Digital technologies have weakened that control, opening an array of new, independent information channels. Historically, pharma companies have controlled both the generation and dissemination of information about their products. More information is available about product performance
Pakistan digital clock download how to#
Pharma companies will need to decide soon how to position themselves to compete or collaborate with these new players, or build complementary capabilities. For example, the IBM Watson Health platform-recently at the center of a partnership with Apple and its HealthKit health-sensor data platform-is using advanced analytics and natural-language-processing capabilities to deliver clinical decision support. And they are able to collect petabytes of data from these and other sources, such as electronic medical records and insurance claims, capturing valuable insights. They are able to engage with patients through apps, health and fitness devices, and online communities, for example. Where once health providers' paper-based medical records were the main source of patient health data, and drug research and development data were kept within the walls of the pharma companies, today, technology companies such as Apple, IBM, and Qualcomm Technologies are moving into healthcare. Information and insights into patients' histories and clinical pathways are no longer the preserve of the traditional healthcare establishment. In a digital world, the ability to engage with patients as they make such evaluations could be key to the success of a pharma company's commercial model. In addition, patients are becoming keener to evaluate different healthcare products and services given that they bear a growing proportion of the costs. "Two-thirds of people believe they could be making more decisions about personal health and wellness on their own," a survey conducted by Ipsos in collaboration with the National Council on Patient Information and Education and Pfizer, 2015,. In one survey, more than 85 percent of patients said they were confident in their ability to take responsibility for their health and knew how to access online resources to help them do so. They feel empowered by the vast amount of health information available online and on apps, and by the array of health and fitness wearables such as FitBit and Apple Watch. In a digital age, patients are much less dependent on their doctors for advice, increasingly able and willing to take greater control of their own health. These solutions help drive the adherence to treatment and outcomes that payors and governments seek, and they generate the data that pharma companies need to demonstrate their drugs' superior efficacy. In this environment, digitally enabled "beyond the pill" solutions, which include not just drugs but also sensors to collect and analyze data to monitor a patient's condition between visits to healthcare providers, are becoming critical to serving both parties' needs. Payors and governments have an ever sharper focus on managing costs while delivering improved patient outcomes, putting an even greater onus on pharma companies to demonstrate the value of their drugs in the real world-not just in randomized controlled trials-if they are to retain market access and premium pricing. Transforming Medical Affairs: Tapping the alchemy of storytellers and digital start-ups Trends reshaping healthcare Outcomes-based care is moving to center stage