With over seven years of experience as a corporate and health care attorney in New York City, Steven Okoye provides guidance to his clients on managing both legal and regulatory issues and challenges associated with their businesses. His areas of expertise include health care compliance, corporate governance and risk management. As a Deputy General Counsel for EHE Health, Mr. Okoye has been able to develop and implement internal operating systems that create accountability and better operational efficiencies throughout all of the company’s departments.
Can you tell us about your background and what inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
Since early in my education I have been interested in the relationship between law, business, and public health. Early in my education, I began to realize how law impacts the operation of healthcare companies and how effective, compliant systems can improve the quality of care provided to patients. Following the completion of my Bachelor’s Degree from Temple University, I earned my Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School, which provided me with a strong analytical base and an understanding of the ethical aspects of healthcare law.
What was the pivotal “aha” moment that defined your leadership or business approach?
While working on a cross-divisional compliance project, we found that multiple different contract management systems were causing inefficiency. Rather than repairing these systems, I spearheaded the development of a new centralized system to allow for real time collaboration and tracking. While a technology advancement, it represented a cultural change towards transparency and accountability. This experience reinforced for me that leadership is providing individuals with a clear path to be successful through clarity and structure.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced, and how did you overcome those to achieve success?
Change is continuous in the area of healthcare law. Regulations are frequently revised and each decision will have both legal and ethical implications. In the beginning of my career, I had to learn to strike the right balance between being cautious when advising clients on compliance and encouraging innovative approaches. To accomplish this, I focused on maintaining open lines of communication. I regularly align the goals of compliance with the goals of business to enable the teams I work with to recognize that compliance does not create barriers to growth; compliance creates a framework to support sustainable growth.
How has your leadership or innovation impacted the community and/or industry?
One of the projects I’m proudest of is the contract management system we developed and implemented at EHE Health. It enhanced efficiency and accountability throughout the organization, reduced the time required to approve contracts and increased the ability of the compliance department to monitor and track compliance issues. Additionally, it created a connection between the legal team and the operational teams. Because the process became more transparent, the legal team transitioned from being viewed as a hindrance to being seen as a collaborative partner. That transformation has created long-term positive changes in how the company approaches strategy and governance.
Can you describe a specific project or initiative that you led that exemplifies your innovation and leadership?
Recently, I led a multi-phase examination of the company’s internal policies to confirm that the company remained in compliance with both federal and state healthcare regulations. This involved collaboration with senior leadership, the IT department and the compliance department. We not only updated the current policies and procedures, but we also developed new risk management processes that met the evolving expectations of the industry. The result was a more resilient and adaptable compliance structure that can evolve as regulations do.
What advice would you provide to aspiring entrepreneurs or leaders wanting to make a name for themselves in your industry?
See legal compliance as a mechanism to facilitate innovation, and not a restriction to it. Whether you are establishing a new healthcare company or overseeing a corporate entity, integrity and structure are the foundations of sustained growth. Surround yourself with people that will question your thinking, yet share your vision. And lastly, remember that leadership is not about having the answer; leadership is about creating structures and environments where others can find the answers.
Conclusion
Steven Okoye’s contributions demonstrate the ability of thoughtful leadership and legal talent to help create strong organizations and support their respective industries. Through his professional career development, Okoye consistently demonstrated an ongoing commitment to ethical governing practices, operational excellence and building relationships and synergies between legal and business processes in his organization. Okoye demonstrates that by effectively combining compliance and innovation; the most effective solutions will result when developed from systems that are grounded in mutual trust and accountability. Executives like Steven Okoye illustrate the importance of integrity as well as innovation, in creating positive changes in ever evolving healthcare and corporate environments.
To learn more about Steven Okoye, you can visit his personal website.
