Overcoming barriers to digital transformation in healthcare industry

The digital transformation in the pharma industry is just beginning.

A few years ago, digitalisation was a buzzword. Today it’s one of the biggest challenges facing the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, which are rapidly adapting to seize new digital opportunities. During the recent Reuters Pharma Customer Engagement Europe 2024 conference in London, Sabine Louët, SciencePOD CEO, chaired a panel focused on the future of digital customer engagement featuring:

Rodney B. Smith, VP, Global Oncology Medical Affairs Franchise Head at Daiichi Sankyo Europe
Alyssa Fenoglio, VP, Global Head of Digital Commercial at Teva Pharmaceuticals
Ingo Floren, VP, Digital Customer Engagement at Bayer

Together, they engaged in a thought-provoking discussion, unpacking key challenges and potential solutions for the industry.

First, the panel discussed the obstacles preventing pharma companies from fully embracing digital opportunities. Drawing from their wealth of experience in pharma, the panelists identified the following key obstacles standing in the way of better customer engagement.

1. Regulatory constraints

As Rodney B. Smith points out, the healthcare industry is heavily regulated. While these regulations are necessary for protecting patient data and ensuring medicine safety, they can sometimes slow down the adoption of new digital tools. The strict rules around data privacy and patient confidentiality make it challenging for organisations to implement digital strategies that are both innovative and compliant.

2. Legacy systems

Alyssa Fenoglio points to the challenge of legacy systems. Many pharmaceutical companies are still working with outdated technology that doesn’t easily integrate with digital solutions. These legacy systems create significant roadblocks, making it harder for teams to leverage data effectively and engage customers through new digital platforms.

3. Data silos

Ingo Floren brings up another critical issue: data silos. Fragmented data across different departments and systems prevent companies from having a clear, unified view of their customers. Without a complete picture of the customer journey, it’s nearly impossible to offer personalised, timely engagement through digital channels.

4. Digital literacy gaps

The panel also touched on the varying levels of digital literacy within organisations. Not everyone is fully comfortable or familiar with digital tools, especially in industries like ours where the focus has traditionally been more on clinical expertise. This knowledge gap can result in delays before adopting new technologies, making it an important blocker to address

5. Trust issues

Both patients and healthcare professionals are often mistrusting of digital tools, particularly when it comes to handling sensitive healthcare data. Concerns over data security and privacy can result in reluctance to engage with new platforms, further complicating digital adoption.

6. Cultural resistance to change

Finally,a cultural resistance to change exists within pharma learing to difficulties in changing processes . As a result, even the most well-planned digital strategies may face resistance within the organisation, making transformation even more challenging.

These ‘blockers’ present significant challenges, but recognising their existence is an important first step. The good news? Addressing these obstacles unlocks the potential for deeper, more effective customer engagement through digital channels.

Fortunately, there are many passionate and forward-looking senior executives in the pharma industry eager to make progress. They are ready to take action for innovation and growth. Here are some of the solutions put forward to help break through the ‘blockers’ and drive digital transformation in pharma.

Collaboration across departments – One of the most powerful solutions, according to panel members, is collaboration across different departments. Rodney B. Smith emphasises that breaking down silos is essential. By creating cross-functional teams—combining digital, medical, and commercial expertise— companies can ensure a more holistic and integrated approach to customer engagement. This collective effort helps everyone see the big picture and work toward common digital goals.
Embrace agile methodologies – Alyssa Fenoglio shares how embracing agile methodologies has been a game-changer for her team at Teva Pharmaceuticals. By adopting a more flexible, iterative approach to project management, she rolled out digital initiatives quicker, allowing teams to test and refine their strategies based on real-time feedback. Adapting is key to keeping up in a fast-evolving digital landscape.
Invest in user-friendly technology – Ingo Floren stresses the importance of user-friendly digital platforms suited for healthcare professionals and patients alike. By simplifying technology and ensuring it meets the users’ needs, companies can reduce resistance to adoption of new digital tools. Intuitive, accessible platforms that require minimal training will help foster better engagement from all stakeholders, making the digital transformation more seamless and effective.
Data integration and smart analytics – Data integration is another vital solution. According to several panel members, harnessing the power of unified data across all business functions (marketing, sales, medical affairs) is crucial. With integrated data, companies gain a deeper understanding of customer behaviour and preferences, enabling them to create more personalised and relevant digital experiences. By leveraging smart analytics, organisations also gain actionable insights to continuously improve their engagement strategies.
Focus on education and digital literacy – The panel highlights that investing in education and digital literacy programs is key to overcoming the knowledge gaps that hinder digital adoption. Providing healthcare professionals and their teams with the necessary skills and confidence to use digital tools is crucial for driving broader acceptance. Training sessions, online courses, and hands-on support can help bridge this gap and empower teams to take full advantage of digital solutions.
Building trust through transparency – Finally, building trust is a major focus of the panel discussion. The panellists agree that transparency is essential when it comes to data security and privacy. By clearly communicating how data is handled and ensuring robust security measures are in place, companies can gain the trust of both healthcare professionals and patients. This trust is foundational for the success of any digital engagement strategy in healthcare.

These solutions offer a clear path forward. While the ‘blockers’ are significant, they are not insurmountable. By taking these actions, organisations can overcome obstacles and unlock the full potential of digital engagement. It’s all about working together across business functions, embracing new ways of thinking, and continuously pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

The key takeaway from the panel was that while obstacles exist, solutions are within reach. And through the tireless work of passionate professionals across the industry, transformation is both possible and already well underway.