#9 Leading Practitioner Interview: Nelson Alfonso

For our 9th Leading Practitioner interview, we are delighted to introduce you to Nelson Alfonso, CITP LFEDIP FBCS, who leads the Data Platform team at Every Cure

1.Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your career journey so far. 

I've always been passionate about the idea that technology can transform different industry, especially healthcare. I started my journey as a consultant, slowly transition to a role in the Healthtech industry permanently. Currently, I am leading the Data Platform at Every Cure. Before this, I was a Lead Software Architect at Circadia Health, focusing particularly on strategic initiatives to improving patient data storage, management, quality, and regulatory compliance. All foundational for safe and effective healthcare innovation. 

2. What is one thing you wish you had known when you began your career? 

I used to believe that career progression would be a straight, upward line if I just worked hard enough. I wish I'd understood earlier that growth often happens in cycles: sometimes sideways, sometimes slow, and sometimes with unexpected leaps. 

3. What advice would you give to someone who wants to advance in the profession? 

Stay up to date with the latest trends, stay connected, and build a diverse and inclusive network. Most importantly, stay humble. Technology evolves quickly, but Healthtech demands a deeper, more thoughtful pace of change, and it thrives on input from people with a wide range of backgrounds and skillsets. Advancing in this field isn’t just about technical innovation; it’s about empathy, ethics, and collaboration. 

4. What are the best resources that have helped you along the way? 

One of the best resources that has helped me is a strong, diverse network of people from different backgrounds and levels of experience. Connecting with others who bring different perspectives has challenged my thinking and accelerated my growth. The British Computer Society (BCS) has been especially valuable—it’s given me a platform to network with professionals who are all working toward similar goals in advancing technology responsibly and inclusively. 

5. What is the one common myth about your profession or field that you want to debunk? 

That “AI will solve everything automatically.” One of the biggest myths in Healthtech is the belief that AI can replace human decision-making or operate flawlessly on its own. AI systems require careful design, rigorous testing, and, most importantly, “human judgment”. They often hallucinate or produce misleading results, and without proper evaluation and oversight, they can pose serious risks, especially in healthcare settings. 

6. What do you think is going to have the biggest impact on health in the next 5 years? 

I think we’ll see a major shift in Healthtech through AI-driven diagnostics and personalised treatment plans based on individual genetics, lifestyle, and biomarkers. As data is becoming more diverse and inclusive, we're moving away from "one-size-fits-all" medicine toward treatments tailored to each person's biology. 

7. How do you continue to learn in order to stay on top of things within your role? 

I make learning part of my daily routine, whether it’s studying updates to standards like FHIR, experimenting with new cloud-native architectures, attending webinars, or simply staying active in professional communities like the BCS and FEDIP. Mentoring others has also been a huge source of learning and reflection for me. 

8. What do you think is the biggest challenge for the profession and how should we overcome it? 

The diversity and inclusion of health data and systems remain one of the biggest challenges in Healthtech. Much of today's health data is skewed toward demographics that are easier to access or already overrepresented, which limits the effectiveness and fairness of digital health solutions. To overcome this, we need stronger incentives and clearer policies that prioritise true demographic representation, not just gathering more data from the groups we already have. Building equitable systems from the ground up will be key to unlocking the full potential of digital health and ensuring it benefits everyone. 

9. What job did you think you’d be doing when you were at school? 

I always thought I’d become a doctor. In some ways, I still feel very connected to that original goal — helping people live healthier lives, just through a different kind of toolkit. 

Nelson Alfonso CITP LFEDIP FBCS leads the Data Platform team at Every Cure and is a digital Leader with a passion for Health Tech innovation.