Article
May 8, 2025
By Laura Musgrave and Barry Sudbeck
Much like everything else in 2025, the healthcare landscape is evolving — fast. Policymakers, payers and patients are reshaping how innovation is valued and how access is determined. Companies that stand still risk being left behind. Scientific breakthroughs are not enough.
And that’s why patient engagement — and the need for a renewed focus on communicating its value clearly — is no longer optional.
Strategic patient engagement and comms are the new business-critical advantage
We see patient engagement not as a compliance requirement, but as a catalyst for influence — shaping public affairs, market access, and brand credibility in a complex global environment.
But a one-size-fits-all approach will not work. Yes, while the principles are the same, how you apply them needs to consider the unique differences and needs of each patient community, i.e., rare diseases are different from chronic diseases are different from cancers.
To break through policy, reimbursement, and public opinion barriers, companies must connect innovation to real-world patient priorities. And then, just as importantly, they need to communicate that value clearly and authentically.
For example, here are some actions companies can take:
- Build communication strategies that embed patient insights from the start.
- Elevate patient perspectives to shape stakeholder perceptions and policies.
- Actively position innovation as human-centered, not just clinically superior.
Turning patient insights into market advantage
Winning in today’s healthcare market is all about action, not observation. Companies must move beyond surface-level engagement to operationalize patient input across every stage of the product lifecycle.
Patient engagement, when done right, can do a whole lot more than just communicate and advocate. Of course, first and foremost it creates a better patient experience and gives patients a voice in the process. But it can also create significant upside within the business too—from fueling regulatory success to accelerating access and even strengthening stakeholder loyalty.
Key actions to build strategic advantage
- Engage early and often: Don’t wait for post-development feedback. Bring patients into R&D, policy shaping, and communications planning from the start.
- Integrate insights into trial design: Improve recruitment, retention and real-world relevance by co-designing protocols and support strategies.
- Amplify patient voices in evidence generation: Use real-world data and patient-reported outcomes to proactively strengthen regulatory and payer submissions.
- Invest in digital communities: Build sustained engagement platforms that create loyalty, surface feedback and drive advocacy long-term.
- Lead with transparency: Communicate clearly how patient input has influenced decisions — and keep patients and advocates informed and engaged.
- Establish trust through vulnerability: Admit you don’t have all the answers and, together with the patient community, discover the best solutions.
Why is engagement so critical? Companies that fully activate patient engagement create a virtuous cycle of trust and credibility that leads to market advantage.
The future belongs to companies that partner with patients
The power dynamic in healthcare is shifting — permanently. Patients and patient organizations are shaping research priorities, influencing public policy and holding companies accountable in real time across digital channels.
Companies that recognize this shift — and build strategic communications strategies that treat patients as true partners — will lead. Those that don’t will struggle to keep up.
So how can companies transform? They can:
- Empower patient organizations as co-creators in innovation.
- Amplify patient-led evidence and advocacy to influence global health agendas.
- Align corporate reputation with patient-centered impact stories.
- Respond rapidly to policy and market shifts with credible, patient-driven narratives.
A clear call to action—engage
Patient engagement is not a one-time initiative — it must be a core, ongoing strategic capability. Companies that embed communications into their patient engagement strategies will unlock faster market access, improve the policy environment and fuel long-term growth.
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