Sheila O’Donnell to Retire, Leaves Legacy of Key Achievements at HTS

Sheila O’Donnell has been instrumental in Crothall’s Health Technology Systems (HTS) tripling its revenues since 2016. HTS now manages over one million medical devices and clinical technologies in more than 200 U.S. hospitals. 

As Senior Vice President of the Technical Resource Group, she oversaw HTS’s operations, including information technology, cybersecurity, supply chain management, technology assessment, procurement, and quality & compliance. Her contributions extended beyond these responsibilities—championing significant technology investments, representing HTS to customers, leading client presentations, and representing Crothall in key industry organizations. 

“Sheila is the ultimate professional and has been incredibly supportive of the Sales Team, helping us drive year-over-year growth,” says National Vice President of Sales Brooke Fairbanks. “I can always count on Sheila for advice and strategy, and she’s been an essential part of almost every new sales opportunity.” 

A Distinguished Career in Healthcare Technology 

Set to retire on March 31, Sheila is concluding a 40+-year career with 30 years in healthcare technology. Her journey began after graduating from James Madison University.  One of her early positions was as a senior buyer for the University of Virginia’s Replacement Hospital Project managing the procurement of all movable medical and imaging equipment for UVA’s new Level III trauma center. 

“The challenging task drew me in, and I was hooked,” she recalls. 

Before joining Crothall in 2016, Sheila spent 15 years at General Electric in progressive roles including as a general manager for its $260 million southeast zone imaging business and later for general manager of national imaging installation services. 

Key Achievements at HTS 

After transitioning to Crothall, Sheila recognized customers’ demand for continuous quality improvement in medical equipment repair and servicing. She pushed for significant investments to position Crothall as an industry leader. 

In spring 2018, she proposed obtaining ISO 13485:2016 certification—an international standard for quality and safety. HTS achieved this in June 2019, making Crothall one of the first Independent Service Organizations to do so. 

“From the moment Sheila joined our team, she’s been a strategic thinker who has advanced our technology and programs, solidifying our position as a center for excellence in information technology,” said Division President Jim Cheek. “This achievement set a benchmark that our competitors subsequently adopted, establishing it as an industry standard.” 

“Sheila has never shied away from lofty goals and she recognized that ISO 13485 QMS certification would be a game changer,” says Richard Eliason, Sr. Director of Compliance for HTS. “It has instilled a quality culture throughout HTS, an accomplishment we can attribute to Sheila’s long-term vision.” 

Technological Transformation 

Sheila led HTS’ technology upgrade in 2021 with teamCHAMPS, a cloud-based Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) powered by Nuvolo. This platform, now available at all Crothall HTS-served hospitals, provides clients with comprehensive data analytics. 

“When we activated our CMMS, we significantly advanced our client support by providing the timely data they need to understand the entire life cycle of their medical equipment,” Sheila explains. 

Sheila’s contributions extend further still. They include addressing cybersecurity threats by forming a strategic partnership with Asimily, streamlining procurement through an automated digital system, advocating for industry issues as Crothall’s representative on the Alliance for Quality Medical Device Servicing, and mentoring many employees, especially young women in management roles. 

Looking Ahead 

In retirement, Sheila plans to spend time with her three grandchildren and continue serving on the AAMI Foundation board of directors. She may consider working as an industry consultant after the summer. She leaves the company having fulfilled numerous goals and is satisfied that she’s helped position HTS for future success. 

“Under Jim’s leadership, we’ve made the right investments in technology, people, and training. There’s an amazing team in place with a phenomenal growth plan. It’s been wonderful to be part of the dynamic changes at HTS over the past decade. I’m proud to have been a part of it.”