Winning Together: David Blair of LucyRx On How Strategic Partnerships Can Unlock New Sales Opportunities
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Build on transparency. Share the data, the risks and the wins. When both sides have access to the same truth, collaboration gets easier. When we launched our Formulary Freedom Marketplace, we partnered with like-minded clients who were fed up with big-box PBM restrictions. We co-created rules of engagement — what would be included, how rebate options would be evaluated and how choices could be customized.
Strategic partnerships have the potential to unlock growth and create new opportunities in ways that businesses can’t achieve alone. To explore this important topic, we had the pleasure of interviewing David Blair.
David Blair is a healthcare entrepreneur and innovator with decades of experience building high-growth companies that improve access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. As CEO and founder of LucyRx, he is leading the next generation of pharmacy benefit managers. His team uses advanced analytics and clinical programs to deliver smarter, cost-saving solutions for more than 1 million members and 1,200 organizations across the country. Previously, Blair founded Catalyst Health Solutions and grew it into a Fortune 500 company, which was acquired in 2012 for $4.8 billion.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
I’ve worked in pharmacy benefits for many years, and I’ve seen the prescription care delivery system evolve from its original intent to take care of patients, to one where cost is buried in complexity and care often conflicts with coverage. I have become driven by one simple idea: Everyone should have easy access to affordable medications.
That realization set me on the path to building a pharmacy benefits company that brings clarity, access and better outcomes back into the fold. LucyRx is the latest step on that mission. We’re reimagining prescription benefits to include partnerships with our health plan clients and healthcare providers to provide better care for our patients.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began working with partnerships or collaborations?
One of our core philosophies is to partner with best-in-class providers — and nowhere is that more evident than in the creation of our Integrated Specialty Care Delivery Network, which now includes over 130 accredited specialty pharmacies nationwide. This network was designed to improve access to life-saving medications for patients facing complex and chronic conditions. Esteemed institutions like Northwestern Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Penn Medicine, and City of Hope are among our valued partners.
Shortly after launching the network, we heard from a cancer patient who was overwhelmed with relief after receiving her specialty medication the same day she saw her oncologist. Previously, she had to wait as long as 10 days to access the drugs her life depended on. That single moment captured exactly why we built this network.
This is what happens when you align the right partners around the patient. These aren’t just contractual collaborations… They’re mission-driven alliances that break down barriers, reduce delays and improve outcomes. That’s the real power of partnership.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Three traits that have shaped how I lead are integrity, creativity and compassion.
Integrity
In healthcare, integrity means being honest about what’s broken and having the courage to fix it. It’s easy to work around the flaws in our system; it’s harder to challenge them head-on.
At Catalyst Health Solutions, and now at LucyRx, I’ve seen how integrity can power meaningful change. We challenged legacy practices that weren’t working for patients or payers and built alternatives that were simpler, fairer and more transparent. Integrity is about doing the right thing and staying accountable to those you serve.
Creativity
I’ve always believed in reimagining what’s possible, especially in spaces where others see limits. That’s where creativity comes in — not just in ideation, but in system design.
At LucyRx, we’re building a new model for pharmacy benefits from the ground up. Our SPARC program to support rural pharmacies, our Integrated Specialty Network, and our AI-powered platform LucyIQ™ didn’t come from following a playbook. They came from asking: “What if there was a better way?” Creativity is what allows you to challenge the status quo and drive meaningful change.
Compassion
Business is human. And leadership is personal.
Whether by building inclusive teams, mentoring emerging leaders, or investing in initiatives like the Partnership for a Healthier America, I’ve seen the ripple effect that happens when you put people first. Compassion is more than empathy; it’s the lens that keeps decisions grounded in real-world impact, and it’s what helps cultures (and systems) thrive over the long term.
Let’s now jump to the focus of our interview. What does a “strategic partnership” mean to you, and why do you think it’s such an essential part of sales growth today?
To me, a strategic partnership is about finding the right match with organizations that bring something complementary to the table and help us deliver affordable, life-improving care faster. At LucyRx, we’re not burdened by legacy systems, so we’re able to move quickly and be the kind of agile partner that can be creative and responsive to the needs of our clients.
Strategic partnerships are essential today because buyers have changed. They’re no longer looking for static solutions or one-size-fits-all offerings. They want partners who will help them solve the biggest problems in healthcare and who will act in their best interests every step of the way.
They expect accountability, creativity and alignment. The right partnerships allow us to show up that way — with a shared sense of purpose and a commitment to delivering tangible results.
In a space as fragmented as healthcare, no one wins alone. One plus one equals three when the right partners come together.
How do you go about identifying potential partners that align with your business goals? Are there specific qualities or traits you look for in a partnership?
Absolutely. And it starts with identifying best-in-class partners who share our commitment to patient-first care. We listen closely to our clients, stay informed on emerging innovators, and actively engage at industry events to surface the right opportunities.
From there, we ask the big questions: Do they lead with values? Are they grounded in evidence-based care? Are they willing to innovate and challenge convention?
We also evaluate how they operate, how they make decisions, how they measure success, and most importantly, how their services can integrate with ours to deliver better outcomes.
For example, in our GLP-1 weight loss program, we partnered with a company that brings exceptional technology and communication tools to drive patient engagement. Our internal teams complement that by managing appropriate dosing and step-down protocols. The result is a coordinated, evidence-based approach that supports long-term success — not just weight loss, but sustainable health.
At LucyRx, we’re not looking for transactional partners. We’re building mission-aligned relationships that improve the care for our patients.
What steps do you take to build trust and ensure that a partnership will be mutually beneficial for both sides?
Trust starts with honesty and doing what you said you were going to do. We begin every partnership conversation with why we’re working together. We’re upfront about goals, metrics, and expectations from day one. We don’t just look at what LucyRx needs, but we make sure our partnership drives value for our partner’s business, too. We build feedback loops into the relationship with regular check-ins, defining what success looks like for both sides. Over time, trust is earned by showing up, following through, and being accountable especially when things don’t go as planned.
Can you share a specific example of a strategic partnership you were involved in? How did it come about, and what impact did it have on your business?
As I shared before, a fitting example is our Integrated Specialty Care Delivery Network. This partnership was born from a simple but urgent need: to find a better alternative to traditional specialty pharmacy dispensing — one that reduces delays, waste and patient frustration. By integrating pharmacy services directly into care settings, we’re able to cut through bottlenecks and ensure patients receive life-saving medications faster.
The impact has been remarkable. Patients in this network experience fewer ER visits, improved symptom control, and in some cases, savings of up to 38 percent on critical therapies. It’s a powerful demonstration of how strategic alignment between mission and execution can lead to real clinical and financial outcomes.
What role does communication play in maintaining a strong, long-lasting partnership? Are there particular practices or tools you use to keep everyone aligned and engaged?
Communication is everything. It’s how we stay aligned, build trust and make progress. At LucyRx, we use shared dashboards for visibility, regular calls to stay proactive, and informal check-ins to keep the human side of the relationship strong. If something’s off track, we address it early and directly. We also prioritize transparency around pricing and outcomes. When both sides are clear on the data and the destination, the relationship gets stronger over time and makes scaling a reality.
Let’s now focus on actionable strategies. Based on your experience, can you share “5 Steps to Create Strategic Partnerships That Drive Sales Growth”? If you can, please share examples or stories for each.
1. Start with shared objectives. The best partnerships begin when both sides are trying to solve a real problem. A strong example is our strategic partnership focused on responsible GLP-1 utilization. We partnered with a large employer who was facing unsustainable costs and rising demand for weight loss medications. Rather than defaulting to exclusions or blunt controls, we co-developed a clinically sound, member-centric GLP-1 program that balanced access with affordability.
This partnership brought together our clinical team, the client’s HR and benefits leads, and our external lifestyle vendor. Together, we created a prior authorization model rooted in evidence-based guidelines and paired it with member education and ongoing outcomes tracking.
2. Build on transparency. Share the data, the risks and the wins. When both sides have access to the same truth, collaboration gets easier. When we launched our Formulary Freedom Marketplace, we partnered with like-minded clients who were fed up with big-box PBM restrictions. We co-created rules of engagement — what would be included, how rebate options would be evaluated and how choices could be customized.
3. Align on outcomes. Focus on what matters — whether it’s clinical results, cost savings or patient satisfaction. Output matters more than activity. One of our most effective partnerships involved an employer coalition. We structured our offering so that LucyRx only won if they did by tying our fees to the savings that we achieved for them. Because we shared the risk, we deepened trust.
4. Invest in relationships. It’s not just about performance. Spend time understanding how your partner works and what they care about. We build regular touchpoints into every strategic partnership, but more importantly, we pick up the phone when we have a concern. We celebrate wins, talk through gaps, and check in even when there’s no agenda. With one consulting partner, those human interactions led them to recommend us for five different opportunities within a single quarter.
5. Stay flexible. Innovation isn’t linear. Leave space to adapt the partnership as things evolve. During a complex contracting process, we worked closely with a lifestyle vendor for GLP-1s whose product was still relatively new to the PBM space. Rather than waiting for every detail to be ironed out upfront, we stayed flexible and co-developed workflows, aligned on data integration, and built the business case together in real time. It not only allowed us to get the contract across the finish line, but also to bring a differentiated solution to our clients that we otherwise would not have had access to.
What advice would you give to smaller companies or startups that may not have the resources or networks of larger businesses but want to start building strategic partnerships?
Lean into what sets you apart. Whether that’s your speed, creativity or focus — those are assets. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Be essential to someone. Solve a real pain point. When your solution delivers clarity and real value, people will pay attention regardless of your size. Often, large organizations are looking for exactly what innovative and focused teams like ours can offer.
How do you handle challenges or conflicts that may arise in a partnership to ensure that the relationship stays strong and productive?
We lead with candor and empathy. If something’s not working, we don’t avoid the conversation; we welcome it. We assume good intent and start by listening. Most of the time, conflict comes from misalignment, not malice. We work to understand the root issue and focus on long-term value, not short-term wins. When you approach challenges with respect and transparency, they can actually strengthen the relationship.
Can you share a surprising or unexpected lesson you learned from a past partnership?
One of the most surprising lessons I’ve learned is that the best partnerships often grow stronger when things don’t go according to plan.
It’s easy to collaborate when everything is going smoothly. But real alignment shows up in moments of tension, when something breaks, timelines slip, or a strategy needs to shift. That’s when you learn whether your partner is truly invested, not just in the outcome, but in the relationship.
Some of our most trusted and enduring partnerships were built through those moments. When both sides lean in with honesty, patience and a shared commitment to doing the right thing, the result is a level of trust that no contract can create.
That’s something I try to carry forward in every new relationship. The goal isn’t just performance. It’s staying aligned when it matters most.
What trends or changes are you seeing in how businesses approach strategic partnerships, and how do you think this will evolve in the coming years?
There’s a shift happening. Businesses aren’t looking for vendors; they want collaborators. That means partnerships built on data, performance and shared accountability. As value-based care continues to grow, we’ll see deeper integration of clinical data, financial models and outcome metrics. That’s exactly where LucyRx is headed. Our LucyIQ™ platform makes that kind of partnership possible with transparency and real-time insight.
In your opinion, how do strategic partnerships impact not just sales, but a company’s reputation, relationships, and long-term growth?
The right partnerships help drive sales and, more importantly, build credibility. They expand your reach, embed your values in new communities, and amplify your mission. At LucyRx, our partnerships reflect who we are and what we believe in.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would inspire more companies to embrace collaboration and partnerships, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
If I could start a movement, it would be rooted in one belief: Real partnerships begin when people put purpose before profit. But truthfully, I think we’ve already started that movement. LucyRx, and the partners who’ve joined us are already rethinking what prescription care can be.
In healthcare, and especially in pharmacy benefits, too many companies protect their corner of the system instead of fixing the system itself. This movement challenges that by bringing together companies willing to collaborate with us to tear down silos, share data, and redesign the system around what patients and employers actually need.
How can our readers further follow you online?
You can connect with me on LinkedIn and follow LucyRx through our website.
This was great. Thank you so much for the time you spent sharing with us.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience as a Founder and CEO. While attending Ohio State University, he launched his first company, Choice Recovery, Inc., a nationally recognized healthcare collection agency — twice ranked the #1 workplace in Ohio. In 2013, he founded [re]start, helping thousands of people find meaningful career opportunities. After selling both companies, Chad shifted his focus to his true passion — leadership. Today, he coaches founders and CEOs at Built to Lead, advises Authority Magazine’s Thought Leader Incubator.
Winning Together: David Blair of LucyRx On How Strategic Partnerships Can Unlock New Sales… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.