The entire pharmaceutical industry has been undergoing a significant transformation for a while now. Over the years, there has been a major shift in consumer behavior as well. Nowadays, patients are a lot more empowered and know what their healthcare needs are. As a result, pharma companies also need to make a move from a product-centric approach to a patient-centric approach.
What is patient centricity?
Patient centricity is an approach to healthcare that prioritizes the needs, preferences and experiences of patients. It involves putting patients at the heart of every decision, whether it is related to drug development and clinical trials or marketing and post-market support. By understanding the needs, challenges and expectations of patients, pharma companies can develop more effective, personalized healthcare and healthtech solutions that improve health outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Nowadays, pharma companies consider patients as not just the recipients of their treatment plans but as active partners in the overall process.
Key benefits of patient centricity
Patient centricity is the future of healthcare and offers several benefits.
- Improved health outcomes: The main benefit of following a patient-centric approach are improved patient outcomes. With patients being actively involved in their healthcare, pharma companies can make required changes to existing treatment plans on the basis of the specific needs and preferences of their patients.
- Enhanced patient satisfaction: Nowadays, patients have a decent amount of knowledge about medical conditions and their possible treatment methods. As a result, they tend to play a major role in their overall healthcare journey. When pharma companies design their offerings, keeping patient needs in mind, it helps improve patient satisfaction.
- Better adherence: When a pharma company follows a provider-centric approach, overall adherence to their medications or treatment plans may at times be low. But adopting patient centricity leads to a significant increase in the adherence rate. The reason behind this is that when a pharma company delivers exactly what patients are expecting, they are more likely to follow it diligently.
Patient centricity is the call of the hour and embracing it is no longer an option for pharma companies. Businesses that are prioritizing patient needs over everything else are best positioned for long-term success.