Connected Health Services And Smart Device Solutions

Medicom, a Phillips-Medisize company, discusses the rise of smart device solutions and connected health services and focuses on how these tools enable direct interaction with end users by using real-life data. This interaction, combined with data and learning loops from these services, can differentiate drugs to meet demand in specific micro-segments.

The market model for traditional pharmaceuticals, which is based on formulary positioning and prescriptions given by doctors, has been under pressure, giving rise to an end-user and consumer-driven approach. In addition to this, changes in payment models have been linked to positive patient outcomes, otherwise known as ‘payment by results’.

For pharmaceuticals, the concept of patient centricity is a major trend, where industry trends – including more defined clinical/regulatory approaches, an increased number of biologic drugs, higher-drug specificity and treatments linked to diagnostic data – are combining with a subsegmentation approach that concerns patients and where drugs can be most effective. While efficacy and safety are still fundamental for gaining drug approval, it is also important to note that exploring and understanding the care journey provides valuable insight into the needs of stakeholders, as well as the basis for defining services that are essential for stakeholders and patients in subsegments. A service model that is  dedicated to the drug will be able to meet individual and segment needs, including secondary disease measures, monitoring, and adherence and compliance services.

Smooth interaction with stakeholders is important for deriving value from this drug/service differentiation. This change in the stakeholder/patient engagement equation evidences that bespoke connected health services are proving to be vital tools.