Spotlight on Jigar Thakkar: The Visionary CEO Behind Longitude Rx
For Immediate Release
In November 2024, Longitude Health announced the appointment of Jigar Thakkar to lead its newly formed specialty pharmacy initiative, Longitude Rx, ahead of its 2025 launch.
A Trailblazing Leadership Journey
At OU Health, Oklahoma As Chief Administrative and Pharmacy Officer, Thakkar built a specialty pharmacy that grew to $470 million in under four years—an achievement that highlighted his operational and strategic strength
Consulting & Advisory Experience Before OU Health, he was Managing Director at FTI Consulting and led pharmacy services for top-tier institutions—providing expertise to hospitals, wholesalers, retail chains, private equity, and legal teams
Impressive Academic Credentials He earned a PharmD (Midwestern University), a Master of Health Care Delivery Science (Dartmouth), and an MBA (Northwestern), demonstrating a strong foundation in both clinical and business disciplines He is also a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and contributes to Cencora’s hospital advisory board
Vision & Impact at Longitude Rx
Strategic Focus: He’s steering the initiative to support health systems through clinical oversight, financial assistance, and streamlined workflows as specialty drugs grow increasingly complex
Operational Blueprint: Bringing proven systems and infrastructure—along with embedded care teams and coordination hubs—he aims to remove barriers for patients accessing specialty treatments .
Mission Alignment: Thakkar emphasizes patient experience and adherence, remarking, “We can improve the patient experience and reduce clinical burden by creating a specialty pharmacy offering that can serve unmet needs for patients and communities”
In Summary
Jigar Thakkar brings a rare blend of clinical insight, operational excellence, and strategic vision to Longitude Rx—firmly positioning the initiative for scalable success across health systems nationwide.