Matthew Helbling, Pharm.D. | 2025 Emerging Leaders in Healthcare

I grew up in North Dakota. My parents are small-business owners, and working alongside them was an important early influence. Although I may not have recognized it at the time, I was learning valuable skills by observing how well they treated both those they worked with and their customers — lessons I have used throughout my career. I graduated from North Dakota State University with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and worked in a retail setting prior to moving to managed care. Today, my team works with internal and external partners to strategize and operationalize patient outreach programs to improve medication outcomes and generate cost savings for our members and health plans.

Turning point in your career

In one of my initial roles as a retail pharmacist, I was able to offer medication therapy management (MTM) services through a pilot program. The extended interactions I had with my patients were a small but meaningful and fulfilling part of my job, which led me to pursue a role at Prime as an MTM pharmacist. This role positioned me for leadership opportunities and the ability to work cross-functionally with many different teams within the organization. Taking part in a managed care pilot program was a turning point and has shaped my career in ways I did not anticipate.

Biggest day-to-day challenges

Working largely in government programs, the ever-changing regulatory landscape brings both short- and long-term challenges that require coordination of many different business areas. It can be challenging to process and identify my team’s role or potential role within a regulatory change to understand how it may require us to reprioritize current or future work.

Top priority

Aligning with our enterprise priorities, my team will continue to enhance our foundational capabilities and work cross-functionally with internal teams to develop new member and provider outreach programs.

Change one thing about U.S. healthcare

There are many barriers to equitable healthcare access, with both socioeconomic and geographical factors playing a role. If I were able to change one thing, it would be more effective health education regarding navigation of the overall healthcare system and improved communication about benefits and community resources available to individuals in need.

Book or article that everyone working in healthcare should read

I recommend “Radical Candor” by Kim Scott. The book provides insight into how effective teams are built around the ability for team members and leaders to have kind but open communication. It highlights how effective leaders seek feedback, show vulnerability and create environments where their teams are comfortable sharing their perspectives.

Personal goal this year

Living in the Midwest, our summers are short, and I try to spend as much time on the water as possible. This summer, I look forward to learning to wakesurf.