Kathleen Zimmermann
North Haven
Summary
Patient-focused Registered Nurse with over 25 years of clinical and case management experience, including 9+ years in rare disease patient support. Skilled at guiding patients and caregivers through complex insurance, coverage, and reimbursement processes while delivering compassionate education on treatment administration and disease state management. Adept at building trust with patients, empowering advocacy, and collaborating with healthcare providers, payers, and specialty pharmacies to ensure timely access to life-saving therapies. Holds a Master of Science in Nursing Management & Executive Leadership and Case Management Certification (CCMC).
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
OneSource Case Manager – Rare Metabolic & Tumor Unit
Alexion Pharmaceuticals – AstraZeneca Rare Disease Unit
03.2025 - Current
- Serve as the primary point of contact for patients, caregivers, and HCPs to support therapy access and education.
- Provide onboarding, adherence counseling, and injection/infusion training to support safe and effective therapy initiation.
- Educate patients on disease, diagnosis, insurance coverage, affordability resources, and support programs.
- Develop tailored communication plans to maintain long-term patient relationships and ensure adherence.
- Collaborate with field reimbursement, advocacy, and safety teams to escalate access barriers and report adverse events.
OneSource Support Specialist, Float – Hematology/Nephrology
Alexion Pharmaceuticals – AstraZeneca Rare Disease Unit
03.2024 - 03.2025
- Supported the national patient services team by addressing escalated cases and ensuring continuity of access.
- Educated patients and caregivers on treatment pathways and insurance processes to minimize delays.
- Collaborated with cross-functional partners to resolve reimbursement obstacles and improve efficiency.
OneSource Support Specialist – Hematology/Nephrology
Alexion Pharmaceuticals – AstraZeneca Rare Disease Unit
03.2020 - 03.2024
- Coordinated case management and patient onboarding for rare disease therapies.
- Communicated benefits investigation (BI) results and guided patients through affordability programs.
- Educated patients and caregivers on disease state, therapy expectations, and program resources.
- Connected patients to advocacy groups and peer mentorship for added support.
Registered Nurse Case Manager
Alexion Pharmaceuticals
07.2016 - 03.2022
- Provided direct case management and patient support for individuals with PNH, aHUS, and gMG.
- Partnered with patients, caregivers, providers, and payers to eliminate barriers to therapy initiation.
- Represented the organization at patient conferences and educational events to strengthen advocacy networks.
Charge Registered Nurse – Interventional Radiology, Neuro ICU & Neuro Acute Care
Yale New Haven Hospital
01.2000 - 01.2016
- Supervised staff and coordinated daily operations to ensure quality and safe patient care.
- Educated patients and families before and after procedures, reinforcing correct treatment instructions.
- Precepted and mentored nursing staff to strengthen clinical performance and patient outcomes.
Education
Master of Science - Nursing Management & Executive Leadership
Sacred Heart University
Fairfield, CT01.2020
Associate of Science - Nursing
St. Vincent’s College
Bridgeport, CT01.2000
Bachelor of Science - Allied Health Sciences
Quinnipiac College
Hamden, CT01.1997
Skills
- Patient & Caregiver Education
- Reimbursement & Access Navigation
- Rare & Orphan Disease Expertise
- Clinical Program Onboarding
- Insurance & Affordability Support
- Injection/Infusion Training
- HIPAA, FDA & OIG Compliance
- Cross-Functional Team Collaboration
- Pharmacovigilance & AE Reporting
- Long-Term Patient Relationship Management
- Advocacy & Community Engagement
Certification
- Registered Nurse (State of CT – License #063652)
- Certified Case Manager (CCMC), 2017–Present
Timeline
OneSource Case Manager – Rare Metabolic & Tumor Unit
Alexion Pharmaceuticals – AstraZeneca Rare Disease Unit
03.2025 - Current
OneSource Support Specialist, Float – Hematology/Nephrology
Alexion Pharmaceuticals – AstraZeneca Rare Disease Unit
03.2024 - 03.2025
OneSource Support Specialist – Hematology/Nephrology
Alexion Pharmaceuticals – AstraZeneca Rare Disease Unit
03.2020 - 03.2024
Registered Nurse Case Manager
Alexion Pharmaceuticals
07.2016 - 03.2022
Charge Registered Nurse – Interventional Radiology, Neuro ICU & Neuro Acute Care
Yale New Haven Hospital
01.2000 - 01.2016
Associate of Science - Nursing
St. Vincent’s College
Bachelor of Science - Allied Health Sciences
Quinnipiac College
Master of Science - Nursing Management & Executive Leadership
Sacred Heart University
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