This whitepaper from Eye for Pharma, draws on case studies and expert insight to provide actionable recommendations for embedding patient-centred 
focus into the culture of pharmaceutical organisations. Evidence is provided that organisations can be patient-centred by design. Advice is provided on shaping a patient-centred culture, hiring and training people with shared values, finding leaders who have the vision to drive such a culture forward, and measuring the success of efforts to embed culture change. The barriers to a patient-centred culture are identified in order to provide strategies to avoid them.
Based on evidence both within and outside the pharma industry, a model is offered for successfully embedding the patient agenda into organisational culture:
focus into the culture of pharmaceutical organisations. Evidence is provided that organisations can be patient-centred by design. Advice is provided on shaping a patient-centred culture, hiring and training people with shared values, finding leaders who have the vision to drive such a culture forward, and measuring the success of efforts to embed culture change. The barriers to a patient-centred culture are identified in order to provide strategies to avoid them.Based on evidence both within and outside the pharma industry, a model is offered for successfully embedding the patient agenda into organisational culture:
- Shaping a New Culture by defining the purpose and expected behaviours within an organisation, and setting up reinforcing systems that are patient-focused. This can require a change in business models, communication, and service designs. ‘Transformation Offices’ and ‘Talent Organisational Architects’ can help facilitate change.
- Hiring and Training People with Shared Values by teaching employees how to find the ‘sweet spot’ (where it is win-win-win for patients, HCPs, and the company), rewarding and incentivising based on improved patient outcomes, training in ethical engagement through partnerships, attuning employees to the challenges of patients, and fostering diversity.
- Patient-Centred Leadership that is transformative, purpose-driven, empathic, and based on a foundation of trust, with leader selection being around competencies and attributes.
- Measuring Patient-Centred Focus via The Four R’s (retention; relationships; referrals; returns to labour), KPIs (external and internal impact factors), and cultural measurements such as patient/employee satisfaction and leadership outcomes.
- Relapse Prevention through strategies such as cross-functional teams to prevent silos, removing de-motivating factors, and maintaining momentum of change via the Four Pillars of Change, among other recommendations.
Real change towards a patient focus is only possible with a top-down approach that pushes the new patient agenda and allocates the necessary resources and talents to drive patient- centric performance within the industry.
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