Caregiver Spotlight

PHP Caregiver Spotlight: Jatin Gandhi, PharmD

13 October 2023

As a Senior Clinical Pharmacist working in the Medication Therapy Management (MTM) Program at Providence Health Plan (PHP), Jatin Gandhi, PharmD, works hard to improve and optimize the health of individual members. Aside from the MTM program, Jatin supports PHP’s Care Management department in completing post-hospitalization medication reviews with members, with the goal of preventing hospital readmissions. Jatin also hosts a rotation for fourth-year pharmacy students and pharmacy residents who aim to expand their knowledge of MTM and managed care.

Jatin began his 10-year career working in a retail pharmacy, where he primarily worked dispensing and counseling on medications for the patients in the community. "While I loved working in the community setting, I've found a different level of purpose working with PHP," he says. "I love being able to provide greater, and more impactful patient-centered care and serve as a preceptor to future pharmacists in the field."

In the PHP pharmacy department, Jatin says it's easiest to think of the work as split into two groups — First, population-based services and second, member-based services, including prior authorization review and MTM. "My work in MTM allows me to connect with our members one-on-one to discuss their medications and chronic conditions on the phone," he says. "This is where my work truly helps members understand all aspects of their medications, like what benefits and side effects to expect and if their therapy is the most cost-effective based on their health status and formulary."

Jatin works closely with PHP members and their families to ensure they see the best therapeutic outcomes from their medications. He also educates members on their medications, Medicare Part D, and overall treatment plans.

Rules and regulations from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can be complex, but Jatin says one of his favorite parts of the job is helping patients understand the complicated details surrounding their coverage. "By understanding our member's needs and coordinating care with the Care Management Department after a medication review, I'm able to connect with our members on a personal level while simultaneously providing care, and hopefully 'easing their way,’" he says.

Since graduating in 2013, Jatin has spent most of his career with Providence Health Plan (PHP). Part of that reason, he says, is because of the MTM team he has worked with in the organization. "I've been blessed to work with a close-knit team of pharmacists, technicians, managers, and other caregivers," he says. "It's the team that keeps me here. I like to bring lightness and humor to work, so to me, it's a big bonus that the entire team can have fun together."

Outside his job, Jatin finds joy in parenting his two young kids with his wife, with whom he just celebrated ten years of marriage. "One thing I've appreciated about working at PHP is the priority they put on caregivers and their families," he says. "It takes away so much anxiety as a parent to know that you can be there for your kids when they need you, and your organization will support a culture that puts its people first."