Today, many companies offer fun perks like ping pong tables, free snacks, or casual dress days to attract employees. While these perks make the workplace feel nice, there’s something more important, especially in healthcare, where what we do can save lives.

That is something called product culture. It means that all those involved in creating products, like apps or software for hospitals, care about what they’re making. It’s not just about enjoying their jobs; it’s about making a real impact.

Company culture is important for making the workplace a nice place, but in healthcare, where new ideas can save lives, we need more than just a happy environment. We need a focus on the product—a culture where teams don’t just build things but solve real problems and make a lasting difference. That’s what product culture is all about.

What is Product Culture?

Product culture isn’t just about how you make things. It’s about the values and ways of working and guiding your product team, the core of your company's offerings. The team must know and care about why they’re building something. They’re not just working—they’re focused on creating things that help.

Healthcare is complicated, and the challenges are bigger than in many other industries. Even a small improvement in a product can make a big difference for patients. Product culture is so important in healthcare—it can help change lives.

Why Product Culture Matters in Healthcare

1. Believing in the Why

In healthcare, building software means saving lives, improving care, and helping doctors and nurses. When the team understands the purpose, they’ll go beyond the basics and develop new ideas.

2. Freedom to Fix

We make sure the team knows the problems our products are solving. Whether it’s helping hospitals or giving doctors better software, the team understands their work matters. It’s not just about deadlines—it’s about making a difference.

Believing in the "why" helps the team stay motivated, even when things get hard. They don’t see their work as just another chore. Instead, they see it as a chance to fix real problems in healthcare. When you believe in what you’re doing, the results are always better.

When there are too many rules, creativity and new ideas can’t develop. Healthcare problems are challenging and can’t always be fixed in a normal 9-5 schedule. That’s why teams need the freedom to try new approaches, make changes, and decide without a rigid schedule.

At our company, we focus on giving our team freedom. We don’t only focus on getting results, we let them take chances, make mistakes, and learn. The best products are built through trial and improvement, not from being perfect at first. By giving the team space to explore and solve problems in new ways, we allow for even more creative ideas.

This kind of culture makes the team feel like they own their work. When they have the freedom to make changes, they don’t just follow orders—they take charge and come up with their ideas. They feel responsible for the product's success, and that helps everyone do better.

3. Solving Real Problems

In healthcare, we always need new ideas, but it’s not just about making the next ideal software. It’s about solving real problems. Product culture keeps the focus on fixing these issues. Whether we’re making patient care better, helping doctors, or making health info easier to find, the goal is to create solutions that truly help people.

One benefit of a strong product culture is that the team can tackle real problems and work together on solutions. This is where great ideas come to life. Instead of just creating features that look good or meet a marketing goal, the team makes solutions that help people in the most important ways.

For us, this means working closely with doctors, patients, and hospital staff to understand their problems. We make sure to be part of their world and use what we learn to help create our products. With a strong product culture, our team isn’t working alone—they are connected to the people who will use their work, and that makes a big difference.

Creating Impactful Solutions Through Product Culture

In healthcare, having a product culture isn’t just a bonus—it’s really important. It helps create real change and new ideas. It allows the team to feel ownership over their work, tackle real problems, and believe in what they’re building. In healthcare, where lives are at stake, this culture is a must-have.

Fun things like ping-pong tables and casual Fridays won’t make the big changes healthcare needs. Change comes from a culture that cares about the product, helps teams believe in their work, and focuses on solving big challenges.

By developing a product culture, you’re not just upgrading the workplace—you’re also making better products and helping everyone in healthcare. That’s much more significant than a game of ping-pong.

What do you think about product culture compared to company culture? Let’s talk about it in the comments!