Meet Our Team: Jennifer Dunne
In our second in a series of interviews with new Rx4good team members, we invite you to meet Jennifer Dunne, who joined Rx4good in 2021. Jennifer brings more than 20 years of healthcare experience to her role as Account Manager, with special expertise in healthcare communications, patient engagement, and online patient communities.
Q: What has been the most exciting and daunting part of transitioning from your previous roles to joining Rx4good?
I’m passionate about patient-centric work, so it’s been so exciting to join the Rx4good team! Experiencing all the momentum and having the opportunity to work alongside such committed, hardworking people has been really exciting. One of my first jobs was with the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and I realized then that supporting patients is what I’m passionate about. Since then, I’ve worked with medical groups, in hospitals working in patient experience, and in digital health communities supporting online engagement. I love to constantly learn, and Rx4good provides so many opportunities to learn from each other, our clients, and patients themselves.
The feeling that there’s always more to be done and that there are always more patients who need help can be daunting. Trying to take care of yourself while you’re taking care of your clients and coworkers can be overwhelming, but Rx4good is the place where I’ve seen the most attempts at helping each other find that balance.
Q: What services have sparked your interest so far?
I’ve really enjoyed helping to plan and participate in patient council events. I’ve been able to see the power of Rx4good, whether that’s being a supportive, organizational mind behind these projects, facilitating the conversation, taking notes, or providing insights. Our work has really allowed clients to be present during these conversations, but then to step back and see the bigger picture afterward.
Q: What have you learned about your clients?
I was immediately so impressed by how caring and compassionate our clients are and how motivated they are to support patients and patient advocacy groups. It’s clearly a personal mission for many of them. I align so much with that, so being able to partner with them and to support their goals has been great. There’s a lot of heart within these organizations.
Q: How would you describe Rx4good’s culture?
There’s a great balance between being very caring and very committed. We care about each other, we care about our clients, and we care about the patients. We’re committed to developing excellent products. We’re committed to being excellent for each other, but never at the cost of our own health and never at the cost of burning out. There’s a great balance.
Q: Where do you want to make your mark?
I am very passionate about creating efficiencies, streamlining processes, and making communications clear, so that we can make the healthcare process as easy as possible for patients. Healthcare can be so overwhelming, and patients are already dealing with so much. I like to think about: How do we make sure the materials are clear? How can we make sure that patients can access the services they need? How can we remove obstacles that prevent clear communication? Efficient, clear processes can help everyone – from drug developers to healthcare providers to patients – focus on what matters most.
Q: Having been a patient, how does that impact your views of healthcare and each patient’s journey?
I was diagnosed with cancer for first time at 19, and it totally changed my life and career path. I was still living with my parents, my mom was able to take time off work, I didn’t have many bills, and we lived 15 minutes from an NCI-designated cancer center. I had access to everything I needed, but it was still a horrible, life-altering experience that was so difficult to get through. I’ve wondered what it’s like for people who may not have access to the support they need. How much more difficult is it for them to get through this? I realized that these are the problems I want to solve. I want people to be able to focus on getting better, without having to worry about everything else. The lens I’m always looking at projects through is: “How can we make people’s health experiences the best they can possibly be?”
Q: Tell us about you as a human.
I have three kids, who are almost 15, 14, and 10, and they are absolutely my world. I am a total homebody. My favorite spot is on my couch, reading a book or watching TV. When I do travel, I love going to big cities, so I can meet a lot of people and try different foods. I love to be outside, getting fresh air, hiking, or sitting on the beach.
-Q: Favorite food? Any kind of pasta
-Q: Favorite TV show? Recently, I’ve been enjoying Coda on Apple TV.
-Q: Favorite place to visit? San Francisco
-Q: Your hobby? Watching my kids’ sporting events, visiting museums, hiking, and reading
