November 2023 Diplomat Spotlight - Shalini Hede, PharmD
How did you become involved in AMCP?
I became involved in AMCP while in my P2 year in Pharmacy School at the University of Illinois-Chicago. I joined the very first student chapter of AMCP 26 years ago at UIC where I had the opportunity to participate in the Annual P&T student competition for two years. We didn’t win first place, but I have been a loyal member of AMCP since!
What interested you the most about managed care and ultimately led you to pursue a career in managed care pharmacy?
I have always been interested in the pragmatic application of pharmacy, specifically in deciding when to pay for costly pharmaceuticals versus their clinical benefit. In pharmacy school, we were taught about safety and efficacy of drugs. In the real world, there is even more that needs to be considered when thinking of the overall value, including real world patient outcomes and effectiveness, amongst other factors. The perspective of the therapeutic benefit of drugs versus the financial/affordability aspect has always fascinated me.
What was your first job or position in managed care?
At Eli Lilly and Co, I worked in the B2B Market Access group. It was here that I had my first exposure to Managed Care Customers including payers, employer groups, Chains & Wholesalers, and other key business accounts. In my role, I was responsible for presenting above-brand interventions that would provide value to these payer customers (eg. tools that would support their quality improvement (QI) initiatives for payers to meet NCQA accreditation). Many of the tools I presented focused on education to payers, providers and patients on prevention and maintenance in Diabetes and in Women’s Health.
What does a typical day or week look like in your current role?
At Genetech, I am currently a Medical Executive Director and in this role, similar to other industry roles I’ve had over the last two decades, no two days are alike! A typical week may look like meeting with managed care customers advocating for Access to essential medicines. This could involve discussion on pipeline compounds, the value proposition of a recently approved drug, the latest cost effectiveness or health outcomes data for a molecule. In my role, I also meet with population health experts at academic medical centers to discuss potential opportunities for collaboration, including diversity, equity and inclusion or HEOR-type research partnerships. For personal development, I prioritize time for coaching/development for myself, and for others. I do this my committing time to meet monthly with two new people in a different area of the company. Last but not least, in any given week I’m also engaging in several internal meetings, project discussions, administrative tasks, and responding to tons of emails!
What type of interactions have you had with your AMCP student chapter or school of pharmacy?
I have been a Diplomat for Temple University School of Pharmacy since 2012 and have had the honor to present to Temple pharmacy students on different career paths for pharmacists in Managed care as well as in the pharmaceutical industry. I’ve also participated in roundtable discussions and career fairs at Temple School of Pharmacy. One of the opportunities I have been grateful for is presenting lectures on Health Economics and Outcomes Research and Real World Evidence 101 as part of an elective course for PG-3Y students.
Words of advice?
Follow your passion and don’t try to be anyone but your authentic self! If you’re not sure what your passion is yet, that’s okay. Know what motivates you and gets you excited. Look for clues in the everyday things that you do that truly make you happy and you will see patterns coming through. Once you figure out what drives you, talk to others about career opportunities that match up with your interests and passions. Never stop being curious or ever stop networking. You will end up where you’re mean to be.
