Meet the Online MHA Faculty: A Conversation with Professor Crystal A. Riley

Professor Crystal A. Riley, PharmD, MHA, MBA, Deputy Director of Government Policy & Reimbursement for Baxter Healthcare Corporation and Lecturer of Health Administration for NYU Wagner’s Online Master of Health Administration Degree Program.

 

Can you tell us the story of your career path?

I'm happy that I ended up here, as the Deputy Director of Government Policy & Reimbursement for Baxter, a global medical products company, but it's not something I had thought about when I first started my career. 

I've always been a STEM girl—I'm fascinated with science, medicine, and chemistry. I went to school and earned my doctorate of pharmacy and practiced clinically, working in hospitals and insurance companies focusing on patient safety. 

When I had the opportunity to try something new, I joined a nonprofit organization focused on small pharmacy and practice issues. While there, I interacted with the government affairs team, which broadened my exposure and horizon. The government affairs team shared different pieces of legislation and regulation and asked me, "What does this look like in the real world?" And I would usually think, "I can see a few challenges." Using my clinical background, I was able to see the ins and outs and nuances of how regulations would affect those on the front line.

Over time, I developed an interest in policy and wanted to be on the other side to help shape regulations to help patients and providers. When I decided to pivot in this direction, I took a job with an accrediting organization that focused on issues related to patient safety and hospital infrastructure, which gave me the opportunity to learn my way around policy and government affairs. I also went back to school to obtain a dual master’s in business and healthcare administration so I could deepen my understanding of those areas as well.

 

As the Deputy Director of Government Policy & Reimbursement for Baxter Health Corporation, you are responsible for engaging with policymakers, patient advocacy groups, and others. Can you share a little bit about how you got to this position?

Baxter initially hired me as a Manager of Health Policy in 2013—right when the Affordable Care Act had been passed and the federal agencies were just starting to roll out the provisions in the legislation. 

This was an opportunity for us to sort through the provisions and understand what the regulations might be. What impact would the laws have on our organization? How would it impact our patients, providers, and facilities? 

Over the next few years, my role expanded to focus on policies that impact our acute care portfolio, health information technology, and federal program quality measurements. I've also been fortunate enough to be a lobbyist focusing on multicultural and healthcare disparity. 

 

What are the essential traits and experiences for someone in your role?

The first trait is being comfortable talking with different types of people. I tend to be extroverted and enjoy engaging with all types of people, whether they are patients, clinicians, policymakers, or congressional staff. 

Second, it is imperative to have a passion for whatever it is you are advocating for. There are many opportunities to present different facts and regulations, but to be convincing, you have to believe in the work that you are doing. 

And lastly, it's vital to be able to work with others in a collegial way. You get a lot more accomplished being able to lock arms with others rather than butting heads. It is important to understand things from others’ perspectives. Initially, when you are just starting a project, it's helpful to step back. Try to understand where your colleague is coming from, what his or her concerns are, what the root of tension is, and where the points of a happy medium could be. It may not always be possible, but putting in the effort will go a long way.

 

How has your experience as a pharmacist shaped your mindset in your current role?

I believe that I can bring a different perspective to policy because I've had the privilege of working in various healthcare environments. I've worked in a retail pharmacy, hospital, and insurance company. Within the hospital setting, I've worked in critical care and general patient populations.

The wide range of experience gives me the ability to understand what insurers are looking for when evaluating which products to add to the formularies and how regulations and policies affect providers or patients directly. My clinical background enables me to look at policies and regulations from a practice standpoint and not just theoretical.

 

What are your "Three Things I Wish I Knew"? Can you share a story?

I wish I knew that you didn't have to have your entire life mapped out by the time you complete your graduate degree. I see a lot of students afraid when they are nearing graduation but do not have everything completely figured out. I would like to reassure all students and future students that it’s okay if you do not—things will always unfold. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you'll get somewhere. And if it's not the place you want to be, you can always pivot and try something new.

That leads to my second point. I wish I knew that just because you choose a specific path initially, it doesn't mean you are stuck there for the rest of your life. Identify opportunities and be brave enough to take the step to take it. I got a fair amount of pushback when I transitioned from pure clinical work to healthcare policy. The questions I received ranged from, "Did you need to go to pharmacy school to do that?" to, "Do you think you wasted your degree?" The experience I gained as a pharmacist enhanced what I can do in policy. I'm glad I've had those experiences that I can translate into new opportunities.

Lastly, I wish I knew it was okay to speak up and put myself out there. This was advice given to me by a mentor. When I first started at Baxter, I was reticent in meetings. I felt that I was new in the field and that everyone else in the room was more established. I saw them as the experts and myself as the student. One day, a mentor pulled me aside and asked why I never spoke up in meetings. She challenged me to be one of the first ones to throw out an idea or ask a question. She said, "You are in the same room that they are. Doesn't that mean you have the same rights to speak up as they do?"

 

What is your life philosophy or motto?

When you see an opportunity, you owe it to yourself to think about going for it. One, you don't know if that opportunity will come around again. Two, even if that opportunity turns out to be something you don't want to do, you can always go back to what you were doing. You haven't lost that skill set or knowledge. 

 

Why NYU Wagner? 

NYU Wagner’s Online Master of Health Administration program has an incredibly robust curriculum. The professors also have extensive real-world experience. It's one thing to look at the curriculum from a theoretical perspective, but once you are out in the real world, you realize that life never follows a neat algorithm. You will encounter something (or many things) that the textbooks cannot prepare you for. It's incredibly impactful to have instructors who have field experience to offer different perspectives to the theory we learn in textbooks. 

Additionally, NYU Wagner is unparalleled in technological advancements that make the online modality convenient and seamless for students. It makes it possible for students to engage in the curriculum and each other in a meaningful way.

 

What makes your course stand out? What will students learn from your class that they wouldn't learn anywhere else?

I believe that students will get a very unique perspective on healthcare policy in my course, Health Policy and the Health System. I've been a patient, a provider, on the other side of insurance firms, in hospitals, and in retail pharmacy. I've worked with healthcare administrators, and now we're on the other side writing and evaluating policies. I believe I'm able to give a perspective of how the theory of regulation impacts all stakeholders along the healthcare continuum.

Crystal A. Riley, PharmD, MHA, MBA, is a Lecturer of Health Administration at NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. She is also the Deputy Director of Government Policy & Reimbursement for Baxter Healthcare Corporation in Washington, DC.