What does the future hold for pharmacy technology? It’s a question that many people across different industries are asking.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of technologies such as AI, IoT, machine learning, and data analytics promise to dramatically change everything from the way we develop medicine and treat patients to the business and commercial side of healthcare.
To gain deeper insights into this dynamic landscape, we conducted interviews with experts from the leading pharmaceutical companies — Bayer and Roche — and asked them to share their visions on the future of pharma and global trends influencing both healthcare professionals and patients.
Lead of Global Commercial Data Science at Bayer
Zehra Erenkus She focuses on identifying core customer needs and delivering data-driven insights and recommendations to boost revenue growth. She has hands-on experience with BI and AI tools such as SAS, Tableau, Dataiku, and Python.
Her passion lies in translating complex business problems into actionable insights through analytics and innovative thinking. Zehra has been participating a lot in pharma conferences as a speaker.
Strategic Lead of Digital Customer Experience at Roche
Dr. Christian Velten has extensive experience across CX strategy & methodology, omnichannel excellence and digital media, which allows him to facilitate outstanding and integrated customer experiences in the digital space, and to enable Roche delivering to its customers’ needs and expectations.
He is a strong proponent of an enterprise-like approach to patients, offering to see them as the real pharma customer. Also, he is a speaker at multiple pharma conferences.
The pharmaceutical industry stands at a critical juncture, facing an array of industry-specific challenges and global trends that are reshaping its landscape.
From technological advancements and regulatory shifts to evolving patient expectations and economic pressures, the sector is undergoing a transformative phase. In this rapidly changing environment, staying ahead of the curve is essential for companies seeking to thrive and deliver innovative healthcare solutions.
AI and automation
Artificial intelligence seems to be proliferating in every industry, pharma is not an exception. A survey found that 80% of pharmaceutical and life sciences professionals are currently using AI for drug discovery. Also, 95% of pharmaceutical companies reported that they are investing in AI capabilities.
The application of AI in the pharmaceutical industry spans a broad spectrum of processes, including drug discovery, clinical trials, and supply chain optimization, where AI plays a crucial role. Beyond enhancing efficiency and accuracy, these applications pave the way for personalized medicine and novel therapeutic solutions.
“Today, we still struggle a lot with finding out what we can do with AI, how can we use it efficiently and effectively for the right things. But in five years, I think we are not discussing it anymore. It will just be.”
Dr. Christian Velten
Personalization
For years, healthcare and pharma companies adopted a one-size-fits-all approach, but now personalization is transforming the way pharmaceutical companies interact with patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs). For instance, sophisticated HCP engagement software can pinpoint the most relevant and impactful content for each individual. This allows for more personalized marketing efforts that resonate deeply with the target audience.
However, the pharmaceutical industry still lags behind other industries in terms of personalization. Due to stringent industry regulations, there are only several pilot use cases of implementing customized content by pharmaceutical companies.
"In the near future, the pharmaceutical industry is expected to maintain its digital presence while transitioning towards a more personalized approach. This shift will enable more tailored and individualized interactions with stakeholders."
Zehra Erenkus
She believes that more interactive and visually rich content, such as various types of brochures, emails, and videos will become increasingly common. By delivering customized messages and content, companies can improve engagement and relevance, ultimately driving sales growth while respecting privacy and regulatory guidelines.
Customer centricity
Consumer centricity is about understanding and addressing the needs and desires of customers. It involves creating a customer-first culture where every decision and action is aimed at enhancing the customer experience. This trend is already transforming the industry. Instead of sales representatives struggling to gain face-time with physicians, companies are now focusing on enhancing the service provided to patients.
“There is no way you can be customer-centric if you don’t know what the customer’s opinion, expectations, and needs are. Asking is replacing presuming. Listening is replacing assuming.”
Dr. Christian Velten
Being a patient advocate and a customer experience leader, Christian has been presenting the Roche Pharma Voice-of-the-customer (VoC) program at the Pharma Barcelona conference. VoC, synonymous with “customer feedback”, means hearing your customers and, which is more important, taking action based on what you hear.
“The fact that we ask, and the customer feels that we are actively listening and the fact that the company takes action on it, independent of what feedback they are giving us — this increases trust, improves the relationship, and gives us higher loyalty. And, in my opinion, this is a completely underestimated feature of customer feedback being part of advanced analytics.
The feedback challenge is not with executing surveys. But if you are asking customers for their feedback and you have no plan on how to take action, you better not ask. Because the worst thing that can happen is that nothing happens. And then a customer might feel ignored or even cheated. An effect which is well known in other industries but might be stronger in healthcare where feeling comfortable with us as a trusted partner providing efficacious and safe treatments is vital. So, customer feedback is about asking and listening, but most importantly it is about taking action on the feedback. And it is too obvious that AI can heavily support us in the future by taking more and better action.”
Dr. Christian Velten
Advanced analytics
Advanced analytics holds significant promise for pharmaceutical companies. According to McKinsey’s analysis, the broader adoption of data-driven technologies could boost business operating performance by 15–30% of EBITDA within five years. Over a decade, this improvement is expected to range from 45 to 75%.
“Data analytics plays a crucial role in improving patient outcomes in the Pharma industry. By leveraging data science and advanced analytics, Pharma companies can gain insights into patient mindsets, and treatment access barriers, thus enabling them to develop personalized treatment plans and optimize patient care. Additionally, data analytics helps in transforming Pharma commercial operations to be truly data-driven, leading to real-time decision and action optimization and best-in-class personalized services for customers and patients.
The pharma industry is quite data-rich compared to others. Pharmaceutical companies have access to extensive datasets that allow them to track competitors on a daily and monthly basis, providing valuable insights. This information is crucial for effectively planning marketing campaigns and forecasting.”
Zehra Erenkus
Digital accessibility
One notable trend in the pharmaceutical industry is the increasing emphasis on web accessibility. Organizations are recognizing the importance of aligning their digital content with guidelines such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and providing every person with access to the information and services they need, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. Digital accessibility is important because it helps create a smooth, streamlined, and stress-free journey for all of your website visitors.
Our experts also emphasize the importance of optimizing user experiences for different audiences and providing everyone with the essential information needed to stay healthy and informed. However, they point out that, unfortunately, accessibility is not always properly considered today.
“Let's assume a pharma company releasing a new product for treating a severe eye disease. One of the first things that is typically done is to create a fancy, colorful website. In a way as people looking at it would have the best eyes in the world. Without considering the specific disease conditions. Actually, we might do it more for us, from our perspective. I hope that customer feedback is telling us in those situations, I could never see your website, I need something else helping me to get more confidence and trust in the new treatment provided by you.
Ask patients, physicians and caregivers first, before investing money. Allow them to tell you what would make more sense for them, what their concerns are and which channels/technologies they factually use. I am talking about smart and highly impactful investments replacing the comfort zone of spreading money across what we always have done or prefer to do. At the end, every asset provided needs to work for the customer, not for us. It is them judging success and showing the value of money invested, not us.”
Dr. Christian Velten
Sustainability
Sustainability is no longer a choice but a necessity. Pharma businesses are increasingly adopting sustainable practices to minimize their environmental impact and contribute to a healthier planet. This trend aims to reduce carbon footprints, promote renewable energy, and implement eco-friendly processes and products.
“As a company committed to sustainability, Bayer is actively engaged in numerous projects aimed at promoting environmental and social responsibility. Our “Health for all, hunger for none” initiative embodies our core vision, focusing on improving access to healthcare and addressing global hunger challenges. Additionally, our women's healthcare division is dedicated to empowering women to protect their health, particularly in response to the demands of one of the largest contraceptive markets.”
Zehra Erenkus
As we look ahead, the future of the pharmaceutical industry is poised for significant transformation, driven by advancements in technology and evolving patient needs. Insights from experts at Bayer and Roche reveal a clear vision: a more personalized, data-driven, and accessible healthcare landscape.
The integration of AI, advanced analytics, and customer-centric approaches will redefine how companies engage with patients and healthcare professionals. Emphasizing digital accessibility and sustainability will not only meet regulatory demands but also foster trust and loyalty among users. As these trends continue to evolve, the pharmaceutical sector will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare, making strides toward a healthier world.
