John Watkins

John Watkins serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy. Concurrently, he is the Residency Program Director and Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee Manager at Premera Blue Cross, where he has held various roles since 2000. His academic work focuses on bridging managed care pharmacy practice with academic training.

Education

• PharmD, University of Washington (1979)
• MPH in Pharmacy and Health Services, University of Washington (1993)

Research Interests

Dr. Watkins' expertise lies in health policy, health technology assessment (HTA), and evidence-based medicine applied to formulary decision-making. His interests extend to personalized medicine, pharmacoeconomics, and bioethics, particularly in optimizing pharmacotherapy value under resource constraints. He has pioneered formulary systems in diverse settings, including establishing the first formal P&T committee in Nepal.

Advising and Professional Service

As Director of Premera's PGY1 Managed Care Pharmacy Residency program and Student Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Coordinator, Dr. Watkins mentors future pharmacists in managed care. He has served on the AMCP Format Executive Committee, the ISPOR North American HTA Roundtable, and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical Advisory Panel, contributing to national standards in health technology assessment and formulary management.

Labs and Teams

Dr. Watkins is affiliated with the CHOICE Institute at the University of Washington, which focuses on health outcomes and economics. His international experience includes developing a combined formulary and drug procurement system for NGOs in Nepal, demonstrating his commitment to team-based solutions for resource-limited settings.