Adherence: Pharma’s Greatest Challenge—and Opportunity
Despite breakthrough therapies and extensive awareness campaigns, non-adherence continues to derail health outcomes. Patients either delay starting treatment, forget follow-ups, or abandon therapies midway. For pharma, this means lost outcomes, reduced ROI, and missed impact.
But this challenge can be turned into an opportunity — through patient engagement platforms that not only educate but empower.
The Real Cost of Non-Adherence
In India, it’s estimated that nearly 50% of chronic therapy patients do not follow their prescribed regimen consistently. The reasons? A mix of forgetfulness, lack of understanding, stigma, and logistical barriers.
For pharma brands focused on therapies for hypertension, diabetes, asthma, or mental health, poor adherence:
- Undermines therapeutic effectiveness
- Reduces brand lifetime value
- Hurts trust with HCPs
- Limits long-term brand visibility
Enter Patient Engagement Platforms
Smart digital platforms are changing the adherence game. These tools:
- Educate patients in-clinic or remotely
- Reinforce the importance of consistent medication
- Provide ongoing motivation through visual, relatable content
- Trigger reminder behaviors without intrusion
And unlike traditional awareness campaigns, these platforms deliver context-rich messages at the point of care — where patients are most receptive.
Case in Point: Health Screen by Indigital Technologies
One standout in this space is Health Screen, a clinic-based patient engagement and queue management platform by Indigital Technologies. It blends education and operational efficiency — turning waiting rooms into learning spaces.
How it helps adherence:
- Plays therapy-specific content while patients wait
- Prepares patients with the “why” behind their treatment plan
- Supports multilingual messaging for better comprehension
- Reinforces post-consultation care via screen reminders
Pharma partners co-branding within Health Screen have reported improved therapy conversions and a more informed patient population.
Why Engagement Platforms Work
Adherence isn’t just about reminding — it’s about reframing value. When patients see the why, they stick to the what.
Engagement platforms achieve this by:
- Simplifying complex conditions through animations, stories, or visuals
- Reducing anxiety by making symptoms relatable
- Empowering caregivers to support therapy consistency
- Repeating messages across visits for retention
This creates a loop of understanding → trust → adherence.
Pharma’s Strategic Leverage
Here’s how pharma companies can integrate engagement platforms to boost adherence:
- Therapy-Aware Content: Customize content to specific conditions or brand benefits
- Doctor-Endorsed Messaging: Include quotes, stats, or success visuals that support the HCP’s advice
- Behavior Nudges: Use Health Screen to reinforce actions like “Refill Your Rx” or “Don’t Miss Follow-Up”
- Data Insights: Leverage backend analytics to see which messages resonate most
It’s not just marketing — it’s micro-behavioral reinforcement at scale.
Real-World Results
In clinics using Health Screen, brands have seen:
- 25–30% increase in patient-initiated adherence questions
- Doctors reporting smoother follow-ups due to better patient understanding
- Reduced therapy drop-offs over a 3-month period
- Improved recall of therapy benefits during follow-ups
The numbers may vary, but the direction is clear — engagement leads to adherence.
Final Word: Make Adherence a Shared Mission
When pharma supports platforms that promote understanding, simplify complexity, and reduce friction, adherence becomes a shared win — for doctors, patients, and brands.
Indigital Technologies’ Health Screen exemplifies this shift: not just supporting therapy, but supporting the journey patients take to stay on it.
