Helping more people get the care they need with digital health

By: Elyse Fretz and Jon Melnick

Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly looking for ways to close health disparities to help more people get the healthcare they need, and digital health tools can help them do so. Across the patient journey, there are opportunities to leverage digital health tools to close care gaps — which is good for patients and businesses.

Digital health tools can help in a few key ways:

- Screening: Identify and connect with more patients who need treatment, especially among populations that have historically been underserved.

- Diagnosis and treatment: Ensure patients receive the right diagnosis and treatment, no matter who they are.

- Adherence: Help patients navigate barriers they may face in sticking to their treatment plan and reduce treatment discontinuation.

These benefits aren’t just theoretical; the technology is already here. Not only are digital health solutions particularly well-suited to reducing disparities across the patient funnel, they’re already making a positive impact in the market today. Thanks to the widespread availability and use of smartphones and devices, companies across the digital health spectrum have been bringing new solutions to market to drive more equitable access to care and health outcomes. Through strategic alliances with such companies to drive broader adoption of these digital health tools, pharma can unlock new pathways to both health equity and business success.

Below, Figure 1 shows that at each stage of the patient funnel, there are digital health tools that can help expand underserved populations’ access to life-changing treatments. Figure 1 shows certain digital health tools already in use and where they fit into the patient funnel.

FIGURE 1:

Next, we will explore examples at each stage of the patient funnel of how digital health companies are already working to close health disparities.

Reducing screening disparities:

Pharmaceutical companies can collaborate with digital health solutions — such as AI-driven radiology technologies — to automate and enhance the reading of medical scans, supporting early and accurate detection of conditions. Research shows that Black American patients are 21% less likely to receive imaging tests compared to other demographics. This is a significant gap that could be addressed through strategic partnerships. For instance, pharma could work with an AI-driven screening company — such as iCAD — which has achieved success in enhancing cancer detection through its advanced technology. Such a partnership could help increase the accuracy and throughput of screening services in underserved communities, expanding access to these critical tools.

Increasing accurate diagnosis:

Further along the patient journey, there are opportunities to address disparities in timely and accurate diagnosis. Latinos who primarily speak Spanish are more likely to lack a regular source of care, resulting in fewer outpatient visits, inpatient days and prescription medications. Companies like Included Health have been instrumental in bridging the diagnosis gap for Black and Hispanic patients through tailored education. Their content supports these communities in understanding and navigating their healthcare needs, leading to a 60% increase in provider visits. Partnering with Included Health could involve co-creating marketing campaigns, sharing educational materials and coordinating outreach to help patients overcome insurance complexities and receive earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Improving treatment equity:

At the treatment stage, digital solutions are assisting in healthcare delivery. Vaccination rates exhibit significant racial disparities, with rates in white communities being twice as high as in Black communities. SameSky tackles this through culturally sensitive communication and integration of medication-related data into their platform. This strategy has led to an 18% improvement in vaccination rates, showcasing the power of personalized messaging and targeted outreach for diverse populations. One way in which pharma could further their equity and commercial objectives is through engaging patients with SameSky for a platform that combines public data, private data and claims data to gain a compressive understanding of health plan members — including social determinants of health (SDOH) barriers such as race and ethnicity — to close gaps in treatment.

Addressing low adherence:

Finally, pharma has opportunities to leverage digital health technology to help ensure that patients continue their treatment regimes. Transport barriers often hinder consistent healthcare access, with community oncologists identifying access to transportation as the second greatest barrier for their patients. SafeRide addresses this critical issue by providing non-emergency medical transport, as a result enhancing adherence by ensuring patients can reach their healthcare appointments. Pharmaceutical companies can invest in solutions like Saferide to gain coverage for rural territories with high-prescribing oncology or immunology accounts.

Engaging with a digital health partner: Where to begin?

By working with digital health companies, pharma can achieve two big benefits — helping more people get the care they need and growing their own businesses. As a first step, pharma needs to identify the most significant health disparities in the therapy areas where it operates and prioritize which of these gaps might be addressable through a digital health partnership. Then, they can assess different digital partners and solutions available in the market to choose the best fit. With the right partner in place, pharma can collaborate to design and execute an effective approach to leverage the digital health tool to meet its strategic objectives and close health disparities.

This strategic approach allows the pharma industry to make a real social impact while also boosting its business. It positions them as leaders in building a more fair and resilient healthcare system for all. Pharmaceutical companies that embrace digital health tools in this arena will be the ones to shape this future.

Explore how ZS’s digital health solutions can benefit you. Get in touch with us today to learn more. Contact us: https://www.zs.com/contact-us

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This article reflects my personal views. They do not necessarily represent any official position of ZS.