Ways to leverage technology in medical affairs to achieve more as the role evolves
Perhaps more so than any other part of a life science company, medical affairs organizations are challenged to continually modernize operations during the pre-launch and launch phases. This modernization is no longer just about developing new drugs and treatments for diseases but about how teams can change how they work and achieve operational excellence – leaning on technology to transform how they deliver effective therapies to patients.
To understand the evolution of medical affairs, we will examine what forces drive change in the life science industry, how technology can support value creation, and how medical affairs organizations tackle the change process.
What forces will drive change for medical affairs in 2023 and beyond?
Medical affairs teams have always worked across functions and engaged multiple stakeholders while adhering to rigorous regulatory requirements. Now, they also face a host of new challenges.
New markets: As emerging markets grow more sophisticated, they’re increasingly able to create their own drugs. In addition, new markets often represent new requirements and standards life science organizations must meet if they want to sell in these markets. This often adds layers of complexity to an already intricate process.
Data growth: The world has seen an explosion in connectivity and data usage. According to information from International Data Corporation, global data creation and replication will experience a compound annual growth rate of 23% through 2025. This trend will continue as applications get more complex over time. Working through this issue will transform how people interact with life science products and services.
Evolution of business models: Shifts in the industry have raised questions about what constitutes value creation when it comes to delivering healthcare products or services. Companies must adapt to current market conditions, which could mean changing long-accepted ways of doing business.
Patient expectations: The life science industry isn’t just shifting internally – patients also expect more from their healthcare experiences. Younger consumers, in particular, aren’t satisfied with healthcare’s status quo and consumers of all generations are more willing to try non-traditional services. As these changes take hold, the life science industry will experience a pull-through effect, with consumer preferences dictating new approaches to developing and marketing drugs.
Patients first: Life science companies are adopting a patient-first approach in all of their initiatives. With this goal in mind, medical affairs teams might consider technologies and processes that allow for patient voice and active participation and ensure diverse voices are brought to the table, both internally and externally.
How technology enables value creation
Achieving operational excellence in medical affairs means building value-creation opportunities, such as generating the right conditions for success and then sustaining that success over time. The questions are: How does technology help medical affairs organizations achieve this, and how are leaders in the space embracing it?
Enabling better decisions faster: Across the drug development process, advanced technologies like robotics, data analytics, asynchronous and live virtual engagement, automation, and the cloud are increasing productivity and improving the quality and speed of decision-making. There is more technology available specifically for drug and device developers. For example, insights management technology has reached the crucial part of the tech maturity curve where investment is no longer a gamble but an imperative.
Embracing artificial intelligence: AI also contributes to improved outcomes in various areas. According to Deloitte, the top outcomes life science companies are attempting to achieve with AI include enhancing existing products (28%), creating new products and services (27%), and making processes more efficient (22%). For medical affairs, AI is a tool that supports, rather than replaces, human knowledge.
The process for driving organizational and operational change
Once medical affairs teams are ready to make the most of technology, change is truly within reach. The first and most critical step is understanding and setting goals for making changes. Where can the organization shift, and what is the end goal? Who in the organization can be a change champion, charged with ensuring new technologies are adopted to drive efficiency and productivity?
Teams should also take stock of considerations for additional training and alignment among teams. It is essential to consider who these changes will impact and how to keep the lines of communication open. The process for driving organizational and operational change is iterative, with feedback loops at each stage.
Finally, medical affairs leaders must consider what tools and support systems will be in place as they navigate change. Specifically, how will they measure the value of the changes, and how will they determine ways to continue optimizing processes?
While disruptive forces are pushing medical affairs teams to make significant changes, this challenging environment can be a springboard to drive meaningful change. The time is right for medical affairs to address vulnerabilities in existing operating models and invest in technologies that strengthen the role of medical affairs.
About the author
Angela Labrozzi is the Channel Partner Director for Within and leads Within3’s Virtual Engagement Partner program. Angela has worked in the healthcare industry for over 15 years having experience across medical education, communications, and publishing.