The Rise of Digital Platforms: Q&A with Abby Reynolds

Abby Reynolds
Chief operating officer
Pleio

As the pharma industry embraces AI, more and more companies are announcing either their own digital platforms or partnerships with existing digital platforms. Abby Reynolds, chief experience officer at Pleio, spoke with Pharmaceutical Executive about these platforms and the reason why they are on the rise at the moment.

Pharmaceutical Executive: Why are peer-to-patient platforms becoming more common?
Abby Reynolds: A peer-to-patient model connects certified peers with patients in need of support, while leveraging technology to ensure the best possible experience. Ideal peer-to-patient platforms are those that address what’s at the core of what the patient needs most—including the support needed to overcome emotional barriers that often accompany a new diagnosis or therapy. These platforms are powerful because of the human connection that allows the patient to open up.

Most recently, a Gallup poll cited that one in five Americans is experiencing loneliness each day. Building on this data, the American Medical Association has also identified 5 of the top 8 adherence barriers as emotional in nature. Growing emotional challenges—like loneliness—are a key reason why peer-to-patient platforms are being more widely adopted by leaders in pharma.

Imagine someone who is nervous about getting a new prescription for weight loss and is concerned with sharing this update with friends and family given the current stigma and shame that often accompany the use of GLP-1s for weight loss. With a peer-to-patient platform, this patient would have access to a certified peer who can offer knowledge, instill confidence, and empower the patient simply by listening and offering support and guidance instead of judgment.

Peer-to-patient platforms allow patients to be their vulnerable selves with someone who listens and guides them on their next step forward — and at a much more affordable price point than clinicians and/or health coaches.

PE: What trends do you see for these platforms in 2025?
Reynolds: Peer-to-patient platforms use the benefits of human-first support with the power of technology to inform and enhance human interactions. For example, use of conversational analysis and conversational intelligence—both powered by the latest in AI technology—helps us both understand the structure of conversation and promote effective and empathic communication with patients. Still, I see the greatest opportunity in utilizing AI to improve human interactions, not replace them.

I also think we’ll see more mission-driven gig workers entering this space, particularly as our population continues to age and seniors look for part-time work that allows them to help others and stay connected. In addition, many people are still looking for options to work from home. Peer-to-patient engagement platforms offer career opportunities for those who want and/or need more flexible career options.

PE: How important is it to maintain a human connection when using digital platforms?
Reynolds: In 2023, the Surgeon General declared loneliness an epidemic in the U.S. Loneliness is much more than just a “bad” feeling. It is associated with an increased risk for many chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and depression. Knowing there are significant consequences associated with loneliness and isolation further reinforces the need to support patients beyond the use of a digital platform alone.

The importance of maintaining a human connection when using a digital platform is critical to the success of the patient. Human connections provide empathy, understanding, and emotional support that is difficult at best to convey through an algorithm, automated response, or templated text message, especially in healthcare settings. Human connections enhance credibility and help people feel more comfortable sharing experiences, emotions, and concerns.

Human engagement helps activate the digital platform for patients. Patients benefit from the emotional support of a human while understanding the types of support they can receive and benefit from with a digital platform.

PE: What impact do these platforms have on the ways that pharma companies interact with patients?
Reynolds: Given the constraints that pharma has with direct patient interaction, use of peer-to-patient platforms bridges a connection between the patient and the pharma company, bringing patient emotion and sentiment to the center of the relationship. This allows pharma companies to understand and build better relationships that are not all about a transaction.

Pharma companies often have a variety of resources available to patients, generally focused on knowledge and access. However, most patients are unaware of these resources, and pharma is often unable to engage directly with the patient. In addition, marketing and patient support approaches have had to adapt over time as patients seek authentic experiences that cannot be achieved through digital or app-based communication. Peer-to-patient platforms are a great way to help connect patients with these resources using human-first outreach to help patients understand what is available to them.

By using a peer-to-patient platform, pharma companies support patients in a more holistic manner while gaining access to qualitative data on patient experiences and behaviors. Furthermore, data supports use of peer-to-patient platforms. Pleio engaged with a manufacturer in the delivery of a peer-to-patient platform for a popular GLP-1. A third-party analysis demonstrated that patients who participated had a 24% increase in brand fills and a 17% increase in weeks of therapy, both statistically significant.

PE: What are some of the new ways that these platforms allow pharma companies to provide support?
Reynolds: Some of the new ways that these platforms allow pharma to provide support is through the provision of true individualization based on emotional peaks and valleys of the medication journey. This allows pharma to address patients’ emotions to build support through increased knowledge, skills, and confidence. For example, some patients may be fearful of injecting a GLP-1 they were recently prescribed. Communication may be tailored to meet this need and may even go so far as to send the patient a link directing them to a video on the manufacturer’s website.

An ideal peer-to-patient platform will have an established network of patients from which support is provided such as a pharmacy network, pharma-sourced patients, or online community. Human-first support will help leverage these relationships to bridge the gap between pharma and patients.

PE: How can companies build and utilize digital platforms while still maintaining a human-first approach?
Reynolds: Human-first is a friendly hello or handshake or even hug providing comfort. It is the first impression. Human-first is the relationship that will ultimately allow for information, support, resources, and long-term handoffs to take place.

Digital platforms help manage the mechanical and transactional components of the patient’s medication journey while extending the emotional support that can only be enabled through human connection.

Ultimately, patient support is all about balance. To build and utilize a digital platform while still maintaining a human-first approach, human-centric content, personalization, and access are important to consider as key attributes of the digital platform.

For many years, I have seen great success in starting a patient journey with human-first support and then introducing various digital tactics such as platforms, apps, and even simple text and email messages as supplemental supporting methods. The patients then have additional buy-in to what they are getting from the digital platform and how best to take advantage of it. There are also good examples of digital platforms as long-term support tools, when human support concludes or is no longer available. Still, human-first is the foundation on which digital can effectively complement and continue to build upon bridging gaps between patient and pharma.