Meet Laura Miller: Founder & CEO of TempDev

It all started back in 2006. Laura Miller, the founder and current CEO of TempDev, began her career as a NextGen Application Specialist at Mills Peninsula Medical Group. After spending countless hours working with doctors and listening to patient feedback, Laura realized that, while it was a solid EHR, NextGen’s greatest asset was its ability for customization. The need for custom, quality NextGen development was becoming readily apparent. Laura saw the untapped potential and knew she had both the skill and the vision to execute. So, on July 7, 2007, TempDev was born. That first year was a whirlwind, filled with long days and long nights, but knowing that she was solving the needs of her clients and thereby enabling them to make a difference in their patients’ lives was all the confirmation that Laura needed that she had made the right decision to start TempDev. 

Today, TempDev is just as thriving as it ever was – and Laura Miller is very much at the heart of it all. Her understanding of the front-end and back-end of NextGen is unparalleled. Often described by her team – and pretty much anyone else that knows her – as the smartest person in the room, Laura has an uncanny ability to see beyond system limitations to find a workable solution for anything that comes her way. It is often said that people “think outside the box” when proposing solutions. Laura takes that to the n^th degree. With a strong technical background as a skilled computer engineer, no request is insurmountable to her. Plus, she loves a good old-fashioned challenge. Laura Miller can and will do everything in her power to make sure a system works exactly the way it needs to work.

Every now and then, someone will ask Laura: “What is the secret to your success? To TempDev’s success?” The answer is always the same – her team. Laura has worked very hard to build the right team. She has a knack for seeing the potential in various technical and business situations, but she can also see it in people. As such, Laura strives to hire the best and brightest, often seeing talent that they have yet to see in themselves. She places a high value on diversity because different lived experiences provide different vantagepoints and that is always useful when crafting solutions and working with others. 

TempDev’s unique office culture is also something that contributes to its success. Laura is very invested in fostering a work environment that enables both professional and personal growth. Her hope is that people will stay on as long as they want. She endeavors to promote from within, and she provides ample opportunities for upward mobility. The proof is in the pudding because longevity is a thing at TempDev. Most of the management team has been with the company for over eight years. Ask anyone on her team why they stay on, they will all say it is because they have such a great time working on the most random, most challenging yet rewarding projects – and an even better time working together. It is fitting, though unsurprising, that the TempDev team motto is: Work hard, play hard.

A true leader in every sense of the word, Laura Miller is as hands-on at TempDev as one can get, and she always makes time for her team. She, of course, has regular meetings and does regular check-ins but she goes above and beyond that. The bond with her team is so strong, they feel like they can go to her for anything. No matter if it is something work-related or if it is a personal matter – they know Laura will jump right in to help in any way she can. She is a fantastic listener and a strong shoulder to lean on in trying times. If she can improve a situation for anyone on her team, Laura will do it without hesitation.

As busy as she is running TempDev – and she is incredibly busy – Laura takes that same hands-on approach and extends that same level of empathy to all her clients, big and small. Whether it is troubleshooting a label printer or outlining the next steps to improve revenue, Laura will help resolve the issue no matter what it may be. She knows first-hand how grueling it can be to run and be a part of a thriving healthcare organization. Improving workflows and allowing organizations to focus more on patients while reducing system overhead is ultimately what drives her.  

Laura is not a typical engineer. While Laura has always loved technology and has always excelled in all things STEM, healthcare is in her blood. Raised by a nurse and a biostatistician, she grew up spending time in hospitals while visiting her mom and pouring over data points with father. Her job in high school was working on clinical trials at Washington University in St. Louis. Also, it was the 1990s, so computers were becoming ubiquitous and Laura had a fondness for them. By the time she was ready for college, choosing a degree in computer engineering seemed like the perfect choice. Laura received her Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She was the only woman in her major to graduate that year. 

Outside of work, Laura likes to spend time with her amazing family trying out all the newest and best dessert places – donuts are a fan favorite – in their current hometown of Miami, FL. She is an art fanatic who loves art so much that when she is not working she will most likely be found at local art museums, galleries, or fairs. Contemporary art is her absolute favorite, and her favorite artist is Roldán Lauzán Eiras, who is known for his ability to capture that special essence that all women embody. Given its synchronicity with the art world, Laura is also a fashionista – and, boy, is her closet is killer. Her closet and fashion collection are so legendary there is a running joke at TempDev about who gets to live in her closet (as mentioned above, the TempDev has a unique culture). She is also an avid wine collector – anything white or sparkling, particularly anything from Grgich Hills or Domaine Carneros in Napa Valley – and could moonlight as a sommelier if she wanted.

Laura has recently been on a few Podcasts discussing leadership and running a business:

• The Executive Edge - Building an online business that works

• Leadership Junkies Podcast - Leading Through the New Reality of Remote Work

• eChannelNews - Why Companies Should Still Use Work-from-Home Model Post-Pandemic

Recent interviews with Laura Miller:

• Curbside Consult with Dr Jayne at HISTalk and Laura Miller

• 7 Reasons Working From Home Might Be Here to Stay

• Remote Work: The Right Choice for Many Women and Families Beyond the COVID-19 Era

If you are interested in working with Laura Miller or any of our consultants at TempDev on your next NextGen EPM & EHR initiative, contact us.