When compared with other sectors, such as financial services, retail and travel, pharma and healthcare has been relatively slow in its digital transformation journey. However, in recent years, organisations in the sector have made impressive strides when it comes to using digital to improve the customer experience.

This is due to a convergence of disruptive forces, including social media and the innovations of startups in the sector, which are empowering healthcare providers and patients alike by granting them greater access to knowledge about health conditions and making it possible to better manage treatments with digital tools.

This report will examine how digital is transforming the pharma and healthcare industry and consider how organisations in the pharma and healthcare sector can better serve their customers – doctors, patients and healthcare providers – in the midst of this change. It introduces four strategic pillars of change upon which digital transformation rests; communications, content, data and culture, and explains how addressing these key areas will futureproof the business as the end consumer becomes increasingly knowledgeable and demanding.

Econsultancy would like to thank the following contributors for their insights, advice and examples of best practice:

  • Elliot Antrobus-Holder, Global Head of Digital Channels & Analytics, GSK
  • Melanie Brown, Managing Partner, Actando
  • Andrew Burton, Skills and Capability Lead – Product Strategy, Roche
  • Brooke Fair, Senior Director, Marketing, Novocure
  • Leslie Fountain, Executive Director, Foolproof
  • Ronizia Moura, Customer Experience Lead Europe, Roche
  • Rebecca Muenger, Director Marketing & B2C Sales, KNect365 Learning
  • Fonny Schenck, CEO, Across Health
    … and two senior leaders in global pharma brands who contributed but wished to do so on an anonymous basis.