There’s no question that policy changes have had tremendous impact on the healthcare system. These changes can be felt through the provider and HCP networks, payer organizations, pharmacies, and especially the patient population. These new policies are holding everyone accountable. The provider and HCP networks are accountable for the quality of care, payers and pharmacies are tasked with balancing quality care with achievable cost savings, and patients own more responsibility in their own adherence care as well. As someone stated, “we’ve moved from a volume based healthcare system to value based healthcare system”.
We are seeing a shift in healthcare from a population approach to an individual approach. With the data now available, and the policies now in place, healthcare is beginning to focus on each individual patient.
Personalized Pharmacy Care
One of the best examples of this individualized focus can be seen in compound pharmacies. Compound pharmacies develop customized medication care for each individual. The development of individualized prescriptions accounts for multiple variances like other medications prescribed, height, weight, body type, diet, lifestyle, even flavor. Pharmacies recognize that the chemistry of each individual varies greatly and medications must be adjusted to account for these variances. Additionally, instructions and patient follow-up communications must be personalized, accounting for the differences in side effects, prescription care, and adherence. 
Customized Adherence Programs
But just as treatment and medications are focusing on the individual, its imperative communications follow suit and support the needs of each individual. For example, let’s look at medication adherence communications. Medication adherence programs have evolved from the “take 2 and call me in the morning” practice, to more advanced apps that remind you it’s time to take your medication. Many applications now provide reminders around medication consumption, diet, and exercise on the channel which you prefer. But just as medications need to be adjusted for the variances in individual chemistry, adherence programs need to be adjusted to the individual.
Lifestyle has an effect on how frequently someone can consume medications, the hours in a week they can exercise, and the caregiver support available. The issue is not always “are you taking the prescription?” but instead “are you taking the prescription the way it was prescribed?” Medication adherence programs must certainly account for preferences in communication distribution, but also must manage the dynamic content accompanying these personalized medication and wellness regimes.
Multichannel and Multi-relational
This individualized care must finally be communicated back through the entire care ecosystem. It’s not just multichannel communications that must be managed, but also multi-relationship communications that must exist amongst HCPs, providers, payers, and pharma. Systems must exist that facilitate the visibility and transparency of data, ultimately working together to help the patient.
Identify opportunities to communicate with the patient throughout the entire healthcare ecosystem. Segment and target communications based on both the multichannel data, as well as the multi-relationship profiles. Ensure you're matching communications with preferences, interests, lifestyle, and individualized care.
Each individual in the life science ecosystem is accountable for the care of patients. Understand your role and responsibility and map your communications to others.
How are you moving from a population approach to and individual healthcare approach?