5 Digital Trends in Healthcare

Many healthcare institutions and pharmaceutical companies still work with isolated, hard-to-integrate IT systems. This fragmentation hinders efficient data flows, complicates communication with HCPs and patients, and increasingly becomes an innovation barrier in digital competition.

Fragmented workflows and lack of data integration are among the biggest obstacles to omnichannel excellence in the industry. (Veeva)

The consequences: data silos, complex interfaces, and complicated data management – barriers that studies regularly cite as central obstacles to digital transformation in the pharmaceutical industry.

Relevant technologies:

• Modern, cloud-based CRM systems

• Customer Data Platforms (CDPs)

• Consent management solutions

• Data integration platforms

• Automated content systems

What does this mean for market participants? IT modernization is not merely an infrastructure project, but the future foundation for digital competitiveness and CRM-driven customer proximity.

With the growing range of digital health services, the way care is experienced and managed is changing. Patients today expect telemedicine, online appointment booking, or health platforms – and are increasingly using them actively.

Pharmaceutical companies are thus moving closer to patients for the first time, as examples from LillyDirect or PfizerForAll show.

More than 60% of patients regularly search online for health information, and over 69% currently use a health app. (Source: Bitcom)

Strategic success factors:

• Targeted use of digital touchpoints

• Integration of services into the health journey

• Trustworthy, data protection-compliant channels

What does this mean for market participants? Companies that not only provide digital services but also integrate them seamlessly into a consistent, personalized health journey will be the winners in the market.

Healthcare professionals want relevant information through the right channel at the right time.

Up to 60% of physicians prefer digital or remote contacts when researching new therapies or obtaining product information. (Source: McKinsey)

But reality and expectations diverge: Only 45% of HCP contacts take place through preferred channels (IQVIA). This is where omnichannel communication comes in – a central lever for providing information efficiently, consistently, and in a personalized way.

What does this mean for market participants? Omnichannel excellence enables pharmaceutical companies to meet HCPs’ information needs and thereby secure a clear competitive advantage.

New laws such as the Digital Services Act (DSA), SIEM, the Medical Device Regulation (MDR), GDPR, and NIS2 are tightening regulatory frameworks.

These developments complicate the implementation of two dominant industry trends:

• Expansion of digital health journeys

• Omnichannel communication with HCPs

Patient and HCP interactions via digital channels now require precise consent documentation. This includes differentiated channel control and technical proof – making personalized, automated communication more complex.

At the same time, the risk of cyberattacks is increasing significantly: According to a Fortinet study, 98 percent of all surveyed pharmaceutical companies have already been affected by cybersecurity incidents. CRM systems, patient portals, and digital touchpoints must therefore not only comply with GDPR but also be secured according to state-of-the-art standards – through encryption, access controls, monitoring, and emergency processes.

What does this mean for market participants? Implementation of these requirements is increasingly being designed according to the principle of “compliance by design”: comprehensive cybersecurity measures such as data protection, security, and regulatory requirements must be integrated into digital systems and processes from the start. Companies that strategically anchor consent management, IT security, and cyber resilience early on create the foundation for a trustworthy infrastructure and thus for sustainable, compliant communication with patients and HCPs.

Check here how secure your data really is.

Artificial intelligence is one of the most important drivers of digitalization in the pharmaceutical industry. It enables intelligent data evaluation, forecasting, and personalized communication.

AI forecasts for the industry – the key figures:

• Biopharma companies expect a potential revenue increase of up to 11% through targeted AI initiatives. (Source: Deloitte)

• MedTech companies anticipate cost savings of up to 12%. (Source: Deloitte)

• 93% of life science companies plan to further expand their investments in AI, data, and digital in 2025. (Source: ZS)

And it’s not just about R&D anymore – marketing and sales are increasingly benefiting from AI-driven efficiency:

• Content production can be accelerated by up to 50% with generative AI (Source: McKinsey).

• Approval processes are shortened two- to threefold through automated support (Source: McKinsey).

• AI-based sales tools increase the productivity of field and commercial teams by 10–15%, corresponding to a potential revenue increase of 1–2% (Source: McKinsey).

What does this mean for market participants? For life science companies that need to realign their strategies today, this means: Those who integrate AI and analytics into CRM, marketing, and communication processes early on create the prerequisites for differentiated customer engagement, sustainable loyalty, and long-term digital competitiveness.

Learn how to leverage AI profitably for your health business.

From IT modernization and digital health journeys to AI and predictive analytics – digitalization is fundamentally transforming the pharmaceutical industry. Companies that not only recognize these trends but actively implement them will gain decisive advantages in an increasingly dynamic market environment.

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