When COVID got tough, the tough got going.

That included Stefanie Giddens of Kelowna, who played an integral role in providing Canadian doctors with no-charge virtual care software as the pandemic forced many medical appointments online.

For her efforts, Giddens has been named to the top 25 Women Leaders in Healthcare Software by Healthcare Technology Report, the online portal for healthcare tech news.

Giddens is the senior director of marketing and product management at Kelowna-based QHR Technologies, where her job is to build the high-performing teams that develop software for interactive healthcare solutions.

When COVID hit last year and healthcare was stretched to its limits, QHR offered it Madeo virtual care software for free to Canadian doctors.

As virtual appointments became the norm for non-emergencies, demand for more of QHR's software surged.

The company responded with Accuro Engage, a new suite of virtual care software to make healthcare delivery safer and more convenient during a pandemic for both doctor and patient.

Giddens leads the teams responsible for helping doctors adapt to the software and product launches, management, messaging, branding and positioning.

"She is a very deserving recipient who has demonstrated leadership of high-performance teams, especially through transitional times like COVID-19," said Richelle Ferguson, senior marketing manager at QHR.

In recognizing the 25 top women in North America, the Healthcare Technology Report touted their leadership, filling a healthcare tech niche and helping their companies grow.