For a long time, and in a lot of very positive ways, the pharmaceutical industry has been focused on the prescription journey. However, more than 20 years after patient support services were first introduced, patients are still facing complexity, delays, and confusion about where to go for trusted information on pricing.
To overcome these long-standing challenges, we need to hyperfocus on the patient and bring them to the very start of the journey. This means understanding what the prescribing experience is like for patients, knowing how to immediately and effectively engage them, and setting the right expectations so patients and providers alike know what to expect at every stage.
Direct-to-patient (DTP) offers the opportunity to consolidate the previously fragmented journey by fundamentally shifting where the industry meets patients. Instead of relying on reactive support, which only reaches a tiny fraction of those who need it, DTP allows us to engage with patients from the moment a prescription is written.
Current Challenges
For too long, patients have been left feeling like the prescription journey is actively working against them. Delays, a lack of clarity on cost, and complex information are all contributing to abandoned prescriptions, lower adherence, and reduced refill rates. [1,2] This does not just impact a brand’s bottom line – it also risks widening existing health inequalities and lowering health outcomes.
At the same time, patient expectations around information provision have fundamentally shifted. In an era where patients are increasingly using search engines and AI tools to search for medicine information, they expect the same quick access to personalized, understandable, and appropriate information from their pharmacies and prescribers. This means we need to provide the right information in the right format from the very start of the prescription journey and tailor support to meet patient preferences. If not, we risk patients accessing inappropriate or out-of-context information which could further undermine trust and lead to even higher drop-off rates.
DTP – Advocating for the Patient
DTP platforms bring together the whole patient journey to create a smoother experience for patients, prescribers, and brands. Executed correctly, they can provide the personalized support and unified ecosystem needed to reduce abandonment and improve adherence. But, for these platforms to be effective, patients must be at the forefront of solutions.
We need to utilize technology to bring scripts in more quickly and connect with patients from the very start of the journey. This reduces the risk of patients looking at alternative options or feeling disconnected from their provider. Transparency around pricing and simplified ordering and refill processes also reduce the risk of misunderstandings and increase trust.
In a system where patients often feel like the journey is working against them, DTP offers the opportunity to advocate for them.
Fusing Technology and the Human Touch
A key benefit of DTP is the ability to provide personalized adherence support throughout the patient journey. While it is incredibly important to keep the human touch, this approach should first and foremost be led by technology, which allows us to meet patients where they are.
There are an overwhelming number of patients who want to engage virtually, who want to engage in different ways, and who want to be found very quickly. This means embracing a range of support tools. So, for example, a patient will receive timely SMS messages from the moment their prescription enters the system, letting them know what to expect at each stage of the journey. Once a patient has received their first prescription, AI-enabled reminders and proactive refill scheduling can help boost adherence. For those patients who do need additional support, live pharmacy outreach is then available to add the human touch. This demonstrates how, by embracing technology, we can give patients optionality and ensure we are connecting with them when they want, where they want.
Conclusion
DTP is about changing expectations, shifting the dynamic, and putting patients at the start of the prescription timeline. By ensuring our industry meets the patient rather than the other way round and embracing tech-plus-touch support, we can overcome many of the historic challenges surrounding the prescription journey.
Ultimately, this means patients can start on treatment faster and stay on treatment longer, increasing patient satisfaction, improving health outcomes, and protecting the bottom line for brands.
