Congratulations to 40 Under 40 Winner: Adam Russell, VP, Strategy & Partnerships, Healthy.io
Get To Know Adam:
- Age (as of 12/31/23): 35
- Hometown: Chicago, IL
- Alma Matter:
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- University of Bristol
- Yrs Experience in Healthcare: >10
Why is this candidate a good fit for 40 under 40?
When it comes to recognizing professionals in the healthcare industry who are making a significant contribution to organizational success, I can’t think of anyone better than Adam. Adam serves as the Vice President for Strategy and Partnerships at Healthy.io, an organization that has turned the smartphone camera into a clinical-grade medical device. In this unique, customer-facing executive role, Adam is required to leverage his strategic expertise with his consumer-centric vision to drive organizational growth while managing relationships across the entire organization and beyond. In the strategy half of his role, Adam leads global strategy for the organization, directing the C-Suite, providing timely and relevant advice to the Board and pursuing sales enablement and new growth opportunities. Through his proactive strategic and tactical leadership, healthy.io continues to accelerate its growth, meeting key medium and long-term milestones across the globe. His leadership in driving investor activities led to health.io recently closing an additional $50M in Series D funding, providing a significant future cash runway and allowing the organization to continue to scale at speed. As the partnership lead for Healthy.io in the U.S. Adam is charged with establishing strategic partnerships across payers, provider systems, nonprofits and other entities that support individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Through the development of unique business models, his refinement of the healthy.io value proposition, and his collaborative “win-win” mindset, Adam has established opportunities in new and adjacent lines of business, particularly among Commercial Fully Insured, ASO, Hypertension, and Pharma. These partnerships, allied with those established with key payers and provider systems, are providing increased access to healthcare, overcoming health inequities, and improving health outcomes for Americans through the identification, engagement and management of CKD.
Explain this candidate’s professional accomplishments
Prior to joining Healthy.io Adam was the Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships and Development at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) where he led BCBS systemwide partnerships with consumer tech companies and early/growth stage healthcare entities to drive innovation and market differentiation. Since joining healthy.io in April 2022 Adam’s industry knowledge, network, understanding, and experience of how healthcare innovation can be impactful, has allowed healthy.io to build trusting relationships with several large payers and strategic partners. His partnership with Blue Cross of Idaho (BCI) in 2022 was healthy.io’s first commercial partnership in the USA. Through this multi year collaboration, BCI employees and Medicare Advantage members have an effortless way to test for signs of kidney damage, with instant clinical-grade results that are shared directly with their primary care physicians. By forging this partnership, Adam helped increase access to a key medical device in a region where access to healthcare is extremely limited. BCI saw a 60% increase in telehealth services used during the pandemic and almost 40% of Idaho’s rural residents’ physicians are at least 25 miles away from them. Adam also worked with BCI to ensure appropriate positioning relative to the plan’s strategic priorities and leadership positions within its local communities. This partnership-within-a-partnership made the kidney disease test even more accessible, by meeting people where they are in their own hometowns. It will also further improve the leadership positions of the plan to improve the health of the communities in which they operate. Since that initial program was established, Adam has developed several additional strategic partnerships with payers, pharma companies, provider systems, and CKD management solutions. This represents scalable growth for the company and driving improved healthcare outcomes across people at-risk for CKD. These include: o Boehringer Ingelheim – Unique collaboration launching programs with payers and providers to support CKD testing and awareness. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/boehringer-healthyio-team-home-testing-chronic-kidney-disease o National Kidney Foundation – National partnership and awareness campaign called “Are You the 33%?”. Americans can now take a one-minute quiz to see if they are at a higher risk for kidney disease and receive a complimentary Healhty.io kit through the mail to test for kidney damage. https://hitconsultant.net/2023/03/09/national-kidney-foundation-healthy-io-partner/ o CKD Management Solutions (Reset, others confidential) – Programs launched to help both identify CKD and improve kidney health engagement across at-risk and diagnosed populations who are otherwise unengaged in their kidney management. https://www.medicaldevice-network.com/news/reset-smartphone-based-kidney-testing/ o ACOs (name confidential) – Partnerships developed and programs launched with ACO groups to support providers in value based care relationships better identify and manage their patients with CKD. Adam’s contributions to Healthy.io have been essential to promoting a culture of innovation and transformation. From transforming the company’s image from a device vendor into an equal industry partner, to innovating new ways to tell our story, Adam leads by example and continues to accelerate organizational success.
How does the candidate show commitment to the industry and bettering their professional career?
Throughout his career, Adam has committed himself to not only the betterment of his career, or the healthcare industry, but to the benefit of society as a whole. During his extensive tenure at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Adam led the development and execution of strategic partnerships and transformational opportunities that aligned to the priorities of the Blue Cross Blue Shield system. These partnerships paired consumer tech and early/growth stage healthcare entities to drive innovation and create positive impact while presenting opportunities for market differentiation. At healthy.io, Adam continues to lead from the forefront of healthcare technology and innovation. Leading global strategy and the development of partnerships across payors, provider systems, non-profit, digital healthcare and other entities that support individuals with or at-risk of Chronic Kidney Disease, Adam plays a critical role in bringing positive care outcomes to those who need it most. As part of the leadership team, Adam is instrumental in the development of junior talent within the organization. Operating as a mentor, sounding board and professional coach, Adam is committed to developing the careers of those around him, sharing expertise and advice as well as access to his networks on a regular basis. This invaluable opportunity has led to a number of healthy.io employees developing new relationships, creating alliances and building partnerships across multiple areas within the healthcare industry. The impact of these introductions and connections cannot be overstated.
