Susheel Ladwa’s journey in healthcare technology is fueled by a singular mission: to improve patient care through innovative data solutions. His career began with Wipro, where he built and grew the company’s healthcare practice, driving it to $250 million in revenue. From there, Susheel took on roles at EDS and IBM, where he specialized in healthcare cloud solutions. It was during this time that he gained a deep understanding of the industry’s biggest challenge: data interoperability.
Recognizing the critical need for a platform to unify fragmented healthcare data, Susheel joined Onyx Health. There, he’s been instrumental in helping healthcare organizations adopt FHIR standards, enabling seamless data sharing and, ultimately, better patient outcomes. “The key to transforming healthcare is data,” Susheel explains, “and when you connect that data across systems, you unlock the potential for improved care.”
Beyond his executive roles, Susheel also chaired AHIP’s IT Workgroup, where he led discussions on how health plans could leverage IT to enhance care. This experience has shaped his work at Onyx, where the company has become a leader in CMS compliance and data interoperability, changing how health plans and providers exchange data for more efficient and effective care delivery.
Susheel’s time at Wipro, IBM, and HP helped define his leadership style. At Wipro, he was responsible for scaling the healthcare practice, which emphasized rapid growth and market adaptation. This taught him the value of building high-impact teams and setting ambitious goals. “It’s about assembling the right team and challenging them to push boundaries,” he says.
At HP (formerly EDS), Susheel worked closely with clients on large-scale healthcare transformation projects, focusing on a client-first approach. This client-centric mentality, combined with his strategic focus on using technology to solve critical healthcare challenges, particularly in interoperability, continues to drive his work today.
At IBM, where he led the healthcare and life sciences business for cloud applications, Susheel’s vision for healthcare data sharing through cloud technology took shape. His time there deepened his commitment to innovation—pushing boundaries, challenging the status quo, and transforming how healthcare can use data to improve patient care. That mindset continues to guide Susheel and the team at Onyx Health as they revolutionize healthcare data interoperability.
On a Mission to Revolutionize Healthcare
Susheel’s transition from large enterprises to entrepreneurship wasn’t just a career shift—it was a response to a pressing challenge he had seen firsthand in healthcare: the need for better data management and interoperability. After working at major companies like Wipro, HP, and IBM, Susheel had a clear view of both the potential and the limitations of healthcare technology within traditional corporate structures. In these roles, he saw how large, established companies, while innovative in some respects, struggled to quickly adapt to the rapidly evolving needs of the healthcare industry.
At IBM, where he focused on healthcare cloud applications, and at HP, where he worked directly with clients on healthcare transformation, Susheel recognized the critical importance of data interoperability for patient care. He knew the industry needed a more flexible, nimble approach—one that could tackle these complex problems head-on. This realization, paired with his experience at a Silicon Valley startup, gave him the confidence to make a bold move. He joined Onyx Health to create impactful solutions for healthcare organizations struggling with fragmented data.
At Onyx, Susheel is free to focus on a singular mission: to improve patient outcomes through seamless data sharing and to help organizations meet CMS interoperability standards. “The healthcare industry is in desperate need of innovation,” Susheel says, “and data interoperability is the key to unlocking better care.”
His leadership philosophy at Onyx revolves around empowering individuals and fostering a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation. “The harder the problem, the more fun it is to solve them,” he says with a smile. Susheel drives a 10x mindset, challenging his team to think beyond their comfort zones and take bold, strategic steps toward transforming healthcare. “Open communication and alignment around our goals are crucial. Everyone on the team understands how they impact our mission,” he adds.
At Onyx Health, the ultimate vision is clear: to make healthcare data accessible, actionable, and available at the right time to empower better decisions. “Our mission is to build the operating system for next-generation healthcare, leveraging FHIR standards to make data interoperable across the entire healthcare value chain,” Susheel explains.
Through OnyxOS, the world’s first FHIR-based operating system for healthcare, Onyx Health is setting a new standard for data accessibility. This platform not only enables seamless data exchange between providers, payers, and patients but also empowers organizations to meet regulatory requirements and improve the overall quality of care. And with a strategic partnership with Microsoft, Onyx Health has the global reach and technological edge necessary to #DISRUPTHEALTHCARE.
Overcoming Healthcare’s Data Challenges
One of the biggest hurdles in healthcare data interoperability is managing the complexity of outdated data formats and legacy systems. Many organizations still rely on systems that aren’t designed for seamless data exchange. Transitioning to FHIR involves overcoming technical, regulatory, and operational challenges—especially for organizations that have been using legacy systems for years.
At Onyx Health, the solution lies in making FHIR adoption as simple as possible. Their platform, OnyxOS, was built with the goal of integrating seamlessly into existing systems. This makes it easier for healthcare organizations to adopt new standards without overhauling their entire infrastructure. And as regulatory requirements like CMS-9115 and CMS-0057 evolve, OnyxOS includes built-in compliance features to help organizations stay ahead without the need for extensive custom development.
OnyxOS stands apart as the world’s first FHIR-based operating system, designed to provide out-of-the-box solutions to tackle interoperability challenges at scale. “Instead of reinventing the wheel, we provide a comprehensive platform that addresses multiple needs all at once,” Susheel explains. This turnkey solution allows healthcare organizations to achieve interoperability quickly, without requiring time-consuming custom builds.
Key differentiators of OnyxOS include:
Pre-Built Business Solutions: OnyxOS comes with ready-to-use solutions like Patient Access, Payer-to-Payer Data Transfer, Prior Authorization, Good Faith Estimates, and a Digital Insurance Card. These features address essential interoperability requirements, helping organizations implement them rapidly and with minimal complexity.
Comprehensive FHIR Capabilities: OnyxOS handles data transformations, consent management, and API enablement, providing a complete solution for seamless data exchange across payers, providers, and patients.
Future-Proof Design: OnyxOS includes built-in updates for compliance with evolving regulations like CMS-9115 and CMS-0057, ensuring that organizations don’t have to continuously redevelop their systems.
Ease of Integration and Scalability: The platform is designed to integrate smoothly with existing healthcare systems, reducing disruption while supporting a wide range of use cases, making it adaptable as the healthcare landscape evolves.
With OnyxOS, healthcare organizations can quickly build a connected, data-driven ecosystem that’s ready for the future.
Onyx Health’s Vision for the Future of Healthcare Data
Looking ahead, Susheel Ladwa has a clear vision for Onyx Health: to lead the way in FHIR-based interoperability and to set a new global standard for healthcare data exchange. “Our mission is simple: we want to make healthcare data accessible, actionable, and available across the entire care continuum,” he says. For Susheel, the future of healthcare is a world where providers, payers, and patients have the right information at the right time to make informed decisions and improve health outcomes.
In the next five years, Susheel envisions:
Global Adoption of OnyxOS: Susheel aims for OnyxOS to become the foundational platform for healthcare organizations worldwide, simplifying compliance and enabling seamless, FHIR-enabled interoperability across systems.
Catalyzing Innovation in Patient Care: By breaking down barriers to data integration, Onyx Health hopes to help healthcare organizations leverage real-time insights for better care coordination, personalized treatment, and improved patient outcomes.
Creating a Truly Connected Healthcare Ecosystem: The goal is to facilitate a data-driven, interoperable ecosystem where information flows securely across the healthcare system, reducing costs, improving efficiencies, and transforming patient experiences.
Through these objectives, Onyx Health is positioning itself to play a key role in shaping the future of healthcare, where data-driven decisions lead to better health outcomes for all.
Leadership Through Simplicity and Impact
Susheel has always believed in the power of concise wisdom. He often draws inspiration from timeless texts like the Bible and the Gita, where the most profound lessons are conveyed in short, impactful passages. “The brain is tuned to comprehend and retain short, impactful text,” Susheel says, emphasizing the clarity that comes from simplicity. This belief in the power of brevity shapes how he leads at Onyx Health, where clear communication is key to solving complex problems and driving transformation in healthcare.
For Susheel, writing quotes and reflections isn’t just a personal passion—it’s a tool that sharpens his ability to lead. It helps him communicate complex ideas with focus, inspire his team, and keep everyone aligned with Onyx Health’s mission to revolutionize healthcare. “Getting straight to the heart of the message makes the greatest impact,” he says.
His leadership is built on a foundation of core values that guide every decision. Impact is at the heart of everything Susheel does. “Our goal is to change patient outcomes and improve healthcare efficiency,” he explains. Every move at Onyx Health is driven by the vision of making healthcare better for the long term.
Integrity is another cornerstone of his approach. For Susheel, transparency and accountability create the trust needed to navigate the healthcare industry’s toughest challenges. “It’s the trust within our team and with clients that enables us to tackle the hard problems,” he notes.
Above all, Susheel’s leadership is defined by persistence. Healthcare transformation is a marathon, not a sprint, and he’s relentless in pushing Onyx Health toward its mission. “You have to keep going, no matter the obstacles,” he says.
And then there’s innovation. “Healthcare doesn’t stand still, and neither can we,” Susheel believes. By fostering creativity and challenging the status quo, he encourages his team to come up with solutions that push boundaries and improve care. The result is a team always striving to make healthcare more connected and accessible.
Advice for Aspiring Leaders in Healthcare Technology
For those hoping to make a mark in healthcare technology, Susheel offers straightforward advice: focus on impact, work hard, and be relentless. “Healthcare is one of the toughest fields out there,” he says, “and solving big problems takes dedication and perseverance.”
He emphasizes that, above all, the end goal should always be improving patient care. “Every piece of technology should be driven by the question: How does this improve patient outcomes?” Susheel stresses that keeping patients at the heart of your work is the key to making a meaningful difference.
Healthcare challenges are never easy, but Susheel believes the road to solutions is paved with persistence. “Be ready to put in the effort, and keep pushing forward,” he advises. The bigger the challenge, the more important it is to stay relentless in pursuit of a solution.
Adapting to change is another crucial trait. The healthcare landscape is constantly shifting, and leaders must be able to evolve with it. “Embrace change, stay curious, and treat every challenge as a chance to innovate,” Susheel says. For him, adaptability is what keeps you ahead in an ever-evolving industry.
Finally, Susheel believes that leadership in healthcare is about building trust through integrity and collaboration. “Trust is everything in healthcare,” he says. By fostering open, honest communication and working together with your team and clients, you can drive real, meaningful change. In his view, leadership is not just about making decisions—it’s about making those decisions with others, in pursuit of a common goal.
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