In the penultimate episode of the first season of BYOB: The Healthcare Podcast, the team sits down to speak with a great friend, Derick Simmons. Derick works as a Strategy Consultant for Rock Health Advisory. Rock Health is a full-service seed fund that supports startups working in digital health. Rock Health offers funding, access to medical, venture, legal and corporate partners, and office space to its portfolio companies. Additionally, Rock Health offers advisory services to clients across healthcare in the advancement of digital health strategies. In his role, Derick aligns with large players across the industry to converge what digital health is advancing with how their clients can move the needle forward in their respective organizations.

Derick Simmons – Strategy Consultant at Rock Health

Derick is a consultant at Rock Health where he supports healthcare, life sciences, and tech clients to develop digital health strategies. Prior to Rock Health, he was a transformation consultant at an integrated health system where he advised senior executives on digital health strategy, entrepreneurial partnerships, and new ventures. Derick earned an MHA from Cornell University and a B.S. in Management and Organizational Behavior from BYU. Before completing his academic training, he worked as a healthcare venture capital associate, researcher, and consultant—and also completed two years of volunteer mission service in Romania and Moldova.

The crew asked Derick the following questions:

• You have focused more on the investment and innovation side of healthcare, what drew you to this area of healthcare?
• You currently serve as a consultant at Rock Health. What is Rock Health and what does your work entail?
• How is Rock health different from other Venture Capital/Private Equity firms?
• Are there specific types of innovations that Rock Health is interested in?
• Can you share an example of a company that Rock Health is invested in?
• What advice do you have for someone interested in the venture capital side of healthcare and wants to get more involved?
• What types of qualities does Rock Health look for in their health team and how can someone who is interested in Rock Health get their foot in the door?
• What do you think are some of the big challenges in healthcare that tech companies are best suited to solve?

Grab a drink and join us for another episode of BYOB: The Healthcare Podcast!