How to create value for all through patient support programs

In pharma, there is a shift taking place towards patient centricity and empowerment. Gone are the days where patient support programs focus solely on addressing non-adherence and meeting mass market needs. There’s space now for companies to elevate their value by taking a closer look at how they can offer value-added services through patient support programs.

For Drug Discovery & Development magazine, SKIM’s Ashley Ocvirk shared how pharma can determine which services patients really want, reveal opportunities to engage, and measure success and satisfaction over time with next-gen patient programs.

Creating value through patient support programs

“The recent shift toward consumerism and patient empowerment is driving companies to reevaluate the role and design of patient support programs. Historically, pharmaceutical manufacturers implemented support programs largely as a way to address patient non-adherence. These programs were often single-based solutions designed to meet mass market needs. Next-generation patient support programs will go beyond simple adherence to address holistic disease management through patient-centric service offerings.

These next-generation “beyond the pill” patient programs are still new, and many of the concepts have yet to be widely embraced. However, some pharmaceutical companies have already begun re-evaluating their current set of offerings with the goal of enhancing patient engagement, retaining brand loyalty, and thwarting the switch to biosimilars or other competitive branded products.

Determine which services patients really want

While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for every brand or therapeutic area when creating a patient support program, the key business challenge for all pharma companies is how to determine which services are most valued by patients, and uncover and prioritize gaps in current offerings to best focus resources and investments…”