Trade & Channel Strategies 2024: Key Challenges of Implementing Direct-to-Patient Models

PC: This morning, you were part of the ‘Patient-Centric 3.0 — How Direct-to-Patient is the New Commercialization Model’ panel. Can you provide a brief synopsis of the panel?

O’Meara: When we think about direct to patient, it's all about the concept of helping patients understand the disease state, drive awareness, and then help them get access to therapy. It's the whole ecosystem from helping them understand the situation that they may be in, talking to the patient community, and gaining access to physicians. Whether that’s real life, brick and mortar, and then ultimately helping them get on therapy because t's never been more complicated to get through this system than it is now.

PC: What key challenges do you see drug manufacturers facing when implementing direct-to-patient models, and how can these be addressed to improve accessibility?

O’Meara: When I come to this conference every year, I joke that it gets more complicated. You have challenges from payer contracts, reimbursement challenges for patients, difficulty for doctors to prescribe and support reimbursement, and so that's that all makes the whole process a lot more difficult for patients get out of therapy. It’s really about helping patients get easier and faster access to therapy and then through that process, helping them navigate the reimbursement piece, simplifying it, and driving for pricing and reimbursement transparency, then helping them get to the right place to fulfill the therapy.

Full Interview Summary: The "Patient-Centered 3.0: How Direct to Patient is the New Commercialization Model" panel explored the evolving landscape of direct-to-patient (DTP) models in pharmaceutical commercialization. This approach emphasizes empowering patients to understand their disease states, raising awareness, facilitating access to therapy, and ensuring adherence. The panel discussed the complexity of navigating today’s healthcare ecosystem and how DTP models address these challenges.

Key obstacles identified include payer contracts, reimbursement hurdles, and prescribing difficulties faced by physicians. These factors collectively complicate patient access to therapies. DTP models aim to simplify the process by offering greater transparency around pricing and coverage, expediting access to medications, and supporting patients throughout their treatment journey. This support extends from initial prescription authorization to affordability assistance and refill reminders, ensuring patients remain adherent to prescribed therapies.

Patient service teams were highlighted as pivotal in improving adherence through education, ongoing support, and affordability programs. These teams help patients navigate insurance processes, manage prior authorizations, enroll in copay assistance, and access clinical resources. Effective tools include self-assessment platforms, telehealth services, and physician locators, which streamline access to care and reduce time to therapy.

DTP initiatives have also accelerated the speed of therapy delivery. By enabling real-time coordination between prescribers and payers, patients can receive medications in as little as one day. The panel noted that DTP approaches drive awareness during product launches, enhance patient engagement, and foster a more efficient healthcare ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the next evolution of patient-centric models will focus on simplifying the increasingly complex healthcare environment. Innovations could include payer reforms, improved pricing structures, and enhanced pathways to ensure faster, more affordable access to therapies while prioritizing patient outcomes. The ultimate goal remains a seamless, patient-focused experience that delivers optimal care at reduced complexity.