Podcast

Engaging in partnerships can lead to much more profound and widespread change.

In this episode, Judith Kulich, Managing Principal - Patient Health & Equity and Americas West Region at ZS, shares valuable insights and perspectives on the topic of health equity partnerships in the healthcare industry. Judith delves into the expanding focus of healthcare organizations to address broader drivers of health beyond genetics and medical care, and how they are adapting to address social determinants of health. She discusses the importance of partnerships in tackling health equity, providing examples of successful collaborations between healthcare organizations, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders. The conversation also delves into the challenges and key strategies for forging effective health equity partnerships, along with the essential elements to ensure the success and replicability of these partnerships. Throughout the interview, Judith emphasizes the importance of collaboration and the collective effort required to drive change in health equity.

Stay tuned as we uncover the thoughtful approach to health equity and the innovative strategies shaping the future of healthcare.

About Judith Kulich:

Judith serves as ZS’s lead for patient health and equity, focused on partnering with clients across the healthcare industry to drive meaningful progress in health equity. She is also an elected member of ZS’s Shareholders’ Council where she serves as the environmental, social and governance (ESG) program chair.

Judith has spent much of her 20-plus years in the healthcare industry focused on drug development and bringing medicines to market globally. In recent years she has expanded her work into healthcare payers and providers, bringing sectors together around a common aim of addressing both disparities in care and global health inequities. She has led industry collaborations and ZS’s investments and actively contributed to global health equity partnerships.

Judith established and ran ZS’s pipeline and launch strategy practice area and led ZS’s firm-wide practice council. Internally, she led ZS’s San Francisco office and was one of the founders of Women@ZS and our philanthropic arm, ZS Cares, both of which she is still actively involved in today.

Judith holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.S. in industrial engineering and operations research from the University of California, Berkeley.

Things You’ll Learn:

• There is a growing appetite for collaboration in the healthcare industry, with a myriad of partners eager to expand the impact they can have on health equity. 
• Building trust, humility, and compliance considerations are essential components in forging effective health equity partnerships. 
• Despite challenges, organizations can navigate and overcome the barriers, leading to productive and impactful collaborations.
• When it comes to successful initiatives, the focus should be on replicability rather than scaling. 
• By recognizing what works well in one partnership and employing a "lift and shift" approach, organizations can leverage proven strategies and experiences to reach diverse patient communities effectively.

Resources:

• Connect with and follow Judith Kulich on LinkedIn.
• Follow ZS on LinkedIn.
• Visit the ZS website here.