Meet Stacy Hurt, Chief Patient Officer at Parexel

What does Chief Patient Officer mean to you, and how unique is this role?

Chief Patient Officer to me means my dream job. It's the culmination of all my professional and personal experience. It means keeping the patient voice front and center in everything we do. Parexel was the first Clinical Research Organisation (CRO) to have a Chief Patient Officer, which shows their commitment and investment in this role. When Parexel says "we are patients first", we are walking the walk. I believe we're still the only CRO to have a Chief Patient Officer. It's the honor and privilege of my life to represent patients and caregivers in this role.

What inspires you every day in your role, and how does your personal experience shape your work?

What inspires me every day is my family, especially my experience as a stage 4 colorectal cancer survivor and as a caregiver to my son with disabilities. After my family, it's all the patients who need to be seen and heard by our healthcare system. My experience taught me that patients need options and that, when possible, clinical research should be considered as a treatment choice. This personal insight drives me to ensure that clinical trials are presented as an option right from the beginning of a patient's journey.

How does Parexel ensure patient centricity is involved in clinical trial development?

 At Parexel, patient engagement is not a rescue strategy - it's an initial strategy. We involve patients from the very beginning, even when writing the protocol. The earlier we involve patients, the more we can avoid pitfalls and mitigate risks and costly changes down the line. We have several ways to do this, including an internal patient community of Parexel employees, patient advisory councils, and relationships with patient advocacy groups worldwide.

Can you share a story of a time you felt successful in your role?

We had a workshop with a sponsor new to oncology, and I sat in as a colorectal cancer survivor, demonstrating our capabilities. My insights impressed the sponsor so much that they wanted to meet me later at a conference. They ended up choosing us to deliver the study, emphasizing how meaningful my personal experience was to them. Tying my journey beating cancer to delivering an industry solution for patients is super meaningful and one of my biggest successes.

How would you describe Parexel's culture to a prospective employee?

If I had to describe our culture in one word, it would be 'authentic'. When I came into this role, Parexel knew exactly who they were getting with Stacy Hurt. And they not only let me be my authentic self - they encouraged it, broadened it, and empowered it.

This authenticity extends to how we interact with each other and our partners. We're transparent, we admit when we don't know something, and we're always striving to learn and improve. We celebrate our successes together and support each other through challenges. It's hard work, but it's also incredibly rewarding.

What would you say to someone considering a career at Parexel?

I would want a prospective employee to know that you have to care deeply about patients if you join Parexel. We truly care about patients and what happens to them in healthcare. We need you to weave it into everything you do. We're here to be their hope and an option for them when they might feel like they've run out of choices. They are depending on us, and we take that responsibility seriously.

What does Parexel's With Heart™ approach mean to you?

With Heart™ means showing up, caring about patients, caregivers, and our sponsors and their needs. It means listening, delivering what we sell, and doing what we say we'll do.