Biopharma companies face increasing challenges engaging patients, and patients face increasing challenges accessing timely, personalized, and convenient healthcare. Despite increased investment in product promotion, 1 in 4 patients still avoid seeking care and treatment because it’s inconvenient¹. This gap between patients and the care they need underscores an urgent call for innovative solutions that not only connect patients to care but also simplify their journey from diagnosis to treatment.
Patients expect more from biopharma. A 2025 research study by ixlayer and Ipsos found that 81% of survey respondents strongly or somewhat agree that pharma should provide resources to help them get the care and medicines they need.²
Configurable direct-to-patient (DTP) platforms are designed to bridge this divide. By connecting the disparate components of the healthcare ecosystem—patients, labs, providers, payments, prescriptions, and more—these platforms empower biopharma companies to support and elevate the patient experience across any therapeutic area.
Connecting the Dots Across the Patient Journey
A patient’s journey to care often involves navigating fragmented systems, unclear processes, and delays. The research shows that patients are increasingly looking to pharmaceutical organizations to streamline processes and help bridge barriers to care, ensuring patients receive the timely, personalized health services they deserve while reducing the administrative burden on healthcare stakeholders.
For biopharma companies, a well-executed DTP strategy means the ability to deliver a more effective and holistic patient experience. By offering a platform that unifies critical components of care delivery, pharma orgs will enhance patient engagement, and reduce barriers to care while keeping providers at the center of every decision.
Meeting consumer expectations for digital engagement improves their perception of biopharma
Patients are actively seeking more robust and personalized digital tools and virtual care options to help them get connected with the right care in a timely and affordable manner, and more than half of these consumers³ expect to be able to find the information they’re looking for in three clicks or less.
ixlayer’s survey of healthcare consumers across several condition areas found they are motivated to use digital healthcare tools like the ones found in DTP programs - and much more likely to think positively of the pharma companies that provide them.⁴ In fact, 65% simply expect pharma companies to be doing so already.⁵
Deploying an integrated, patient-centric experience
Crafting a thoughtful, high-value DTP program is no easy task, especially when pharma companies need to address so many complex challenges. As precision medicine and changing consumer demands add even more pressure to get it right, company leaders need to consider the best way to deploy industry-leading experiences that tick all the boxes for consumers across disparate health needs
A unified solution with a pre-built infrastructure that is completely configurable to meet unique brand needs may be the answer. It also drastically reduces the investment and internal resources required to get started on deploying a holistic consumer journey, from patient onboarding and diagnostics to telehealth services and prescription fulfillment.
With a platform solution, integration is assured from the start, and companies can easily launch a seamless, consistent experience for both patients and internal teams.
ixlayer’s platform, ixEngage, can assist pharma companies with launching and administering fully compliant DTP programs by providing the infrastructure needed for rapid deployment and a seamless, intuitive patient experience. As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, platforms like ixEngage are setting the standard for direct-to-patient engagement, delivering on the promise of personalized, timely, and accessible care for all.
Sources
1 https://www.zs.com/insights/trends-shaping-pharmaceutical-landscape-2024-and-beyond
2 ixInsights 2025 / Ipsos Patient research, Top 2 Box, Base All n=414 individuals with one of the following conditions: respiratory conditions, asthma, COPD, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dermatologic conditions, psoriasis, or atopic dermatitis. - On a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 is strongly disagree and 5 is strongly agree, please rate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements: “Pharmaceutical companies should provide resources to patients to help them get the care and medicines they need.”
4 ixInsights 2025 / Ipsos Patient research: If a digital health solution offered the following features, how likely would you be to use it?; If a biopharma company were to offer a digital solution with the following attributes how, if at all, would it change your perception of the company? Top 2 Box Base All: n=414 individuals with one of the following conditions: respiratory conditions, asthma, COPD, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dermatologic conditions, psoriasis, or atopic dermatitis.
5 ixInsights 2025 / Ipsos Patient research, Top 2 Box, Base All n=414 individuals with one of the following conditions: respiratory conditions, asthma, COPD, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dermatologic conditions, psoriasis, or atopic dermatitis. - On a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 is strongly disagree and 5 is strongly agree, please rate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements: “I expect a pharmaceutical company to provide additional resources to help me get the care and medication I need.”
