Early-Stage Reflections on My SIRI Project

As an international student from China, I am passionate about both consulting and healthcare. I am also interested in exploring how client-consultant dynamics in the United States differ from those in China. Although I had experience with multinational consulting firms in mainland China, I believe consulting firms are localized and rooted in different regional cultures. Therefore, I’m excited to serve as an external project consultant to our client—a U.S.-based NGO with a union of professionals that champions high-quality public education, healthcare, and public service.

The preliminary tasks and scope our client provide are evaluating whether growing levels of private equity ownership in healthcare are leading to increases in consumer prices and exploring state policy options to address and prevent this. Some of the most relevant policy concepts include expanding state regulation and review of healthcare acquisitions and joint ventures by private equity, understanding which state agencies and officials can investigate and regulate pricing behavior, and the market actions that lead to price increases. Within the healthcare landscape, the client wants us to look at providers (hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, also including emergency medicine), the health insurance industry, and the prescription drug industry, all of which are worthy of study.

I participated in the Sustainable Investing Research Initiative (SIRI) workshop on January 31, which provided valuable insights into next steps of our consulting journey. To start with, I gained a deeper understanding of the key research questions and challenges associated with our project. This led to the first question we wanted to ask for our client – their objectives on the project. We needed to understand the bigger picture of whether they aim to lobby policymakers or identify social welfare-driven private equity (PE) investors to collaborate with. This was what we needed to clarify with our client during our first meeting.

The workshop also helped outline our research methodology. Our research will include both qualitative and quantitative data sources. Primary data will be collected through interviews with industry professionals, while secondary sources include policy research, case studies on healthcare privatization, and quantitative datasets from organizations like the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. We decided that a crucial discussion with our client would be around defining the industry scope—whether to focus on healthcare providers, insurance companies, or pharmaceutical firms.

One of the biggest challenges we anticipate is accessing comprehensive PE ownership data, as much of this information may not be publicly disclosed. Additionally, conducting a robust regression analysis will require robust technical skillsets. Overall, the workshop provided valuable insights that will guide our research approach and help us refine our project’s direction.

Beyond the technical aspects of the project, what I appreciate the most is the professionalism, responsibility, and passion that my teammates bring to our collaboration. Although our work together has only just begun, I am already impressed by the diverse skill sets each team member contributes. One of my teammates is particularly proactive in connecting with professionals in the space of PE healthcare investment. He has successfully connected us with professionals in the PE healthcare investment space, providing access to valuable database resources. Another teammate, who transitioned from a career as a physician to health policy, has been an invaluable resource in helping us navigate complex medical terminology. Additionally, one of my teammates and I share a strong interest in management consulting and the healthcare industry, and we have been supporting each other not only in this project but also in our consulting recruitment journeys.

Working in a culturally diverse team has also been an enriching experience. As we are all international students, our casual conversations often extend beyond the project itself, giving us the opportunity to learn about public sector dynamics in each other’s home countries. Comparing different regulatory environments and discussing our career aspirations post-SIPA has provided me with fresh perspectives on the intersection of healthcare, policy, and investment.