Kosha Thakore, MD, MS, CSPO
Dr. Kosha Thakore, MD, MS, CSPO, is a seasoned healthcare informatics leader and the Lead EPIC EMR Implementation Specialist at NYU Langone Health. With a decade of experience in clinical informatics, she has dedicated her career to optimizing healthcare systems, streamlining clinical workflows, and integrating technology in ways that enhance patient care. Kosha’s expertise spans EPIC EMR system implementation, clinical workflow optimization, and leveraging healthcare technology to improve operational efficiency across multi-specialty practices.
After earning her MD from Windsor University School of Medicine in St. Kitts, Kosha initially trained as a physician but pivoted to healthcare informatics to address patient care challenges in a broader capacity. She later earned her master’s degree from Walden University, where she was inducted into the Golden Key International Honor Society. Her career began in clinical research coordination, where she earned the Research Coordinator of the Month award in 2014, before transitioning to EMR implementation roles. Over her 10 years at NYU Langone Health, she advanced from Senior Clinical EMR Implementation Specialist to her current lead role, collaborating closely with physicians, nurse practitioners, and clinical staff to optimize EMR adoption and workflow integration.
Beyond her professional achievements, Kosha is a passionate advocate for healthcare access and global health initiatives. She actively supports Doctors Without Borders and has volunteered on medical missions internationally. Guided by values of compassionate patient care, integrity, and advocacy, she mentors emerging professionals, emphasizing the importance of speaking up and using one’s voice. Kosha continues to innovate at the intersection of healthcare and technology, ensuring that systems enhance rather than replace human-centered care.
• Doctor of Medicine
• MS
• Certified Scrum Product Owner
• Windsor University School of Medicine – Doctor of Medicine (MD), Medicine
• Walden University – Master’s Degree (MS), Healthcare/Related Field
• Golden Key International Honor Society Induction
• Research Coordinator of the Month
• HIMSS
• Doctors Without Borders
• International Health Alliance
• Cancer Center Research Volunteer, NYC Health + Hospitals
• Regular donor/supporter of Doctors Without Borders
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the key people I've had in my life, especially my maternal grandfather, Bansy Pandya. He was probably the biggest influence and support in my life. He always encouraged me, and even when I had a bad day or didn't do well at something, he never let those circumstances discourage me or come in my way. As far as people who inspired me professionally, I've always been very fond of Princess Diana and Mother Teresa. I think because of their work in healthcare, that's what drove me to pursue this line of work in the first place.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was to not compare my journey with someone else's. There was a time when I felt like I was kind of behind because when I graduated from medical school, my dad was sick and I had to take a detour. I didn't decide to practice medicine in the traditional sense and instead chose to do healthcare informatics work that was still patient care related. I felt like I went to school for all these years and did all of that, but ended up feeling a little bit behind. But the lesson I learned is to never compare your journey to someone else's because we're all exactly where we need to be in our current state.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say that your voice matters, even if you're just still becoming. That's a lesson I learned myself because when I was younger, a lot of people said I was so shy and I've been more on the quieter side. But the older I'm getting, I realize that our voice does matter, whether you're a guy or a girl, but especially for women. Sometimes, especially when you grow up in different cultures, a woman is taught to be more timid and not say things or not speak up. But it's very important that we do speak up and use our voice.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think one of the biggest challenges right now is the influence of artificial intelligence. It's kind of taking over, and a lot of people fear it, especially in the healthcare industry. People are asking, what happened to bedside manner? What happened to talking to the patient? Now there's a lot of focus on documentation and all these robots and technology. That is one of the challenges, but the way I kind of spearhead it is to not think of AI as taking over. Bedside manner still matters, but there's a way that we can incorporate technology to reach more individuals.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Compassionate patient care, speaking up (especially for women), and practicing self-care are the values I hold most important. I strive to ensure that technology and healthcare practices align with these principles every day.