Key metrics for patient support services
AI-translated from the Chinese original · editorially reviewed
Why patient support services matter and what they deliver
In healthcare, patient support services have become an important offering for biopharmaceutical companies. As these services grow, the need for quantifiable benefits becomes critical. Effective metrics and data analytics tools allow management to evaluate the impact of Patient Support Programs (PSPs) more precisely, ensure resources are allocated sensibly, and improve patient health outcomes. Patient support services not only enhance the patient's medication experience but also strengthen brand loyalty and market competitiveness. They span everything from patient education and medication management to resource support, all aimed at helping patients manage their conditions better and improving treatment outcomes. Programs are typically measured with metrics such as patient enrollment rates and satisfaction; as more real-world data is collected, dynamic analytics tools and predictive models can be used to assess a service's impact with precision.
Leading versus lagging indicators
The ultimate goal of patient support services is still the treatment outcome, and leading versus lagging indicators is the basic way to classify metrics. Leading indicators include patient enrollment rates, gains in medication knowledge, and behavior change — metrics that predict a program's likelihood of success. Lagging indicators measure final results, including the new-dose rate after enrollment, refill rates, patient experience scores (Net Promoter Score), and reductions in patients' medical costs. The new-dose rate after enrollment is an important lagging indicator, reflecting whether patients first purchase and use their medication after receiving support services. A high value signals strong patient acceptance of the program and has a bearing on medication adherence. The refill rate is another key lagging indicator, reflecting whether patients keep taking their medication as planned after receiving support services. It ties directly to treatment outcomes, because sustained medication use is the core of successful therapy.
What patient experience and medical cost metrics tell us
Patient experience scores (such as NPS) measure satisfaction with support services. Beyond capturing the subjective experience of patients and caregivers, the score predicts whether caregivers (including healthcare professionals) or patients will recommend or share these services with others, indirectly shaping the program's market impact. Reduction in the medical cost burden, or the financial toxicity score (FT Score), is another important metric — beneficial not only to patients but also to the overall effectiveness of medical support, and effective patient support services carry a stabilizing influence on society as well.
Applying innovative data analytics
As data analytics technology advances, PatientsForce has begun adopting a range of innovative tools to make patient support services more visible and measurable. PASS Board, a data visualization system built on Tableau, helps biopharmaceutical companies see program trends in a more dynamic, visual way and optimize support services in a targeted manner — making the effect of each intervention visible and enabling forecasting, with models that typically rely on long-run historical data. The next step in prediction is an automated patient survey or interaction tool that turns physician and patient reports into concrete, actionable recommendations for the support services team. For example, when a patient's response contains a trigger event, the system automatically prompts the support services team to contact the patient and provide further assistance and support.
Evie Wang, Chief Operating Officer, PatientsForce, Media-WIND Health Group (MWHG)