Navigating Complex Hospital Systems

Azamat Ussenov (MEM ‘19) is like a traffic officer standing in the middle of a critical medical intersection.  

From one direction comes the injured or ill patients – often many at one time – who want to feel better and return home as quickly as possible.  

From another direction comes the medical staff – often stretched very thin – whose job it is to provide quality treatment to those patients.  

And from still another direction comes the hospital administration, who often have to juggle the need for great medical care with the financial realities presented by the American healthcare system. 

As a senior systems engineer for patient throughput at Northwestern Medicine, Ussenov's job is to ensure smooth flow when the three groups intersect.  

“The systems engineering role acts as the linchpin for ensuring that complex systems are not just a collection of well-functioning parts, but a harmonized unit that achieves its objectives efficiently and effectively,” Ussenov said. “What adds a profound layer of fulfillment to my work is knowing that my contributions have a tangible impact on the patient journey.”  

Specifically, that means creating the right systems to reduce wait times while ensuring patients receive the appropriate level of care in the right part of the hospital from a properly staffed medical team.  

And yes, achieving that can be as difficult as it sounds, Ussenov said. He credits Northwestern's Masters of Engineering Management (MEM) program with giving him the tools to succeed.  

“MEM has been integral to my work at Northwestern Medicine,” he said. “The hard skills I developed have been key in optimizing patient flow and operational efficiencies. Equally valuable have been the soft skills. The program enriched my leadership capabilities and honed my negotiation techniques, which have been crucial in facilitating inter-departmental collaborations.”  

Ussenov joined Northwestern Medicine in June 2020 as a systems engineer, before getting promoted into his senior role this February. His average day involves monitoring, interpreting and communicating the stories told by a wealth of data, including real-time metrics on patients’ journey through the hospital system.  

The mission is to find bottlenecks in that journey that can be alleviated by changing a variable in one of the hospital’s systems without causing any unintended negative consequences somewhere else.  

“The ultimate goal is to create an optimized environment where resources are used most efficiently, without compromising on the quality of care provided,” he said. “There is a high demand for professionals who can adapt, optimize, and lead in an ever-changing landscape.”  

Because of how the MEM program turned him into exactly that kind of professional, Ussenov strongly recommends the program to prospective students. He said the experience is much better for those who take advantage of the program’s extracurriculars, including research initiatives offered by faculty.  

While the work is serious, Ussenov reminds students to enjoy the experience along the way. 

“Don't forget to have fun. Learning is a journey, and while it can be intense, it's also incredibly rewarding,” he said. “Embrace the whole experience, both academically and socially. It will not only make you a better engineer but a more rounded individual as well.”