Hubs East 2025: Balancing Technology, Personalization, and Human Connection in Patient Support

PC: What are some of the biggest challenges in ensuring continued medication adherence for specialty patients?

Butler: While technology and high-touch support are important, personalization is equally critical. Emotions fluctuate daily, and medication regimens, as well as chronic conditions, evolve over time. Whenever we implement a solution, we must continuously check in to ensure patients remain on track and feel confident in taking the next step.

PC: Are there any emerging trends in patient support that you think will become more prominent in the next few years?

Butler: AI is a topic we hear about daily. We recently announced an AI technology that enhances—not replaces—our human-to-human interactions. AI shouldn’t replace human connection, but it can enhance interactions, making them more personal and relevant. Supporting patients requires genuine human connectivity.

Full Interview Summary: The Good Start program by Pleio is designed to assist specialty pharmacies in improving patient engagement and adherence by providing comprehensive, patient-centric support. Specialty medications often involve complex onboarding processes, leaving patients feeling overwhelmed. Good Start addresses this by offering a structured, wraparound approach that guides patients from the moment they receive their medication. The program ensures patients understand the specialty pharmacy process, introduces them to their care teams, and creates a supportive environment that reduces anxiety.

A key feature of Good Start is its peer-to-patient outreach model, which addresses emotional barriers such as fear, mistrust, and anxiety—factors that significantly contribute to medication non-adherence. Non-clinical peers engage with patients in a more relatable manner, providing reassurance and helping them navigate the treatment process without the intimidation of clinical discussions. This approach aligns with findings from the AMA, which highlight that emotional barriers are a major cause of non-adherence.

Patient engagement in specialty pharmacy is evolving alongside technological advancements. While digital tools provide valuable resources, they can also be overwhelming. Patients expect more personalized support, including human check-ins that reinforce adherence. Pleio’s program has demonstrated success in improving key adherence metrics, including a 5% increase in proportion of days covered (PDC), an 80% rise in average scripts per patient, and a 60% boost in medication volume.