: “Invest in yourself – this is the best return on investment you can get. never. ”
She also places great emphasis on being real and real to yourself. “Be true. Present yourself as you really are, ”she said.
“With today’s social media platforms and everything remote and meaningful, we sometimes find reality and care. ”
That even extends to a person’s job title. “What does it really mean? ”She asked. “Find a vision in which you truly believe, and apply your skills and gifts to help advance that vision.”
Finally, “don’t answer at all,” she said. “Go above and beyond the call of duty, and give 110 percent. ”