AI in Life Sciences: Exploring Innovation and Opportunities Posted on January 15, 2025February 4, 2025 by Vitalii Yaruta Artificial intelligence, a groundbreaking technology which already reshapes businesses across industries, is making strides in life sciences as well. Despite its potential and numerous successful use cases, the adoption of AI in life sciences has been noticeably slower than in other industries. Why is that so? What is the actual value of artificial intelligence in life sciences? And what are the opportunities it offers? Continue reading to find answers to these questions and more. Evolution of AI Models in Life Sciences The 1950s marked the decade when artificial intelligence was officially “born,” with Alan Turing introducing this concept in his research paper “Computing Machine and Intelligence.” Five years later, researchers coined the term “artificial intelligence” during the Dartmouth College conference. Since that time, scientists from all around the world have diligently researched artificial intelligence, its benefits, and applications. Despite being closely studied for years, it wasn’t until the 1970s that AI was introduced to the healthcare industry. MYCIN, an early expert system, was the first application of AI in life sciences, used to identify bacteria, diagnose some blood clotting diseases, and recommend treatments based on patient data. Since the first application of artificial intelligence in healthcare and life sciences, both industries have experienced serious technological advancements and continue to find new ways to use AI for the greater good. The global market for AI in life sciences is projected to reach $33.5b in 2029, with a compound annual growth rate of 27.9%. The life sciences industry now uses AI to identify potential health risks, accelerate the drug discovery process, predict disease spread, facilitate the rapid development of medicine, and provide more accurate diagnoses. Role of Artificial Intelligence in Life Sciences When a new technology is implemented, its role is hard to determine at first. When the Internet first appeared, many were not sure how it would be useful in the life sciences sector. Some experts and companies were so reserved about going online that it took decades for many to finally move some operations to the World Wide Web. To avoid the same thing from happening to the adoption of AI, it’s important to understand why it can and will, play a crucial role in our lives: Artificial intelligence can create new opportunities. It’s not just about optimizing processes; it’s also about making discoveries, speeding up research, and augmenting the work of healthcare experts and scientists to achieve better healthcare outcomes faster. AI can analyze patient data to identify patterns and changes, enabling more accurate predictions and disease diagnosis. This, in turn, can help discover the appropriate drug or treatment more quickly. AI systems can contribute to maintaining sustainable practices in the pharmaceutical industry by analyzing energy consumption, optimizing drug distribution, and minimizing waste. All of that is possible thanks to its prediction capabilities, as artificial intelligence can predict how much energy and resources might be required and what can be done to cut consumption and reduce waste. Artificial intelligence can assist governments and healthcare institutions in combating pandemics, including monitoring and predicting outbreaks, speeding up diagnostics and research, repurposing existing drugs, and even accelerating vaccine design and development. AI in life sciences is a lot more than just a tool for optimization. It can aid scientists in breaking new ground and assist healthcare professionals in achieving improved patient outcomes. The success of AI implementation depends solely on the people responsible for its adoption, which is why it’s so important to finally learn more about artificial intelligence and its capabilities instead of avoiding it. How Artificial Intelligence is Advancing Life Sciences How is AI reshaping the life sciences industry today? Here is how artificial intelligence and machine learning are revolutionizing pharma: Clinical trials Right now, researchers are actively looking for ways to implement AI into clinical trials that would help scientific research and speed up the matching of patients to trials. One example of how AI is already used is an algorithm developed by the National Institutes of Health, TrialGPT, that can match people who meet the enrollment criteria to the relevant clinical trials. Drug discovery Over the past five years, the presence of AI in the drug discovery field has grown significantly. In 2024, the top 20 pharmaceutical companies have already announced that they are actively researching uses for AI in R&D. Life sciences companies can use AI to analyze vast amounts of data and identify drug targets, design small molecules, generate synthesis pathways for chemical compounds, and predict drug properties. The drug discovery process can take up to 15-20 years, and with the help of AI, it’s possible to shorten it, accelerate the search for potential drug candidates, and increase the success rate. Chatbots and virtual assistants AI-powered chatbots are continuously improving, with some bots even being capable of using real-time data to generate detailed responses and answer complex questions. In life sciences, chatbots and virtual assistants can be used by pharmaceutical companies to improve communication with patients. Drug repurposing AI can help pharmaceutical companies produce multi-purpose drugs without having to create new ones. AI-based algorithms can analyze already existing drugs and their chemical components to devise new ways to treat different diseases with the same pharmaceuticals. Genomics Genetics is a fascinating field of study that allows us to better understand many diseases and conditions. With AI, it’s possible to deepen this knowledge and learn more about our DNA and how to prevent some mutations from happening. Artificial intelligence can identify patterns and genetic variants, analyze genomic data, and even predict gene interactions. AI in Life Sciences: TOP Use Cases AI has a broad range of applications in the pharmaceutical industry; many companies have already started to implement artificial intelligence into their daily operations. Here are the top 3 use cases of AI in life sciences right now: Atomwise. This San Francisco-based company focuses on using AI to accelerate scientific research and drug discovery by developing 3D models of molecules and employing AI to predict the bidden affinity of those molecules. Google Health. Google has launched numerous healthcare projects leveraging AI to improve patient care and assist people in remote areas. One of its most significant AI research initiatives is an AI-powered screening tool capable of detecting tuberculosis in its early stages. Johnson & Johnson. In collaboration with Rest Devices, the pharmaceutical company created an app that tracks babies’ sleep and gives advice based on the baby’s sleep routines. Combined with a wearable device that additionally tracks the infant’s body position, activity changes, breathing, and body temperature, parents can get insights into their child’s sleeping patterns. Paige.ai & Microsoft. Paige, an organization that primarily focuses on building AI-driven solutions for healthcare organizations, has teamed up with Microsoft to create new AI models that provide an even deeper understanding of cells and tissue. Trained on data from over 225,000 patients, these models will aid healthcare experts in identifying and diagnosing cancer, deepening understanding of the disease and potentially even speeding up its treatment. Illumina and AstraZeneca. This collaboration focuses on research on AI-driven drug discovery, looking for more ways to use genomics in combination with artificial intelligence to develop new drugs faster. There are many great examples of how pharmaceutical companies and healthcare organizations use AI to drive discoveries and innovations. Even though there is still a long journey ahead, a single company can achieve remarkable outcomes by utilizing AI-powered tools even now. Current Trends in AI for Life Sciences What is the state of AI in the life sciences industry right now? Let’s take a look at current trends to see how most companies leverage artificial intelligence nowadays: Generative AI GenAI is the subfield of artificial intelligence capable of creating new content, such as texts, images, videos, and others. In life sciences, generative artificial intelligence can assist with medical imaging, creating simulations, scientific research, hypothesis generation, drug discovery and design, and other areas. AI-powered patient care According to the statistics provided by The Health Foundation in the UK, 54% of respondents support the use of AI for patient care, and an even bigger percentage, 61%, support AI integration for administrative purposes. Many pharma companies and healthcare institutions are already implementing AI to automate various operations and improve the quality of care; for example, some organizations have created virtual assistants that can answer patients’ questions at any time. Personalization Precision, or personalized medicine, shifts from the “one-size-fits-all” solution when it comes to treating diseases and concentrates on tailoring the healthcare to each patient instead. Thanks to AI, it’s possible to do research on the right medicine faster, allowing healthcare providers to customize treatment plans on the go. Remember that many of the trends might not live up to expectations, and this is totally normal. Not everything is supposed to last long, including even the most incredible trends. It’s okay to experiment and search for new, better ways to implement AI so that the technology provides you with the most value. Future Prospects and Challenges Every innovation comes with a set of demands and rules. As great as it is, AI still has a lot of unfulfilled potential, exploring which might lead to both positive and negative consequences. Here is what the future might look like for AI in life sciences. Challenges There are many possible challenges lying ahead, and here are some of them: Data safety No matter how noble the cause is, sharing your data with a third party and allowing AI to use it can be a little worrying. Moreover, many are worried that the data AI-powered software uses can be easily breached and stolen. Ethical issues One of the biggest questions of the modern day is, “How ethical is it to use AI?”. Some oppose its implementation because of the ways it’s created and trained, as companies often use data from open sources to do so, which sometimes involves materials produced by people who did not consent to that. Another concern is the possibility of AI taking over certain fields, potentially replacing human roles, particularly in creative domains. A lack of expertise AI in life sciences requires immense levels of expertise and knowledge, arguably more so than any other industry. Finding the best uses for AI and later interpreting the results it produces is the responsibility of properly trained experts. Without experts leading the innovation and making sure that integrating AI brings as many benefits as possible, it can be hard to realize the technology’s full potential. Poor governance practices During the early days of the Internet, nobody knew how to use it correctly. This quickly changed with new policies and rulesets, which allowed companies to regulate what their employees are permitted to do and share on the Internet and what they are not. The same level of responsibility should apply when companies introduce AI; however, currently, only 55% of businesses enforce formal policies and procedures regarding the use of artificial intelligence. Future Prospects It is fair to say that we stand at the dawn of the AI revolution. There are many opportunities and challenges ahead, making our AI journey all the more thrilling. Let’s discuss what the future might hold for this technology: Speech AI AI voiceovers and voice-controlled systems have gained popularity in the past few years; it’s now used to improve business performance, science research, and even entertainment. This technology will likely continue to evolve, with more features tailored to the needs of life sciences coming out in the future. Remote monitoring AI-powered devices and systems continue to improve, with many of them already capable of tracking patients’ states at long distances. As remote monitoring apps and platforms continue to advance, more medical professionals will be able to treat patients regardless of their location. Quick disease diagnosis With AI’s ability to quickly analyze massive data sets, it will become possible to diagnose patients much faster, even those who have symptoms similar to multiple conditions and illnesses. It might take a few weeks or months to get the right results, but with AI, this process might take just a few days, if not hours. Final Remarks In the end, as much as any technology artificial intelligence is all about how it is utilized. It can be used to develop life-saving therapies, build new business models, and devise personalized treatment plans, but it can also be misused for activities that don’t bring any value, such as deepfakes or low-quality art. AI is our canvas, and it’s up to our society to use it for something positive and transformative. Fearing and avoiding the technology will only delay its inevitable impact, so it’s best to start using it to build a better and more inclusive future. Let us know if you want to learn how to integrate AI into your business operations right now. Our experts are ready to answer all your questions during a free personalized session.
Common Guide to Telehealth Marketing Posted on December 16, 2024February 4, 2025 by Vitalii Yaruta Due to COVID-19, almost every other healthcare organization has added telehealth to its services. Virtual visits have become just as important as face-to-face ones for millions of people, opening the door for numerous opportunities to provide healthcare to people who live in rural areas or have limited opportunities for travel to hospitals or clinics every time. With the growing use of telehealth, many healthcare organizations are wondering how to market all related services. Given the broad scope of telehealth, how do you reach out to the right audience? In our guide, we will break down everything you need to know about telehealth marketing, its challenges,, and best practices. Telehealth Marketing Explained Telehealth, along with other innovations like 5G networks, wearable health devices, and 3D printing, plays a huge role in the modern-day healthcare industry. Telehealth, sometimes referred to as telemedicine, is the use of telecommunication technology to communicate with patients and provide long-distance clinical healthcare. Now, let’s talk a little bit more about the benefits of telehealth and how its marketing strategies work. How Does Telemedicine Marketing Work? Telemedicine marketing is a set of strategies, tools, and methods that help healthcare organizations and telemedicine service providers promote their products online and offline. For any company that’s marketing healthcare and telehealth services, it’s crucial to reach patients who are most likely to benefit from those offerings. This is why many businesses in the healthcare landscape focus on creating content for social platforms, gathering and publishing patient testimonials, using SEO strategies to build a strong online presence, as well as resorting to other methods of attracting patients. Benefits of Telehealth for Healthcare 94% of patients who have used a telehealth service state they would do it again in the future. What makes telehealth so beneficial? Here are a few advantages: Quick assistance at any time One of the biggest reasons so many people don’t receive care on time is the distance to medical facilities and the availability of service. Most clinics and hospitals indeed work around the clock, but they often do not offer all services at all times. With telehealth, this situation changes completely, allowing people with busy schedules or living in remote locations to get access to healthcare whenever they need it. Access to medicine in remote areas A little less than half of the global population lives in rural communities. For many, a simple visit to a hospital can take a lot of precious time and money, as in many cases, there are either no medical facilities in these areas or they offer limited services and accommodations. Even if there is a larger city nearby, hospitals might still be too distant in cases of critical emergencies. Telemedicine services solve this problem by providing people from different areas with urgent care, reducing the risk of patients’ diseases progressing and getting worse, and improving patient-doctor communication. Constant monitoring of patients’ conditions Different monitoring tools and telehealth software can help patients with chronic conditions or difficult diseases that require continuous medical supervision get the assistance they need without going to the medical facility all the time. Instead, they can work with the doctors online, providing them with updates via messengers, special apps, and videoconferencing programs. As a result, patients will get better treatment without leaving the house and potentially putting their health at risk. Flexibility & convenience Sometimes, people just have too much on their plate to spend enough time on their health. Unfortunately, for many, it’s become a luxury to take a day off to have a regular check-up or ask for sick leave whenever they catch a cold. Even though it’s not the ideal solution, telemedicine services can help people quickly make appointments, have a live chat with a doctor whenever they need to, and even renew prescriptions without unnecessary visits to their doctors. Telemedicine vs. Telehealth Marketing For many, telemedicine and telehealth are interchangeable terms, and for the most part, it is true. However, both have some key differences, knowing which is important prior to integrating any related services. Telehealth: Refers to a broader range of practices that encompass both clinical and non-clinical services, such as patient apps and portals, health education, administrative meetings, and others; Focuses on providing a larger variety of services remotely; Is cheaper than on-site healthcare; Includes telemedicine as a subset. Telemedicine: Refers to the use of technology to provide remote healthcare services, such as diagnosing, treating, and monitoring patients outside of medical facilities and healthcare organizations; Involves the use of different technology to communicate with a patient, such as mobile apps, video conferencing software, and messengers; Focuses on direct patient care. 60% of patients find telehealth services more effective than in-person appointments. This number grows every year, increasing the need for telehealth services while also presenting unique challenges. Successful Telehealth Marketing Strategies What are some proven tactics for crafting a successful telehealth marketing plan or strategy? Combined with tools like eWizard and readiness to experiment with content creation and marketing techniques, you can achieve considerable improvements. Here are some important tips to keep in mind: Build a professional, welcoming website Your website is the face of your brand. You need to make it both appealing and user-friendly. Convenience is at the core of telemedicine services, meaning that your website should also be easy to navigate without any complications, such as unnecessary buttons, a huge menu, or videos that take up half the screen. Try to find a balance between nice visuals and optimized functionality because, without these two aspects, it will be hard to attract potential users. Optimize your site with SEO to boost traffic Search engine optimization (SEO), is a process well-known to everyone working in marketing. Everyone already knows how important it is, but not every company unleashes its full potential to reach the maximum number of potential patients. Here are the main steps of a successful SEO strategy: Integrate relevant keywords in your content; Improve your Google My Business profile; Add internal links; Create short URLs; Optimize content for the search intent; Study your competitors; Use blogs to build a following; Be present on social media; Craft a website with different devices in mind. If you want more people to find your business organically, meaning that they will just google something and come across your page, start implementing all kinds of SEO strategies right now. According to one study, organic results that ranked first in the Google search garnered 39.8% of clicks. This is compared to 2.1% of clicks of ads that were displayed in the paid search. Include SEO in your telehealth content marketing strategy, and you’ll soon see how much of a game-changer it can be. Run paid ads targeting telehealth-ready leads Organic traffic is great, and this is what you should strive to achieve. However, if your goal is to reach out to as many potential users and new patients as possible, you need to focus on both paid and non-paid ads. Google Ads is a good place to start, as it has been tested and used by thousands of marketers worldwide. Here are some statistics: 63% of internet users have clicked on a Google ad at least once; Businesses get 2$ in revenue for a 1$ investment in ads; Over 1 million of companies are using Google Ads. Of course, Google Ads is not the only method of paid advertising that works well. It is up to you to explore different options and choose the one that works out best for you. If Google Ads is not your preferred tool, consider influencer marketing, social media advertising, instream promotions, sponsored content, and other forms of paid ads. Create content to showcase your expertise Content is a powerful tool when used correctly. Use content you create to provide your target audience with unique insights and important information, some of which might even be available only in your blog. For example, let’s say you created a unique app that makes telemedicine services even more accessible. Why not talk about everything you learned on your journey of creating the app in your blog? Why did you make it in the first place? What important statistics did you learn along the way? Answer these questions in the content you produce. Use the knowledge you and your team have accumulated over the years to educate your audience and create unique, valuable content. Nowadays, there are so many AI-powered content creation tools, content management systems, and other programs that creating high-quality content should not be a problem. Don’t forget to include collaborations with other experts in your content marketing strategy, as it is another great way to highlight your expertise and reach more patients who might be looking for more than just a healthcare provider. Key Challenges for Marketing Telehealth Services Nothing will come easy. Certain challenges could be hindering the successful implementation of marketing strategies, such as: Finding the unique selling proposition A unique selling proposition, or USP, is a specific benefit that your business can offer to its customers that makes it a better choice compared to competitors. In other words, the USP is what makes your brand stand out. When it comes to telemedicine, there are still many features to explore, which makes finding the USP a bit easier. However, telemedicine in its current state requires businesses to innovate and experiment, and many fear that doing something unique and new could result in losing customers and prospective patients. This is why, when it comes to developing unique selling propositions, many companies are not sure what to do. If you find yourself in the same position, consider everything you have done already and what made patients choose your services in the first place. Why is your business simply better than others? Brainstorm some ideas and answer this question honestly, and you might be surprised with the results. Maintaining the right level of personalization One of the biggest issues many companies face is achieving the perfect level of personalization. Personalization is especially important for telehealth services, as patients who feel like they are always treated the same as everybody else will be less inclined to trust the chosen telehealth company and might even take their business elsewhere. Let’s take a look at an example from one study. Patients who have type 1 diabetes are more used to living with the disease from a young age, and monitoring what they eat is a routine thing for them. For this group of patients, you need to create something that keeps them engaged since they already know all the nooks and crannies, and the main goal is to provide them with software that offers features that make monitoring their health easier. When it comes to type 2 diabetes, the image of an average patient completely changes. Patients who encounter type 2 diabetes for the first time are usually unprepared for lifestyle changes, and they tend to have more difficulties when adjusting to new technology. Moreover, these patients are also more likely to suffer from other conditions, which might make using technology an even harder task. For these people, it’s important to present your solution as something easy to navigate, with the right size of text fonts and inclusive features. As you can see, there are many different ways to personalize your product. Remember that if you want your business to stand out, you need to go even further and personalize your marketing efforts. Learn who your target audience is, research their pain points, and create a digital marketing strategy that considers all of these aspects. Unrealistic expectations Just like with almost anything these days, everyone either expects a new thing to live up to the hype or dismiss it immediately when the service or product falls short of expectations. In the healthcare industry, it’s important to give some new technology the benefit of the doubt and let companies go through the trial-and-error process before judging them too harshly. Yes, some telehealth apps are just not what we need them to be. For their functions to improve and finally start to align with patients’ needs, it’s crucial to give honest feedback about what might be lacking instead of over-criticizing. Final Remarks Telehealth marketing is still in its early stages, meaning that most marketers are still getting used to its nuances and complexities. There will be many patients still not sure about what your unique offer is, and your ideal customers might not find you right away. And that’s completely fine: as long as you have a marketing plan ready and a willingness to explore new opportunities, you will succeed. If you need help developing a successful marketing strategy, creating an exclusive app, or finding a perfect content management system, share your unique problem with the Viseven experts, and we will assist you immediately. Start saving lives by improving communication today.
Healthcare Marketing Plan: All You Need to Know Posted on December 15, 2024February 4, 2025 by Vitalii Yaruta Every healthcare organization, regardless of its size, has to find ways to attract new patients and motivate other healthcare providers to partner up. There are so many strategies and tactics for selling products and services that it becomes easy to get lost in this myriad of healthcare marketing initiatives. This is why having a solid healthcare marketing plan is now a necessity. Amidst the chaos, sometimes all it takes is a little planning to succeed. Our guide will share everything you need to know about the healthcare marketing plan and why you need it. What is a Healthcare Marketing Plan? A healthcare marketing plan is a document that covers different aspects of a healthcare company’s marketing activities. It should be regularly reviewed, assessed, and modified to ensure its alignment with the current state and goals of marketing efforts and strategies. No matter what kind of project you’re working on, it needs to have a foundation, right? It’s like building a house. The same applies to your marketing efforts. A marketing plan is your roadmap, the one you can use to build a pleasant and engaging healthcare journey for the audiences. A healthcare marketing plan is most effective when paired with other strategies and methods. For example, combined with omnichannel marketing, you can strengthen your messaging across various touchpoints and deliver high-quality content on time. Pros of Healthcare Marketing Plan & Why You Need to Create One There are many things a company has to take care of — one too many, from optimizing health data management to maintaining patient engagement. Adding another task to the roster doesn’t seem like the best idea; however, there are many reasons why having a healthcare marketing plan is so important. Let’s take a look: Provides clear marketing goals Your marketing strategies should fulfill some purpose; in the best-case scenario, this purpose is one of the goals you set beforehand. Without having clear goals, how can you be sure that your marketing strategy is performing well enough? Writing out all of the goals and breaking them down might be a tiring and time-consuming task, but it will pay off in the future. With a marketing plan, you can easily track your goals and see how your strategies work over a certain period. Saves you money Without a clear marketing plan, your marketing team will struggle to understand how much budget they can allocate to specific activities and whether there’s room for new projects, software updates, or other expenses. A clear plan lets you know precisely how much you will spend, when, and on what. Ensures consistency A marketing plan can stabilize your marketing efforts, offering consistency at multiple levels, from devising new campaigns to delivering polished content to your audience. Here is a thing: a good marketing plan tells you not just about future deadlines and campaigns but also exactly how you will achieve your goals. This includes such aspects as the social media platforms you will be using, the preferred tone of voice, and even images that will be part of your campaigns. Imagine your marketing plan as a puzzle: you will see the full picture only when you combine all the different pieces. Identifies your target audience Your digital marketing plan should include insights about your potential patients, medical professionals who might be interested in your offerings, and people who already trust your business. Including this information in a marketing plan allows you to explore additional ideas on how to best cater to your audience and what channels you can use to reach them faster. Helps define and keep up with KPIs KPIs, or key performance indicators, are one of the most effective ways to measure the performance of your marketing strategies. However, having those won’t necessarily mean that your marketing campaigns are efficient. Instead of overfocusing on KPIs, break down those into smaller, more actionable objectives and include them in your plan. And in case you don’t have any KPIs yet, it’s OK: with a marketing plan, you can quickly determine what kind of goals and key performance indicators work best for your company. What are the Key Elements to Follow? Depending on the industry and company type, there might be different variations of marketing plans. Here are some of the ideas of what you can add to yours: Market research In this section, your goal is to analyze what you offer, whether a new drug, special treatment, or any other service or product, and find out how it aligns with current market needs. Conducting market research can help make your organization more relevant and improve your unique selling proposition while also allowing you to study current trends and how you can use them. Analysis of your competitors Knowing what your competition excels in and its weak spots can give you an upper hand in many situations. What do your competitors offer? Who is their target audience? How do they build their healthcare marketing strategy? Is there something unique or innovative about their actions and marketing strategies? Research companies similar to yours to better understand how you can succeed. Goals What are you trying to achieve with your marketing campaigns? What are your short—and long-term goals? Moreover, what metrics can you employ to measure the progress of your goals? Without visualizing your objectives and including them in your plan, it will be hard to envision the success of your healthcare marketing strategies. Budget When it comes to marketing, it is often extremely easy to go over the budget without noticing. This is why it is crucial that you not only include expenses in your marketing plan but also write out the entire budget to ensure that you and your team clearly understand what you will spend money on during a specific period. Target audience One of the most important questions healthcare marketers face is this: Who is my target audience for this product? It’s impossible to fully understand what people will be happy to purchase from you without knowing your customers. Even if your product or service is helpful, it doesn’t mean people will automatically want to buy it. Study your healthcare consumer, learn their characteristics, and break down their pain points and habits to improve your understanding of their needs and desires. How to Craft a Strategic Healthcare Marketing Plan Creating a perfect healthcare marketing plan requires just a few steps. Here is what you should do: Conduct a SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is a framework widely used by companies from many industries that can help you discover more about your marketing strategy’s weak and strong sides. Here is what the abbreviation stands for: Strengths: What is your organization good at? Is it using special software or new technology? Or maybe it is your strong patient relationships? It can be anything that makes your business unique and successful. Weaknesses: What are the areas that lack improvement? Is your marketing budget enough? Are your marketing tactics up-to-date? Many things can go wrong for even the best of the best. Sometimes, mistakes are okay, and using them as a lesson is always better than ignoring them. Let all these weaknesses teach you more about what you could do better. Opportunities: These are various tactics that can give you an advantage that you have yet to implement. Some examples of opportunities are new collaborations or partnerships, software or technology, market expansion, etc. Threats: Use any obstacles or challenges in your work to improve your healthcare marketing strategy instead of simply ignoring or looking for the simplest solution possible. What are some weaknesses hindering your progress? What’s stopping you from succeeding? Consider all these questions in your SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis is a powerful tool that allows teams to explore different opportunities and better understand their capabilities and vulnerabilities, so make sure to implement it into your next marketing plan. Define your target market One of the best ways to ensure you’re catering to the right audience is to create a buyer persona first. Knowing that you and your target audience are on the same page is essential in the healthcare industry. If you offer services to the wrong group of people, both parties will experience negative effects: there will be fewer prospective healthcare consumers for you, and patients in need may not receive the necessary services or products fast enough. Remember that a target market is a broader term that usually refers to multiple groups of prospective patients and potential business partners that might be interested in your company. This is why creating different personas is crucial, depending on the number of target audiences you can identify. Here are some of the questions to help determine your target audiences: Demographic questions: Where do they live? Where do they work? What age group do they fall into? What places do they usually attend? Psychographic questions: What is their lifestyle? What are their habits? What values and beliefs do they have? What hobbies do they have? Behavioral questions: How do they decide whether to purchase something or not? What are their buying habits? What and how do they think? Communication: How do they prefer to communicate with healthcare organizations and service providers? What are their preferred channels for receiving information? What social media do they use? Combined with tools like Google Analytics and eWizard, it’s possible to create a perfect customer journey. All it takes is a little bit of research. Establish SMART goals Before you start working on your healthcare plan, make sure you have all five SMART goals ready. Here is what each letter stands for: Specific. If you want to achieve something, you must precisely understand what you want. “More sales” is not a good goal; “make 50 sales in a month” is much better. Measurable. It’s important for your goals to be specific and have certain benchmarks that can help measure your progress toward achieving the goal. Achievable. Being ambitious is a great trait, but it’s best to focus on realistic goals when it comes to marketing. You might end up in a situation where you or your team will take on more than you can manage, which never ends well. Relevant. Do your goals align with the company’s values and mission? There is no point in having goals just for the sake of it. Time-bound. Having a goal with no deadline is almost always guaranteed that you will eventually forget about it. Adjust your strategy and plan Content marketing is never going to be stable. Your team will experience ups and downs, and that’s completely fine. During such periods, it’s vital to question your current digital marketing tactics and whether they continue to benefit your company. To ensure that you still have an effective healthcare marketing strategy, review your plan occasionally to see which goals you’ve achieved, what contributed to your success, and what didn’t. Doing so lets you quickly determine if there is a need for change before you spend your time and money on unnecessary activities. For example, suppose you have been doing e-mail marketing a certain way for a while and realize it’s not working. In that case, you can save resources by repurposing your e-mail marketing strategies instead of simply continuing as is or scrapping the whole thing. Best Practices for Healthcare Marketing In addition to a healthcare marketing plan, there should be at least a few other practices that you can implement alongside it. This is what you can do next: Measure the performance of your marketing efforts There are many methods you can use to track your performance, including your achievements and failures. Use key performance indicators to measure the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. Here are some examples of KPIs: Conversion rate; Customer lifetime value; Click-through rate; Cost per click; Customer retention rate; Engagement rate. Another way to measure your success is to gather patient testimonials and feedback from healthcare providers to see if they are satisfied with the services provided and if there is anything you could add to make your marketing strategies even better. For instance, if your main focus is blog content, you could ask your audience to share topics they would like to read more about. Use search engine optimization (SEO) Over 50% of online consumers use Google to find new brands; 51 of shoppers report using Google to research products before making a purchase. This statistic applies to all industries, with no exception. People know what healthcare services and organizations are best for them, and if your company doesn’t appear on the first, maximum, or second page of a Google search, it’s likely that the possible customer won’t even learn your name. SEO is a huge part of any marketing strategy, so make sure you dedicate enough time and budget to improve it. Develop consistent branding Consistent branding equals brand recognition. Here is a thing: how will your target audience recognize your company if your messaging keeps changing and there is nothing that makes your brand stand out? Think about something unique about your organization that you can use to differentiate it from the competitors. When it comes to marketing, it’s crucial to establish key messages that resonate with the brand’s vision and values and incorporate these messages into all future marketing activities. This will make your brand more recognizable, leading to increased patient loyalty and improved online reputation. Use social media Even though social media has been one of the most popular platforms for many online users, many healthcare marketers still haven’t started to leverage their power in marketing. 80% of internet users research healthcare providers, hospitals, and healthcare-related news using social media. 42% of consumers look for online patient reviews to learn more about healthcare businesses. Social media is the right place to start if you are looking for ways to nurture patient relationships, increase patient satisfaction, and engage with possible customers. Create an Adaptable Marketing Plan with Viseven Creating a plan that covers all important aspects of your marketing strategies will take some time and effort. It might not seem worth the struggle first, but having a marketing plan can give you an advantage, as you will be more prepared for possible challenges and upcoming trends. Are you ready to leverage the best healthcare marketing strategies to reach a broader audience and improve customer engagement? Contact us now, and experts from Viseven will assist you with any questions you might have.
Digital Transformation in Clinical Trials: Advancing Healthcare with Technology Posted on December 14, 2024January 7, 2025 by Vitalii Yaruta In the pre-digital era, clinical trials relied on traditional methodologies centered around in-person interactions and manual data collection, which presented numerous limitations. Patient recruitment often required participants to travel to trial sites, like hospitals or research centers, creating barriers due to geographic distance, travel costs, and time away from daily obligations. This restricted participation, limiting accessibility and diversity within trials. Data collection involved paper forms, diaries, and in-person interviews, which, while essential for documenting symptoms and outcomes, were prone to human error. Accuracy often depended on participants’ memory and consistency, and the manual nature of data management increased risks of loss and mismanagement, complicating trial administration. On top of that, strict protocols defined every aspect of traditional clinical trials, from participant eligibility to data collection methods. While necessary for regulatory compliance, this rigidity limited flexibility, making it difficult to adapt to unforeseen circumstances or individual needs. The reliance on multiple in-person visits for screening, treatment, and follow-ups extended trial timelines, often leading to participant dropout and reduced engagement. Traditional trials also faced logistical challenges beyond recruitment and data accuracy. Maintaining regulatory compliance required extensive documentation and oversight, while handling paper-based data was labor-intensive and prone to mismanagement. These cumulative hurdles underscored the need for innovation, paving the way for digital transformation and modernizing clinical research. Role of Digital Transformation in Clinical Trials Digital transformation is reshaping clinical trials, bringing improvements in speed, accessibility, and data reliability that make the entire process more effective and inclusive. First of all, tools like wearables and mobile apps allow clinical researchers to collect data in real time directly from trial participants which boosts accuracy and reduces delays. At the same time, AI and ML show potential to further improve the trial process by detecting trends in data. Digital tools lead to greater engagement by removing geographic barriers and allowing patients to participate from their homes. Improved communication channels also mean that patients can share health data and feedback directly with researchers, creating a more collaborative experience. Recruitment is also benefitting from this digital shift. Targeted digital outreach through social media and healthcare apps enables trials to identify and recruit eligible participants more efficiently than traditional methods, resulting in a more diverse participant pool. Altogether, these developments have given rise to digital clinical trials, a model that leverages technology to enhance patient recruitment, retention, data collection, and analytics. This approach is setting a new standard for clinical trials, making them more adaptable and ready for the future of healthcare research. Source: Digitizing clinical trials, Npj Digital Medicine Challenges in Digital Transformation The push for digital transformation in clinical research has driven groundbreaking changes in the pharmaceutical industry, with digital tools and generative AI beginning to reshape the clinical trial landscape. In 2023, these advances enabled faster data collection, more efficient processes, and enhanced patient experience, signaling a promising future for patient-centric innovation. However, the path to a fully digitalized clinical research environment remains strewn with complex challenges that pharma organizations must address to ensure sustainable transformation. Navigating rapid technological change The rapid adoption of digital tools, including AI in clinical trials, requires pharmaceutical firms to adapt quickly to a constantly changing landscape. Clinical operations teams face pressure to implement these tools effectively while upholding compliance and quality standards. Adapting to these advancements is challenging, as organizations must ensure these technologies meet regulatory requirements and genuinely enhance clinical trial processes without adding operational complexity. Securing and sustaining budgets Budget constraints remain one of the biggest hurdles to sustainable digital transformation in the clinical research setting. Nearly half of senior leaders report difficulties in securing adequate funding for digital initiatives, and most expect their digital transformation budgets to remain flat or decrease in the coming year. This financial strain is particularly problematic as the industry moves away from COVID-19-era digital plans, with some leaders reporting a reduction in digital resources initially allocated to handle the pandemic. Without a consistent and sustainable financial commitment, clinical research teams face the risk of stalled innovation and a limited ability to scale digital advancements. Balancing data-driven strategies with patient-centric goals As digital transformation progresses, data-driven decision-making has become essential for maximizing patient value and streamlining trial processes. Senior leaders recognize the direct link between digital maturity and the value delivered to customers and patients. Yet, there is a shift in focus from broader patient access and inclusion toward enhancing the experience, creating a potential trade-off between inclusive trial access and quality of engagement. This shift underscores a core challenge: achieving a balance between improving patient experience and expanding patient diversity and inclusion, two pillars crucial to the future of clinical research. Defining a long-term vision and strategy for digital transformation More pharmaceutical companies than ever are developing structured digital transformation strategies; however, the timeline for achieving these visions might pose a challenge. 83% of leaders now report having a clear digital transformation strategy, and 80% believe it can be fully realized within five years, while the remainder is less optimistic. Building a skilled workforce for the digital era To digitally transform clinical trials, you need a specialized workforce with expertise in emerging technologies. However, less than half of clinical operations leaders report having sufficient training resources for their teams. While companies are actively recruiting digital experts, a lack of comprehensive training for current employees hinders progress, as the success of digital transformation depends heavily on a team’s ability to operate new tools and systems skillfully. Rising Importance of Digital Tools in Clinical Research The integration of digital tools in clinical trials is transforming the landscape by enhancing efficiency, improving data quality, and increasing participant engagement. Let’s take a look at how various tools are used in modern digital trials. Wearable technologies Thanks to wearable technology, the world where clinical trials don’t require constant trips to the clinic is much closer. These small devices are transforming research by offering unprecedented ways to collect and analyze data, making trials more efficient and accessible. Wearables allow clinical trial researchers to track vital health metrics like heart rate, blood pressure, and sleep patterns 24/7, providing a detailed view of participants’ well-being. This continuous monitoring replaces the gaps left by traditional methods that rely on periodic site visits. For example, Pfizer used wearables in an eczema trial to monitor patients’ nighttime scratching habits from home, offering insights without disrupting their daily lives. The convenience of wearables also opens doors for remote participation. By reducing the need for frequent clinic visits, trials become accessible to people in underserved or remote areas, improving inclusivity. Patients are more engaged too — they can see their progress in real time, fostering adherence to treatment protocols and even encouraging healthier lifestyle choices. Beyond basic metrics, modern wearables capture diverse data, from glucose levels to stress indicators. This variety enriches analysis, helping clinical trial researchers draw more robust conclusions about treatments. With about 1,932 clinical trials already leveraging wearables, it’s clear this technology is reshaping the future of clinical research — making it smarter, more inclusive, and deeply patient-centered. Mobile applications Mobile apps are making clinical trials processes easier and more accurate for everyone. In the past, patients had to use paper diaries to track symptoms and medication. This was inconvenient — you had to write things down right away to avoid forgetting, and carrying the diary everywhere was a hassle. Now, with smartphones always in hand, it’s as simple as opening an app, tapping a few buttons, and recording your health updates on the spot. These mobile health apps go beyond convenience. They let clinical trial researchers see patients’ health by enabling real-time remote monitoring, like tracking heart rate or medication use, without constant clinic visits. They also simplify the informed consent process, allowing participants to sign forms electronically and better understand study details. Apps even send reminders for appointments or medication, helping patients stay on track. In some cases, mobile technologies make it possible to run entirely virtual trials, removing the need for travel and opening the door for more people to participate. Telehealth and telemedicine solutions Telehealth and telemedicine are new-ish approaches to delivering healthcare services remotely, leveraging telecommunications and digital technologies. Their application in clinical trials has grown significantly, particularly in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth encompasses a broad range of health-related services delivered through electronic means. This includes not only remote clinical services but also educational and administrative functions, such as provider training and patient education. Telemedicine, on the other hand, is often viewed as a subset of telehealth that specifically refers to remote clinical services — diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of patients without requiring in-person visits. It includes synchronous (real-time) consultations and asynchronous (store-and-forward) methods where patient data is collected and sent for later review by healthcare providers. One major advantage of telemedicine in clinical trials is its ability to facilitate virtual consultations and follow-ups. For example, participants can connect with researchers through video calls to discuss their progress, report symptoms, or receive guidance without traveling to a trial site. This approach significantly reduces dropout rates by removing logistical hurdles. Telehealth also streamlines the informed consent process. Instead of attending in-person sessions, participants can review and sign consent forms electronically via secure platforms. Interactive features, such as video explanations and live Q&A sessions, ensure participants fully understand study requirements. This approach speeds up enrollment and increases participation rates, particularly in diverse and hard-to-reach populations. Moreover, telehealth contributes to cost efficiency in digital clinical trials. By reducing the need for physical trial sites and travel reimbursements, sponsors can allocate resources more effectively. Trials for conditions like rare diseases have particularly benefited, as telemedicine allows global recruitment and monitoring, which would otherwise be prohibitively expensive. Examples like the use of telehealth in stroke trials, such as TeleStroke, illustrate its potential. It’s a system for acute remote stroke care that has become an essential resource for emergency departments lacking in-house neurology or radiology expertise. It has significantly expanded access to urgent stroke care, benefiting millions of patients. Similarly, oncology trials have adopted telemedicine to facilitate patient-reported outcomes, allowing researchers to better assess the real-world effectiveness of treatments. Electronic health record EHRs are increasingly utilized in modern digital clinical trials, serving as a valuable tool for enhancing efficiency in recruitment, screening, data collection, and trial design. Their integration into clinical trials is not entirely new, however, their application has evolved significantly with advancements in technology and an increasing emphasis on data-driven approaches in healthcare. One of the most transformative contributions of EHRs lies in patient identification and recruitment. In the past, finding eligible participants often involved labor-intensive processes and significant delays. With EHRs, clinical trial researchers can swiftly access comprehensive patient data, including demographics, medical history, and treatment records, to pre-screen candidates based on specific eligibility criteria. This streamlined approach has drastically improved recruitment rates, reducing timelines and ensuring that trials move forward with the right participants. Another area where EHRs excel is in supporting longitudinal follow-up, a critical aspect of understanding long-term treatment effects. By maintaining comprehensive and accessible records of patient health over extended periods, EHRs ensure that even post-trial observations are seamlessly integrated into the research process. This capability is invaluable for assessing the durability and safety of interventions, especially in chronic or complex conditions. Main Recommendations for Digitizing Clinical Trials Organizations that want to achieve effective digital clinical trials can adopt several strategic approaches to enhance efficiency, improve data quality, accelerate patient recruitment and increase participant engagement. Here are key strategies based on recent insights. 1. Focus on getting better data to make reality-driven decisionsAdopt tools like EHRs, wearables, and mobile apps for real-time data collection. These technologies ensure faster trials and improve data reliability. Use advanced analytics and AI to identify trends quickly and make data-driven decisions. 2. Use technology to engage with patients during a clinical trialCreate user-friendly mobile apps to help participants track their health and communicate with clinical trial researchers easily. This improves compliance and fosters collaboration. Incorporate telemedicine solutions to provide ongoing support and maintain regular contact with participants. 3. New channels for patient recruitmentUse digital platforms and social media for targeted participant outreach. This speeds up recruitment significantly. Implement virtual consent processes to simplify and expedite enrollment. 4. Promote collaboration across departmentsEncourage open communication between teams like research, regulatory, and data management through shared digital platforms. Regular workshops can ensure alignment and make your digital integration smoother. 5. Work as a team to determine good KPIsWork with stakeholders to define specific measurable KPIs to track the success of digital efforts. Balance quick wins with long-term objectives by identifying areas where immediate improvements can be made while progressing towards broader transformation goals to showcase value (which can lead to better funding). 6. Don’t sleep on talent developmentProvide training to upskill your clinical operations team and close knowledge gaps. Bring in digital experts to lead transformation efforts and promote a culture of innovation. Lesson Learned The current clinical trials infrastructure is fundamentally misaligned with modern medical research needs. As digital health technologies rapidly transform virtually every sector of society, healthcare research remains frustratingly tethered to old-school methodologies. Emerging digital innovations are challenging this status quo. Advanced personal medical sensors, integrated health record systems, and sophisticated digital communication platforms are gradually infiltrating clinical research, offering glimpses of a more agile, patient-centered approach to scientific investigation. These technologies promise to transcend traditional geographical and logistical constraints that have long limited medical research. Despite widespread technological disruption across industries, clinical trials have resisted change. However, the pressure to modernize is mounting. The potential to dramatically accelerate drug development, enhance research accessibility, and generate more nuanced, real-world data is compelling leaders to reimagine how medical investigations are conducted. While implementation challenges persist, the trajectory is clear. Digital methodologies are not just incremental improvements but transformative mechanisms for reshaping how we understand, develop, and validate medical interventions. The future of clinical research lies in embracing these technological possibilities, learning iteratively, and remaining adaptable in an increasingly digital ecosystem.
RPA in Healthcare: Role, Use Cases, Challenges & Trends Posted on December 13, 2024February 4, 2025 by Vitalii Yaruta With every year, the use of technology in the healthcare industry grows exponentially. Automation has become a lot more than just a vision for the future, and many companies are now introducing it as a key solution to numerous challenges, such as low-quality patient care or high operating costs. Robotic process automation is the answer many have been looking for, and in today’s article, we will take a closer look at what RPA is in the healthcare industry context and how it can help your business thrive. What is Robotic Process Automation (RPA)? Robotic process automation (RPA) is a type of technology that primarily focuses on automating various processes, often to help human workers cut repetitive tasks and achieve faster completion. RPA employs software robots, or bots, to carry out tasks such as data entry and extraction, insurance claims processing, insurance verification, payroll calculations, document verification, employee onboarding, and many others. Robotic process automation enables healthcare organizations to automate many areas of their work, creating more time and space to help patients feel more comfortable and get better. Understanding the Role of RPA in Healthcare Robotic process automation in healthcare is not just about automating some repetitive tasks and saving money; RPA has the power to impact many areas of business operations, including not-so-obvious things like legal compliance. Let’s discuss some of the benefits that make RPA so critical in the context of healthcare: Improved productivity Robots can work without breaks around the clock. Therefore, healthcare workers won’t have to take up all of their time on time-consuming, repetitive, and difficult tasks; instead, they can focus on providing high-quality healthcare and delegate some of their tasks to RPA solutions. Increased patient satisfaction Patients have different kinds of experiences when they use healthcare services: before, during, and after the service has been administered. The before and after experiences heavily depend on how fast the patient was assisted and how personalized and helpful the assistance was. With RPA, it’s possible to shorten the amount of time needed to make an appointment, answer questions, schedule doctor visits, and other activities that often involve long wait times. Personalized patient care By automating some in-house processes and workflows, healthcare organizations can focus on providing more personalized patient care. Combined with other technologies like artificial intelligence, this makes it possible to create fully personalized experiences built around patient preferences and schedules. Better accuracy When it comes to healthcare, many tasks are very error-prone and require a lot of attention to be done properly. For example, manual data entry is not only a time-consuming activity but also very demanding, with a high risk of mistakes. With healthcare RPA, it’s possible to mitigate errors and inaccuracies. Compliance with industry regulations Almost any bit of information healthcare organizations put out into the world must comply with regional laws and regulations. Anything that deviates from that compliance can be harmful to the organizations, the healthcare professionals who work there, and the patients. RPA systems can automate such processes as data collection, validation, regulations monitoring, MLR approvals, and risk assessment, helping companies handle healthcare data more safely and ensuring that the company’s actions align with industry standards and don’t break laws. What RPA Capabilities Help to Improve Healthcare Operations? When you think of healthcare robotic process automation, imagine it as something that can shaped to your needs. This is possible thanks to the vast array of benefits and solutions the RPA has to offer, including: Workflow orchestration; Data analytics; Data entry and extraction; Automatic reminders and notifications; Audits; Compliance checks; Financial reconciliation; Reporting; Hyperautomation; Automated email marketing; Tracking of medical equipment and supplies. The RPA functionalities include a wide range of features, such as revenue cycle management, automated email marketing, healthcare lead generation, and much more. TOP Healthcare Automation Trends Shaping the Future of Medicine Technologies in the healthcare sector continue to evolve and advance, forcing the industry to change and adjust to the new age. Here are some of the biggest automation trends that are reshaping healthcare as we speak: Tehelealth The use of telehealth, also commonly referred to as telemedicine, has been on the rise since the Covid-19 pandemic. Telehealth is a set of practices and technologies that allow for long-distance patient-doctor communication and treatment. According to McKinsley, 55% of patients are more satisfied with virtual visits than face-to-face appointments. Thanks to telehealth, more people now have immediate access to healthcare, which is why it’s likely that this trend is here to stay for a long time and develop into something even more impactful. The Internet of Medical Things The Internet of Medical Things, which is a term derived from the Internet of Things, is a network of medical devices that are connected to the Internet and provide both patients and doctors to virtually connect. TIoMT can be a part of telehealth, but it also encompasses a huge variety of devices, such as wearables, in-hospital devices, smart pills, remote monitoring systems, and others. The Internet of Medical Things will continue advancing, automating repetitive tasks and improving patient monitoring and care. 3D printing 3D printing technology has quickly grown from just a few hospitals using it in 2010 to more than a hundred in 2019 and over four hundred in 2022. Right now, this number is likely to be more than five hundred. 3D printing can help develop and manufacture custom tools for surgeries and treatments, personalized devices, and even prosthetics or implants. There are countless opportunities in 3D printing, and it will continue to grow and evolve. Artificial intelligence AI has been one of the biggest trends of the past couple of years in healthcare, life sciences, and other industries. Right now, 94% of healthcare organizations use artificial intelligence or machine learning in some way. AI can significantly improve patient experience, reducing costs, providing faster access, increasing employee satisfaction, and influencing the lives of patients and healthcare providers. The potential of RPA in Healthcare The opportunities for using RPA in healthcare are quite extensive. Here are some ways in which healthcare organizations can use robotic process automation: Remote patient monitoring With the help of robotic process automation, patients who live in rural areas or have medical conditions that limit their mobility will be able to get care from anywhere. In the future, patients will likely be monitored remotely, and robots will do most of the job by constantly recording and analyzing the data provided. Data management RPA might become fully responsible for storing, verifying, and updating patient records in the future. Here is the thing: data lies at the heart of healthcare. It’s impossible to provide good care without assessing the patient first. However, acquiring, properly storing, and safeguarding medical data is a time-consuming and error-prone task. Automating it is a huge step toward enhanced patient care. Inventory management One of the most important responsibilities of any medical facility is to provide high-quality treatment and medicine, as well as use proper high-quality equipment to carry out patient care. And even though hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare organizations are doing a great job managing inventory, they surely need a hand with all those things they need to keep track of. This is where RPA software can help, fully automating such processes as ordering supplies, managing equipment, tracking orders, and optimizing resources. Key Challenges of RPA in Healthcare Faced by Organizations RPA is not a silver bullet, and there are some challenges a company must be prepared for if they are about to step on the path to digital transformation and automation: Change resistance For many healthcare workers, the introduction of any type of automation tool might seem scary, and this feeling is easy to understand. Some might worry that their work will soon be replaced by robots, while others fear that unnecessary changes will interrupt their routine, preventing them from achieving the desired results. Every healthcare organization that plans to introduce robotic process automation should prepare its workers for it, providing all the necessary educational materials and assistance in case of difficulties or questions. Outdated systems and workflows Automation requires thorough preparation and a certain degree of digital maturity before it can be integrated into the company’s process. The problem is that many healthcare organizations run on legacy software or outdated IT infrastructures that are not conducive to automation. Cybersafety concerns In healthcare, even the smallest security mishap can lead to serious problems. Automation is great, but is the chosen solution safe? Will patient records be protected? Are there any risks of data breaches? It’s crucial to consider all these factors before implementing RPA, as it will guarantee the safety of your employees and customers. You need to be sure your automation partner can design and implement a secure infrastructure for your patient data. Lack of expertise Robotic process automation in healthcare is a relatively new trend that many companies have yet to embrace or even consider. This is why it might be hard to find the right talent, making experts in RPA extremely valuable and harder to find, at least for now. The demand for specialists in this field continuously grows, but there are just not enough educational platforms and opportunities for those willing to study. High cost Automation of healthcare processes comes with a price tag some might consider unreasonable. It’s not just about the cost of the RPA solution but also the expenses associated with retraining staff, changing workflows, optimizing resources, etc. To mitigate this problem, at least in the short term, we recommend first selecting the processes that are the easiest to automate while being fairly impactful. By making these first automation steps fast and relatively simple, you’ll start to see your first ROI quickly, while you move on to automating more and more complex processes. RPA Use Cases in Healthcare RPA implementation will sooner or later become a necessary step for most, if not all healthcare providers. Here are some examples of how you can leverage RPA tools to enhance some of the critical processes within your organization: Online patient scheduling Most companies are ready to facilitate appointment scheduling that takes place completely online, and with RPA software, it’s possible to implement it without any complications. According to recent studies, about 80% of patients would rather choose a healthcare provider that offers online scheduling. Patient onboarding During all steps of receiving treatment, from coming to a medical facility for the first time to discharge, both patients and healthcare providers have to deal with huge volumes of data. To ease this process, healthcare organizations can use RPA to automatically upload and sort patient forms, allowing HCPs to later access this information in just a couple of seconds. Digital patient surveys Ensuring that every individual feels safe and cared for is one of the priorities for all hospitals and clinics. With RPA tools, patient feedback can be gathered without having to manually write messages or read through the responses—it can all be done automatically, providing HCPs with all the insights they need. Billing Medical billing comprises various steps, such as data entry, claims processing, insurance eligibility verification, and multiple others. Automating each stage of the process ensures that healthcare organizations and providers will be fairly compensated without long wait times. Content automation Many businesses are already automating the content creation process by delegating some of the content-related tasks to different software and platforms. For example, some companies use pre-approved templates to quickly create content on the go, while others use automation to edit and proofread content in just a few minutes. Final Thoughts From data sharing to improving clinical outcomes, robotic process automation can assist the healthcare industry in many ways. However, it is not a universal solution. To fulfill its role and help your organization automate its workflows and processes, it’s crucial to take all the necessary steps beforehand and properly prepare for the RPA implementation. It is also critical to choose the right processes to automate, start with small and impactful things, and progress to larger, more complex processes. As a result, you will achieve a level of digital maturity and process automation that cuts redundant spending and delivers exceptional patient outcomes. If you are ready to start your journey in digital transformation, consider the Viseven team as your trusted digital transformation partner. Schedule a free consultation now to get answers to all your questions.
Basic Guide to Process Validation in Pharma Posted on December 4, 2024February 4, 2025 by Vitalii Yaruta Back in the 1960s, pharmaceutical products have only been tested after production. If the final product met the standards, it would be cleared for patient use. This approach remained unchanged until the 1970s when a series of incidents shook the industry. One of the most tragic was the thalidomide disaster, in which pregnant women prescribed the drug to treat morning sickness suffered severe birth defects. This made drug developers realize that flaws in the manufacturing process could go unnoticed. By the late 1970s, the concept of process validation was introduced. How did the validation process change the industry and the lives of millions of people since then, and what does it look like now, in the age of advanced digital tech? This article will discuss pharmaceutical validation, its benefits, types, and basic recommendations. Keep on reading! Understanding Process Validation in the Pharma Industry History shows that just meeting final product standards is not enough. Gathering data throughout the production process is essential to ensure safe, high-quality pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical validation involves evaluating each manufacturing stage to ensure that predefined standards are consistently met. It also requires documenting the entire process, from raw material sourcing to product launch. Why Pharmaceutical Process Validation Is Important Let’s list the key benefits pharmaceutical process validation offers to drug developers: It ensures patient safety Pharmaceutical validation enables pharmaceutical companies to ensure drug safety. Errors in the manufacturing process can lead to defects in the drug, potentially putting patients’ health at risk. Assessments throughout the production lifecycle help guarantee that a drug is safe for consumption. It promotes consistent product quality Inconsistent product quality can have serious consequences for patients. Even small deviations in the production process can reduce product efficacy and compromise patient safety. By adhering to critical process parameters (CPPs), pharmaceutical companies can avoid legal and financial risks while building trust with patients in the safety and reliability of their products. It cuts down costs Cost reduction is a key commercial benefit for any business. Regular assessments of manufacturing stages not only ensure drug quality but also help reduce resource spending. By optimizing each process, pharmaceutical businesses can minimize waste throughout the production lifecycle. It ensures compliance The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) strictly regulate the manufacturing process to ensure that end users receive effective therapies without health risks. Process validation helps companies maintain transparency with regulatory bodies and comply with current laws. It supports customer loyalty The key to winning loyal customers is delivering quality products consistently. Research shows that a staggering 73% of customers will abandon a brand after just one negative experience. This percentage is even higher in the pharmaceutical industry, where human life and health are on the line. Process validation helps companies continually meet quality standards, earning the trust of both healthcare providers (HCPs) and patients. Types of Process Validation There are four types of process validation: Prospective validation This type of process validation occurs during the development stage before product marketing to consumers. The primary objective is to ensure that the production design meets all necessary criteria. Concurrent Validation Concurrent validation involves gathering real-time data during actual production runs. This type of validation is particularly useful for fast product launches (think the COVID-19 vaccine) when there is no time for prospective validation. Retrospective Validation Unlike concurrent validation, retrospective validation relies on historical data from previous production runs. It is often used for well-established processes that consistently demonstrate strong performance over time. Revalidation Companies use revalidation when they significantly change raw materials, manufacturing processes, or equipment. The main goal is to ensure that these alterations have not impacted production and that everything continues functioning as expected. Key Steps of Process Validation There are three fundamental steps in process validation: Process design The goal of the process design stage is to find the right way to produce the product. Process controls ensure the drug’s safety and effectiveness by monitoring equipment and conducting tests. This is especially critical when intermediates are fully developed, and it is difficult to measure the drug’s properties. Process design should be based on solid evidence and include thorough documentation. Stakeholders need to record the studies that have helped improve their understanding of the manufacturing processes. Process qualification At this stage, the drug developer must confirm whether the process design works effectively for commercial use. It is essential to choose the right utility systems and equipment that meet the design standards. After that, the manufacturer has to make sure everything functions properly. Process performance qualification (PPQ) involves utilities, the facility, equipment, and trained staff. The FDA suggests using measurable data to monitor performance accurately. Teams also need clear protocols that cover data collection, production conditions, the sampling plan, and any necessary tests. The PPQ protocol should only be implemented after all major departments have signed off on it. Process verification Continued process verification aims to ensure the process stays approved during commercial production. For this reason, it is important to continuously collect and analyze data on drug quality to spot any changes or issues that need to be addressed. The FDA recommends ongoing sampling and performance tracking until enough data is gathered. It is also crucial for stakeholders to maintain the utilities, equipment, and facilities. Key Trends in Process Validation Tech disruptions have impacted every part of the pharmaceutical industry, and process validation is no exception. Here are some of the key trends we are seeing right now: Process analytical technologies As the name implies, process analytical technologies (PAT) use analytical tools to monitor, manage, and control drug production on the spot. Unlike the traditional approach that centers on controlling the quality of each batch, these technologies allow for dynamic management, helping to detect and correct errors on the spot. Let’s break down the key benefits so you understand whether this type of solution is right for you: Early error identification Tools like in-line sensors, chromatography, and spectroscopy empower life sciences teams to spot defects in real time. Comparing the instant data to pre-defined standards allows companies to quickly detect deviations, thereby reducing waste and improving drug manufacturing efficiency. Fact-based decision-making PAT provides a wealth of up-to-date data, allowing stakeholders to make strategic decisions instead of relying on blind guesses. This speeds up decision-making, enabling brands to catch quality issues early and launch products faster than their competitors. Automation PAT solutions can be merged with process control systems. When an error is detected, the system can automatically correct it. This level of automation helps keep the manufacturing process consistently error-free. Cloud-based quality management solutions Updating traditional quality management solutions is not easy. Pharma teams often worry about the added costs and potential production delays. On the other hand, avoiding updates makes it harder to stay afloat and competitive. Cloud solutions are becoming a popular trend for process validation, helping companies meet industry standards with less effort and expense. Its major gains include: Incremental updates Updates are handled gradually, causing minimal disruption, and there is often a rollback feature that allows users to undo changes with little downtime. No need for infrastructure Another advantage is that cloud quality management systems do not require additional infrastructure. This cuts costs and gives you greater freedom to scale at your own pace. Team of seasoned experts Many cloud providers offer validation experts who help life sciences brands improve their validation processes. Their goal is to reduce manual work so teams can narrow-focus their attention on core business operations. What Are the Challenges and Considerations to Check Out? As you have probably guessed, pharmaceutical validation is complex and full of roadblocks and potential pitfalls. Let’s take a closer look so we can be better prepared for them: Identifying key process parameters Quality teams must know which attributes to monitor to ensure the manufacturing process runs smoothly. That is why many organizations turn to data analytics to pinpoint the parameters that impact production the most. Cross-functional collaboration is often necessary. Companies can more easily identify the right attributes and parameters by bringing together teams from production, R&D, and quality assurance. Adapting to new technologies Given the pharmaceutical industry’s high-risk nature, it is no surprise that many companies are cautious about digitalization. Pharma brands often take their time adopting new solutions, especially in production processes. In this case, the best strategy is to eat a giant elephant with a teaspoon. It is important not to implement every solution under the sun across the entire validation process. Start small – test demo versions, set clear performance indicators, gather employee feedback, and evaluate the results before moving forward. Documenting all manufacturing stages Very few people enjoy the painstaking work of documenting a lengthy process in detail. It demands patience, attention to detail, and the readiness to make necessary edits along the way. Start by setting clear goals for organizing your documents and think about how you will store and manage records. You should decide what data to collect and how to categorize it. A solid data management system will help you avoid data silos, duplicate documents, and incorrect data tagging. It is worth noting that not backing up regularly is one of the biggest common mistakes. Setting up automatic backups can save your team from the nightmare of recreating documents from the ground up. Ensuring Smooth Validation in the Pharmaceutical Industry Process validation enables pharmaceutical companies to ensure that every step of the manufacturing process contributes to producing effective and safe drugs. Adhering to all regulations and standards is crucial for maintaining consistent product quality. Process validation has not escaped the wave of digitalization that has touched every part of the industry. Recently, real-time analytics and cloud solutions have gained popularity – and for good reason. They facilitate continuous quality control for each batch and keep the quality management tools up and running. If you are considering moving to the cloud, building a quality management system, or developing an analytical tool, the Viseven team has the expertise to meet your needs. Recently, we celebrated our 15th anniversary – 15 years of creating an average of 35 innovative healthcare solutions each year. More than 90 seasoned tech experts are behind these impressive numbers. Before you go, here is another statistic: 80% of our clients come from referrals. If you want to become one of our happy customers, Contact Us and let’s start a conversation.
Fall Pharma Events That Challenged Us to Think Bigger Posted on November 29, 2024January 7, 2025 by Vitalii Yaruta The main reason to attend pharma events is the wealth of actionable insights attendees gain to drive progress in their business and industry in general. Participants and speakers share real-world examples to back up their points, reflect on successes and failures, and suggest practical steps you can implement in the coming months or year. Beyond that, these events leave you inspired to break the mold and explore innovative solutions. Want to know which events fueled our insights and inspiration this fall? Here’s the list: Dreamforce On September 17-19, Salesforce organized the world’s largest artificial intelligence (AI) event called Dreamforce. Our team member, Daniel Atieh, Head of eWizard, attended this flagship event to explore industry trends and identify ways our company can use them to deliver value to our clients. He also had the incredible opportunity to connect with leading professionals in the field and exchange insights on building innovative AI solutions. What makes this event remarkable is its focus on innovative tech that pushes the boundaries of what you believed possible. Reuters Pharma Japan For 18 years, Reuters Pharma Japan has brought together change-makers in the pharmaceutical industry. This year, one of the key challenges discussed was the steady decline in the number of new medicines entering the Japanese market compared to the US and EU. As a result, the number of medical representatives in Japan has shrunk over the past decade. Guillaume Villard, Head of Integrated Marketing & Communications at Viseven, remains optimistic about the industry’s future and emphasizes that every challenge comes with an opportunity. During a panel discussion, Guillaume explored how interactive content and an omnichannel approach can enhance HCP engagement. Ethan Greely, Account Executive, and Ryota Hirano, Portfolio Customer Success Manager, also attended the event. The team enjoyed meaningful networking opportunities with customers, industry leaders, and partners. Pharmageddon Have you ever endured lectures where speakers drone on, disconnected from their audience? Pharmageddon could not be more different. Each attendee was expected to engage, not sit back. After all, the only bad ideas are the ones you do not share, right? Nataliya Andreychuk, CEO of Viseven, and Oleksandra Yashyna, Senior SDR, took part in dynamic conversations, sharing ideas on driving real change in the industry. Nataliya participated in a thought-provoking panel discussion titled, “Your Digital Transformation Isn’t Good Enough.” The session challenged attendees to rethink their approaches, foster collaborative thinking, and push boundaries to disrupt the status quo. NEXT CX & AI Summit Customer experience (CX) and AI are inseparable today. Every participant at the NEXT CX & AI Summit echoed this sentiment. This event focused on uncovering the best strategies to craft a strong brand voice and deliver authentic, personalized customer journeys. Nataliya Andreychuk led a panel discussion exploring how AI enhances content deployment and omnichannel engagement. Her predictions for the next five years intrigued the audience, offering valuable insights into AI solutions and trends worth investing in. Nataliya also took to the Demo Stage to showcase eWizard’s AI-driven solutions. Using real-world examples, she demonstrated how these innovations help clients improve customer experience and foster lasting loyalty. Customer Engagement by Reuters USA On October 22–23, the Viseven team traveled to Philadelphia, USA, to attend the Reuters Customer Engagement event. This gathering united industry leaders and trailblazers from marketing, commercial, medical affairs, data analytics, and digital to brainstorm solutions to pharma’s most pressing challenges. Reuters updated this year’s event format based on feedback from last year, introducing debates, hackathons, and an AI Pilot Hour. The debates provided a platform for attendees to exchange fresh perspectives on controversial topics, while the hackathons offered a hands-on approach to interactive learning. The AI Pilot Hour was a dynamic session designed for pharma innovators to explore how AI can shape the industry in the years ahead. Dan Atieh and Dr. Kenneth Sanchez delivered an insightful presentation on strategies to enhance customer engagement in life sciences. Their talk focused on bridging the gap between data and digital experiences. Learn, Teach, and Network These events are a fantastic opportunity to gain fresh insights into industry trends and best practices while sharing valuable lessons from our 15 years of experience and work at the forefront of innovation. Networking is a key part of this process. Face-to-face conversations help us gain a deeper understanding of our clients’ pains, gather expert insights before they become trends, and build valuable partnerships to bring more ground-breaking ideas to life. Next year, do not miss the chance to connect! Join the Viseven team at our booth or during panel discussions.
