Digital transformation has arrived in the pharmaceutical industry, and it’s the way of the future. Embracing the next wave of digital transformation is a must for pharmaceutical companies today. Despite initial hesitation around adopting next-gen technology, more pharma brand managers are investing in innovative digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), predictive analytics, and machine learning to best support their patients and gain a competitive advantage.
The pharma industry is predicted to spend $1.2 billion on data analytics alone by 2030. COVID-19 also rapidly accelerated digital innovation. In fact, 74 percent of healthcare organizations surveyed for Statista believe the pandemic has considerably accelerated digital transformation. In a Pharmaceutical Technology poll, 35 percent of respondents said the pandemic accelerated digital transformation within pharma by at least five years.
Patient support programs focused on improving medication adherence are an example of digital transformation’s impact. Let’s discuss how to optimize patient support and improve medication adherence with next-gen technology like AI
Current State of Pharmaceutical Patient Support Programs
Pharma patient support programs are designed to positively impact patient behaviors, improve medication adherence, and deliver better health outcomes. Although traditional pharma patient support programs are somewhat effective at improving medication adherence, many could be improved with the right approach and innovative technology.
Although pharma companies spend more than $5 billion on patient support programs annually, only three percent of patients use them. The question is, why are most existing patient support programs suboptimal at best? Where are they missing the mark?
It comes down to data, technology, and personalization. Most traditional patient support programs are one-size-fits-all solutions rather than patient-centered. In other words, they are not tailored to each individual or personalized by intervention channel, messaging, and timing. As a result, these programs tend to offer a more linear patient experience, failing to capture all the possible paths a patient population may experience.
Because they are not driven by data or modern technology like AI, these patient support initiatives often lead to missed opportunities to proactively engage and support patients. Plus, patient support program design is often simplistic at brand launch. As the drug and the program mature, additional touchpoints are added, increasing the complexity and making it challenging to navigate without the right tools.
Improving Medication Adherence with Digital Transformation
Digital transformation in the pharma industry is crucial to increase the quality of patient care, boost patient engagement, and improve medication adherence. Pharma companies now recognize the shortcomings of existing patient support initiatives and are exploring AI to make them more cost-efficient and effective.
How can AI help pharma companies enhance their patient support programs? By aggregating data from various sources, AI tailors patient engagement to each individual’s unique needs and preferences. Specifically, pharma brand managers can implement AI to improve targeting by predicting each patient’s risk of non-adherence.
But that’s not all. AI predicts the optimal intervention channel, messaging, timing, and frequency to have the greatest possible impact and encourage behavioral changes.
From there, AI continuously learns from new data, meaning patient support programs can be refined and optimized as they grow and mature.
Join Pharma’s Digital Transformation with AllazoHealth’s AI
Don’t get left behind in an ever-evolving industry. With AllazoHealth’s AI Engine in your digital toolbox, you can transform your patient support programs, improve medication adherence, and ensure better individual health outcomes in the process.
Want to learn more about Using AI to Improve Medication Adherence Across the Drug Lifecycle? Download our free guide today.