ixlayer, a leading cloud-based healthtech platform, along with Ipsos, has officially published the results from its inaugural research report, “ixlayer ixInsights 2025: Pharma’s Role in Improving the Health Experience.”
Going by the available details, this particular study focused on patients with specific conditions, such as asthma, COPD, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, psoriasis, or atopic dermatitis, to identify their experiences, motivations, as well as barriers that are hampering their digital health adoption.
Talk about the results on a slightly deeper level, we begin from how a staggering 74% of surveyed patients would prefer help from a pharmaceutical company to reduce their healthcare barriers.
Next up, the whole exercise would discover that 8 in every 10 surveyed patients wanted pharmaceutical companies to provide necessary resources for availing the care and medicines they need (81%).
“It is crucial for all stakeholders to focus on integrating and developing tools that put patients at the core,” said Chareen Lim, SVP of Ipsos Healthcare. “The journey towards a seamless patient experience is ongoing, and this study shows there are ample opportunities to innovate and improve within this young and dynamic sector.”
Another detail worth a mention here is rooted in how more than 3 out of 4 respondents agree that digital health solutions have helped maintain better communication with their healthcare providers (77%). Now, while almost half the respondents were found to use multiple digital health programs, an estimated 27% also reported having technical difficulties when using digital health solutions.
Moving on, 92% of surveyed patients also said they were currently using or have used patient portals in the past for accessing healthcare information and resources. A contingent of 82% patients, on the other hand, said they were presently banking upon, or have done so in the past, telehealth platforms for virtual consultations.
Joining the mix would be a group of 67% patients who are either using or have used pharmacy delivery services at some point. 65% also actively use or have used wearable devices for health, whereas 62% use or have used at-home diagnostic testing kits. ixlayer’s survey also discovered how no more than 16% of respondents believed that pharma companies prioritizes their needs.
Apart from that, we ought to touch upon a pack of 83% respondents who indicated a likelihood of consulting with healthcare professionals virtually or schedule an in person visit. An identical number of respondents also said they would accept insurance coverage for services.
Going by the available details, an estimated 79% also reported a likelihood of using secure options for sharing health data (e.g., lab test results) with others including their healthcare provider. To build upon the digital dynamic, ixlayer found 74% of patients willing to prefer digital pharmacy options (e.g., online ordering, prescription delivery).
In fact, a staggering 92% of surveyed patients said their perception of pharma would improve if they offered certain capabilities. For instance, 78% say it would improve their perception if a pharma company offers the ability to consult with healthcare professionals virtually or schedule an in-person visit. An assortment of 83% respondents claimed that acceptance of insurance coverage would mark this improvement for them.
Among other things, 77% of respondents said their perception might improve in the given context if they had secure options for sharing their health data (e.g., lab test results).
A group of 74% respondents, however, deemed digital pharmacy options as something which can change their perspective on the current pharmaceutical landscape (e.g., online ordering, prescription delivery).
“The expansion of DTC initiatives and services leveraging digital technology for pharma is a hot topic among the biopharma leaders we meet with, and partnering with Ipsos allowed us to uncover the real challenges and opportunities shaping the future of this emerging model,” said Pouria Sanae, co-founder and CEO of ixlayer. “This survey confirms that patients don’t just want treatment from pharma—they want seamless, digital-first healthcare experiences that fit into their lives.”
