John Whitham Joins Guidehouse Health Segment as Leader in Western US Market

WASHINGTON – November 2, 2021 – Guidehouse, a leading global provider of consulting services to public sector and commercial clients, has named John Whitham a partner in its Health segment, supporting payer and provider growth strategies in the western US market. Three new directors have also joined the Guidehouse Health team to support its payer, provider, and public sector health offerings.

“John has a passion for developing optimal business partnerships that enhance performance, drive growth, and mitigate risk,” said Alicia Harkness, Guidehouse partner and Health segment leader, who was named a 2021 Top Healthcare Executive to Watch by WashingtonExec. “We’re already seeing the value he’s bringing to the team, helping clients navigate complex decisions so they can better serve their communities.”

A seasoned industry expert with 25 years of experience, Whitham has broad expertise in advising providers, IT vendors, payers, and the public sector on organizational strategic planning, IT effectiveness, enterprise resource planning modernization, digital transformation, revenue cycle optimization, operations improvement, and consumer access. This includes developing national healthcare IT practices as a principal consultant for ECG Management Consultants and JHD Healthcare Partners. Whitham has also served as a board member and trusted advisor to many of the leading health IT firms in the US, as well as for private equity-backed healthcare technology firms at varying stages of their growth and development.

Ranked by Modern Healthcare as the third largest healthcare management consulting firm in 2021, Guidehouse’s Health segment integrates consulting and outsourcing expertise in both public sector and regulated commercial markets to solve healthcare’s most complex challenges. This “OneHealth” approach enables Guidehouse clients to tap into talent across the company, helping them deliver informed, resilient, and innovative services to their communities and customers.

As the Health segment continues to grow and expand capabilities across payer, provider, life sciences, public sector, and state and local health settings, Guidehouse is proud to welcome the following experts to the team.

Joan Deming-Murphy, RN, MS, MBA, Director, Philadelphia
A senior healthcare practice leader with more than 30 years of healthcare operations and financial performance expertise, Deming-Murphy returns to Guidehouse after holding positions at KPMG and Huron. Deming-Murphy is focused on addressing and solving critical organizational issues around efficiency, productivity, and profitability. She blends her deep subject matter knowledge with advanced business and clinical degrees, as well as leadership experience to drive margin improvement, operational efficiency, and high-performing teams.

Chirag Patel, MA, Director, Chicago
Patel brings a diverse background to Guidehouse to support clients with customized strategic planning solutions. He is focused on helping healthcare leaders develop long-term enterprise and service line level plans and partnerships that are growth-oriented and sustainable. Patel has more than 15 years of collective experience as a health system executive leading business development and payer-provider partnerships at Carle Health, as well as an executive at Kaufman Hall and a consultant at Sg2.

Kaajal Singh, MHA, Director, Washington, DC
With 15 years in health strategy, operations, analytics, and leadership, Singh is an expert in the design, execution, and management of multimarket growth and innovation initiatives. A team builder and talent developer, she brings years of experience in collaborating with and across top-tier organizations to create value-based care delivery, population health, health equity, and payment strategies. Previously a leader at GE, Advisory Board Company, and Booz Allen Hamilton, Singh is also a founding member of Chief, enabling women to cross-pollinate ideas and advance their leadership journeys.

With 11 KLAS #1 rankings, including Best in KLAS for Strategy, Growth, and Consolidation Consulting in 2021, Guidehouse serves hospitals, health systems, government agencies, life sciences companies, employers, payers, and other healthcare organizations. The Guidehouse Health team has deep industry partnerships and decades of strategy, funding, policy, revenue cycle, digital and retail health, managed care, and managed services experience. Visit the Guidehouse Center for Health Insights for a complete view of payment, operational, and consumer disruption insights and solutions.

About Guidehouse
Guidehouse is a leading global provider of consulting services to the public sector and commercial markets, with broad capabilities in management, technology, and risk consulting. By combining our public and private sector expertise, we help clients address their most complex challenges and navigate significant regulatory pressures focusing on transformational change, business resiliency, and technology-driven innovation. Across a range of advisory, consulting, outsourcing, and digital services, we create scalable, innovative solutions that help our clients outwit complexity and position them for future growth and success. The company has more than 12,000 professionals in over 50 locations globally. Guidehouse is a Veritas Capital portfolio company, led by seasoned professionals with proven and diverse expertise in traditional and emerging technologies, markets, and agenda-setting issues driving national and global economies. For more information, please visit www.guidehouse.com.