Anuj Pasrija is the vice president for Johnson & Johnson Medtech's Strategic Customer Group. His work includes managing strategic partnerships with the organization’s top 25 largest institutional customers to advance the health care agenda, including improving patient outcomes, reducing costs, and enhancing overall efficiencies of the health care system. 

What did you hope to get from the Global Health Care Leaders Program?

I came into the program with the mindset of being a lifelong learner and keeping pace with the innovations in our environment. I was also looking forward to being part of a cohort of people from diverse backgrounds and nationalities who work in different health care systems and who could mutually learn from each other.

I expected to meet some highly accomplished subject matter experts from the health care industry, including distinguished academicians who have extensively researched global health care systems and could share ongoing research and industry trends. I would honestly say that, at the end of the program, I really attained and accomplished all the missions I had envisioned.

What aspects of the program and its approach to learning did you find effective?

The content and the format itself are really, really refreshing. I believe it's good for people with several years of experience to go back and see how others are solving similar problems instead of trying to solve our problems in our isolated worlds. It's about learning in practice in the real world. I think that is incredible.

The second thing I'm telling people is that Harvard's quality of education, content, and knowledge always beats the rest of the world. It's world-class. Getting access to Harvard's library and articles is incredible because you can read them for life and keep yourself fully informed even after the program has ended.

How did the interaction with other participants contribute to your learning experience?

There were participants from several different countries and continents. So, you always had several different views as everybody had different lenses based on their geography and health system. I think that always stirred up a healthy discussion. There was an opportunity to pick up real-world learning from those members in your class that I don't think I would have picked up anywhere else in real time.

Also, during the course, many subject matter experts from hospitals and CEOs who are leading different innovations came in. We learned the academic or theoretical content, and then people who are experts in the subject translated it into the real world. That was tremendously valuable for us.

What were your main takeaways from the program?

One takeaway was how artificial intelligence and machine learning are really going to be a game changer for the health system. My passion is for medical tech and the technological side of health care systems, and I think data will be one of the drivers of transformations and the improvement of health care systems. It was also incredibly inspiring to visit many innovation centers and see those technologies at play at hospitals.

Another element that excites me personally is how we, as a cohort, continue to be in touch and talk to each other even after the program. We try to find out how we can help each other and if there is something we can lean on each other for support. The program was just a few semesters, but the relationships continue, and the cohort is lifelong. 

What would you tell colleagues or others about the experience? Would you recommend the program to them?

Yes, absolutely. In fact, three of my colleagues are planning to apply this year. I think the program is 100% worth both your time and investment. It can change how you look at your leadership, your role, and how health systems can be transformed.

And, as I said, the program continues for me. Being members of the same cohort and having this global network allows us to collaborate on many things. The program allowed us to form those bonds and fraternities that are there for our lives. This incredibly powerful network we now have worldwide can be a lifelong source of learning and value addition for each of us.