Executive Interview: How Costa Rica Could Solve Healthcare IT's Staffing Crisis with Scott Gildea

Why It Matters

By shifting routine IT workloads to a cost‑effective, English‑proficient talent pool, U.S. health systems can reduce overhead, accelerate digital transformation, and mitigate the staffing crisis that threatens patient‑care delivery.

Key Takeaways

• Optimum invests in Costa Rica to tap abundant IT talent.
• Geographic and time-zone alignment eases US healthcare support.
• Full‑suite EHR services, including Epic, now possible offshore.
• Career‑path program trains Costa Rican graduates for healthcare IT roles.
• Selective outsourcing delivers cost savings while maintaining service quality.

Summary

Optimum Healthcare IT announced a major expansion of its managed‑services operation into Costa Rica, positioning the Central American nation as a new hub to alleviate the chronic staffing shortage plaguing U.S. healthcare IT departments.

The company cites Costa Rica’s growing pool of STEM‑trained professionals, the presence of multinational tech investors such as ServiceNow, Workday and Amazon, and a time‑zone overlap with the United States as key advantages. Those factors enable Optimum to deliver a full suite of electronic health‑record support—including Epic, a capability that many offshore providers lack—while driving down labor costs.

Gildea highlighted a “crawl‑walk‑run” outsourcing model that lets clients incrementally shift routine “run” functions to the Costa Rican team, preserving internal capacity for innovation. He also referenced Optimum’s six‑year‑old career‑path program, a 16‑week curriculum that certifies local graduates on major EHR platforms, turning academic talent into deployment‑ready analysts.

For healthcare organizations, the move promises predictable ROI, greater operational flexibility, and a politically stable alternative to traditional low‑cost destinations. If successful, Costa Rica could become a template for other U.S. firms seeking secure, high‑skill offshore support without compromising data‑privacy or service quality.

Original Description

February 23, 2026: Scott Gildea, EVP of Global Delivery at Optimum Healthcare IT, reveals why major healthcare organizations are turning to Costa Rica for managed services. With Epic support now approved, time zone alignment with the US, and massive investments from ServiceNow, Workday, and Amazon creating a skilled talent pool, Costa Rica offers the full-suite IT services healthcare desperately needs. Gildea explains Optimum's strategic expansion, their innovative Career Path training program, and how CIOs can selectively outsource everything from security to EHR support while maintaining quality and reducing costs.

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Key Points:

01:41 Optimum Healthcare's Costa Rica Initiative

03:59 Selective Outsourcing Strategies

07:39 Optimum's Career Path Program

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