The next frontier in patient support: Connected data, AI and personalized engagement

Patient support programs (PSPs) generate vast amounts of data, yet many life sciences companies still struggle to translate information into timely, meaningful action. Despite significant investments in PSPs and digital engagement, outcomes remain stubbornly slow: Up to one-third of patients never start their prescribed treatment, and 30% of patients say diagnostic delays worsened their condition. As healthcare shifts toward more proactive and personalized models of care, the challenge is no longer data collection. It is creating a connected foundation that enables organizations to understand and respond to the full patient journey.

In this episode of Fierce Pharma’s “The Top Line,” ZS Principals Asheesh Shukla and Kirti Prakash examine the forces reshaping patient engagement, from real-time data and AI-enabled decision-making to rising expectations around privacy, consent and trust. They argue that organizations must move beyond isolated systems and retrospective reporting toward connected, action-oriented data models that support faster intervention and more personalized experiences.

The discussion also explores practical steps pharma leaders can take today, including building AI-ready data products, aligning around patient-focused use cases and strengthening governance models. Looking ahead, the speakers envision a future in which patient services become increasingly anticipatory, helping identify and address barriers before they affect treatment access, adherence or outcomes.