Asembia's AXS26 Summit: How is Digital Innovation Transforming Programs for Patient Access?

In a conversation with Pharmaceutical Executive at Asembia’s AXS26 Summit, Kim Plesnarski vice president, strategic market access and patient support, Syneos Health^® describes how digital innovation is transforming patient access programs, noting the current moment as a “revolution” in personalized digital communication.

Plesnarski highlights the rapid growth of tools such as wearables, digital sensors, and smart pills that can transmit real-time data back to healthcare providers (HCPs) and support programs. These technologies track activity levels, confirm when medications are taken, and generate continuous streams of information that can be used to deliver more tailored coaching, education, and overall patient experience.

She continues to argue that manufacturers and access teams must think about these capabilities early, not as an afterthought. A central theme is the importance of embedding solutions directly into the HCP workflow and electronic medical record (EMR) systems, where clinicians are already practicing and patients are receiving communication. If digital integration into EMRs and workflows is delayed until after launch, she warns, manufacturers risk “missing the mark” on patient access and failing to leverage data to fully support patients.

In addressing vertical integration and its impact on market access strategies, Plesnarski notes that, despite the theoretical promise of reducing friction and costs, vertical integration has actually made things more complicated. Within vertically integrated organizations, she observes persistent silos and internal friction, meaning market access professionals are not finding their jobs easier. Instead, they must still tackle familiar challenges, while also adapting to a newer expectation: engaging with large, integrated institutions as true partners across the care continuum.

This includes efforts to gain inclusion in EMRs and workflows and to support patients from diagnosis through end of treatment. Plesnarski explains that many organizations are addressing this through specialized roles, such as health IT specialists, key account managers, or reimbursement teams, who focus on aligning with these large systems and moving beyond legacy point solutions toward more holistic, coordinated support.