Brianna Oddi, Pharm.D.| 2026 MHE Emerging Leaders in Healthcare

I was born and raised in Pittsburgh and earned my Pharm.D. degree from Duquesne University. During pharmacy school, I gained broad exposure to multiple areas of pharmacy, with a particular interest in the pharmacy supply chain and business practices.

An early and formative influence in my career was a five-week advanced pharmacy practice experiences rotation at PANTHERx in 2021, where I worked closely with both the clinical and operations teams. What stood out most was the shared passion for patient care across the organization, an experience that was especially impactful as I was entering the profession as a new graduate. Following my graduation in 2022, I accepted a rare pharmacy fellowship at PANTHERx and have since progressed through roles in the payer contracting and payer relations teams. I am currently serving as senior clinical account manager, partnering with payers, pharmacy benefit managers and internal clinical teams to support access to complex rare disease therapies while balancing clinical appropriateness, patient experience and healthcare sustainability.

Turning point in your career

A significant turning point in my career occurred shortly after I transitioned into my role as a clinical account manager. The PANTHERx Payer Relations Team became involved in the case of an infant with a rare genetic condition, hospitalized in the NICU [neonatal intensive care unit]. He was a few months old and had not yet been able to go home with his family due to the severity of his rare disease. He had received inpatient treatment with a medication that is exclusively available at PANTHERx that required uninterrupted outpatient access to be discharged.

Despite being a textbook case for coverage, the payer repeatedly denied coverage for the medication, extending his hospitalization due to lack of outpatient access. Our clinical, operations and payer relations teams worked relentlessly to identify alternative pathways to treatment and ultimately secured coverage, enabling him to be discharged.

Witnessing the relief and joy expressed by his parents reinforced the real-world consequences of coverage decisions and solidified my commitment to advocating for continuity of care. This experience continues to shape my work today and motivates me to support patients with life-threatening rare and orphan diseases who depend on timely, appropriate access to therapy.

Biggest day-to-day challenges

The most significant day-to-day challenge in my role is navigating the tension between standardized payer policies and the individualized needs of rare disease patients. Many therapies have limited alternatives, evolving evidence and high clinical risk if treatment is disrupted. Success depends on understanding and aligning the perspectives of the payer, patient and prescriber at each decision point. Doing that well requires balancing clinical nuance with operational and payer realities through constant communication and problem-solving.

Use of AI

Our road map focuses on strengthening core platforms while improving visibility, efficiency and patient experience without losing human connection. AI [artificial intelligence] helps surface insights and streamline operations, but care decisions remain clinician led and therapy specific.

Top priority

Ultimately, the goal is to improve access, reduce barriers and ensure patients receive the right therapy at the right time. To deliver on that, my top priority this year and next is strengthening payer alignment and advancing access for rare disease patients. That means building more consistent, value-driven engagement with payers while clearly demonstrating the clinical and economic impact of specialized care models.

Recommended book, article, podcast, TV show or documentary

A healthcare TV show I often recommend is “The Pitt.” Beyond being set in my hometown of Pittsburgh, it offers a realistic portrayal of the U.S. healthcare system and the challenges patients face that extend beyond their diagnoses, including access barriers, care coordination and system complexity. The show also highlights strong collaboration among providers across distinct roles and settings, which resonates deeply with me given my work to drive coordination across payers, clinicians and other healthcare stakeholders. It serves as a reminder that meaningful patient care depends on cross-functional teamwork and an understanding of the broader healthcare ecosystem, not only clinical treatment.

Making U.S. healthcare less expensive

U.S. healthcare is expensive, especially for rare diseases, where patients often navigate multiple providers, systems and coverage structures with limited coordination. This is especially evident in rare diseases, where care is highly specialized and spans multiple touchpoints. Addressing cost will require stronger integration across the care continuum and better coordination among stakeholders. It will also require continued investment in preventive and longitudinal care and aligning incentives, particularly for patients with complex and chronic conditions.

Personal goal

This year, I want to travel more, explore new places and step outside of my routine. Experiencing different cultures, food and perspectives is something I value, and it’s a meaningful way for me to grow personally while taking time to recharge.