Prerak Parikh, Pharm.D. | 2024 Emerging Leaders in Healthcare

Prerak Parikh, Pharm.D.

I am originally from India and moved to the United States at the age of 18 to pursue a career in pharmacy. While in pharmacy school, my mentor, Pranav Patel, introduced me to managed care pharmacy, and that led me to undertake an internship at a local health plan. I graduated from the University of Toledo with a Pharm.D. degree, driven by a profound commitment to effecting positive change within the healthcare industry. 

As director, specialty clinical solutions at Prime, I use my extensive clinical expertise and business acumen in specialty drug management. I play an important role in shaping the medical drug strategy for health plan clients. Previously, I worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, where I specialized in Part B drug management, implementing cost-saving initiatives tailored for Medicare Advantage plans.

Please describe a turning point in your career — an event, a eureka moment, an encounter or a salient piece of advice from someone.

During my third year of pharmacy school, I deliberated whether to pursue a pharmacy residency. At that time, I was not a U.S. citizen and had only a one-year visa to secure employment post graduation. My academic adviser and mentor, Steven Martin, emphasized the critical role a residency would play in achieving my career aspirations. His pivotal advice, “Pursue your ideal career path, and life will align to make it happen,” resonated deeply with me. I completed a one-year residency that served as a perfect gateway into managed care pharmacy, propelling me to where I am today.

What are your top two priorities as a leader in your organization and healthcare?

Patient care stands as my foremost priority, both as a pharmacist and a leader. I consistently place patients at the heart of every decision and action, aligning closely with Prime Therapeutics’ principle to provide the same care we would want for our loved ones.

Positivity is contagious, so my priority is to create and maintain an optimistic environment where new ideas foster and meaningful solutions develop. As a coordinator for the specialty-focused Prime Therapeutics residency program, I mentor, train and coach the (next-generation) managed care pharmacy leaders.

If you could change one thing about U.S. healthcare, what would it be?

Ensuring equitable healthcare access for all is paramount. If I were to advocate for a single improvement, it would involve dismantling barriers to healthcare through improving health literacy and expanding healthcare accessibility in rural regions.

Name a book or article that everyone working in healthcare should read.

I would highly recommend “Brain Rules” by John Medina. It presents 12 principles rooted in neuroscience, offering insights into how factors like exercise, sleep, stress and attention affect our cognitive abilities and daily performance. The book emphasizes the importance of aligning our lifestyles with our brain’s natural processes to enhance productivity, learning and overall well-being.

Overall, the practical lessons from this book can enhance both patient care and professional practice in healthcare settings.

How do you strike the right work-life balance?

There is no such thing as perfect work-life balance. Work is an important part of our livesparticularly with increasing “work from home” type arrangements. I try to bring my 100% to work every day, and when I am finished working, I equally commit to allocating my full attention to nonwork aspects such as family, hobbies and leisure activities. This approach allows me to achieve harmony and fulfillment in life.

If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

I would love to go to dinner with Mark Cuban. I find great inspiration in his journey of self-creation and unwavering focus on achieving his goals against all odds. It’s amazing how he spread his wings into all sectors: technology, sports, television and his latest venture in health care. It would be great to gain firsthand perspectives on leadership, innovation, resilience and seizing opportunities in the business world.