Professional Role and Current Position
Laura Kohlhagen currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Altera Digital Health since April 2023. She previously held the role of Director of Sunrise Solution Specialists at Altera from May 2022 to May 2023. Her tenure at Altera began in 2015 as a physician consultant, evolving into leadership roles focused on clinical product development, workflow optimization, sales support, and client relationship management.
Professional Background and Expertise
Dr. Kohlhagen is a physician IT executive with extensive experience within the Electronic Health Record (EHR) industry, particularly regarding product development, clinical workflow analysis, and sales support for hospitals and health systems. Her expertise spans:
- EHR product and workflow/content development, especially within the Sunrise™ EHR platform, a leading inpatient EHR system recognized as the Black Book top inpatient EHR software solution for hospitals over the past five years.
- Clinical workflow optimization: She provides clinical expertise during implementation and ongoing workflow improvement for client hospitals.
- Sales and client engagement: Leads clinical subject matter expert teams supporting sales presentations and solution education targeting hospitals ranging from 25 to over 1,000 beds.
- Quality improvement and patient safety: Actively promotes healthcare delivery transformation via technology, emphasizing care coordination, connectivity, and data exchange.
- Healthcare informatics and change management: Applies Lean Healthcare principles and process improvement strategies.
Her role includes fostering new client relationships and educating healthcare executives and clinician users on leveraging technology effectively to improve clinical outcomes and operational efficiency.
Clinical and Consulting Experience
Before joining Altera, Dr. Kohlhagen held several significant roles including:
- Physician Director at Allscripts (Apr 2019 – May 2022): Led clinical subject matter experts globally, focused on product content and provider-driven workflow integration in Sunrise EHR, supporting sales and client engagements.
- Physician Executive Consultant (Independent) (2013–2019): Provided clinical workflow design, billing and staffing analysis, and physician mentorship in non-clinical healthcare IT roles.
- Clinical Quality Physician Integration Director at Voalte, Inc. (Apr – Jun 2014): Executive physician consultant for product line development and alarm management integration across hospitals.
- Vice President, Provider Solutions at QI Path (Jun 2012 – Mar 2014): Enterprise risk management consulting focused on process-driven risk analysis related to patient safety.
- Attending Physician, OB/GYN at Preferred Women’s Healthcare (2008 – 2011): Practiced clinical obstetrics and gynecology, managed surgical teams, and contributed to departmental quality improvement initiatives.
- Resident Physician, OB/GYN at Rush University Medical Center (2004 – 2008): Provided inpatient, outpatient, and surgical care; recognized with teaching and clinical skills awards.
Education and Credentials
- MBA, Healthcare — University of Tennessee-Knoxville, College of Business Administration (2011)
- Doctor of Medicine (MD) — Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center (2000–2004)
- Bachelor of Science, Clinical Laboratory Science — Illinois State University (1996–2000)
Dr. Kohlhagen holds a Georgia State Medical License and is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt.
Professional Associations
She is a member of several professional organizations critical to healthcare and health IT, including:
- American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)
- American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
- Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)
Thought Leadership and Publications
Dr. Kohlhagen is a recognized thought leader on integrating AI and technology solutions into EHRs to improve usability and patient care. She has authored influential articles and white papers such as:
- Physician Communication: 3 Key Elements to Secure Texting (Voalte, 2014) – White paper on secure, HIPAA-compliant clinical communication.
- Numerous articles advocating for flexible, AI-embedded EHRs to reduce physician burden and improve care coordination.
- Contributions on building patient trust through technology, interoperability, and mental health support for nurses using AI.
- Participated as a speaker and panelist at industry conferences, including HIMSS 2025.
She maintains a significant digital presence with over 1,000 followers on LinkedIn where she frequently discusses healthcare technology innovation and clinical informatics.
Key Strengths and Relevant Insights
- Combines deep clinical experience as an obstetrician/gynecologist with advanced expertise in healthcare IT and EHR systems.
- Proven track record in bridging clinical and IT domains, ensuring product development aligns with provider workflows and care delivery realities.
- Extensive experience leading multidisciplinary teams to optimize product solutions and sales enablement for complex hospital environments.
- Strategic focus on AI integration, interoperability, and usability improvements in EHRs positions her as a critical influencer in healthcare IT adoption.
- Actively involved in quality improvement, patient safety initiatives, and healthcare process optimization, which aligns with technology investments aimed at these goals.
- Strong communicator and educator with previous C-level engagement experience, supporting executive decision-making on healthcare IT purchases and implementations.
This profile identifies Dr. Laura Kohlhagen as a senior clinical and technology executive with significant expertise in EHR product strategy, clinical workflow design, and healthcare technology adoption. Her combined clinical acumen, leadership experience, and thought leadership in AI-enabled health IT make her a pivotal figure in driving Altera Digital Health’s product innovation and market engagement.
