This Advisor is informed by in-depth discussions with 48 leaders in senior management positions in healthcare and pharmaceutical organizations. The primary data was collected through a series of interviews, each lasting 45-60 minutes.

Each interview consisted of a series of questions related to collaboration activities between healthcare and pharmaceutical organizations and their use of technology platforms to deliver value to stakeholders. The questions sought to elucidate the best practices and challenges surrounding the collaborative use of emerging technology and data-centric decision-making to deliver value to stakeholders.

The interviews were recorded and transcribed in preparation for thematic analysis. Most participants held mid-level executive positions in their organization (n=37), with roles varying from managing director to division head and data lead. The remaining candidates (n=11) held roles such as supervisor, data analyst, and team manager.

Key Barriers

A qualitative data analysis was performed to surface themes related to developing an environment conducive to embedding technology platforms and data analytics for collaborative value provision. The key barriers were each considered from a practitioner viewpoint to reveal themes (and contexts) and establish best practices.

Trust

Many participants viewed trust as critical for collaborations to flourish and noted that partners must take a consistent approach to developing strong relationships:

• Establish a common language.

• Understand the healthcare system.

• Align with others to create a shared agenda.

• Set clear shared objectives, including joint accountability.

• Name a champion for the collaboration.

• Establish alignment at all levels of an organization (leaders, managers, and subject-matter experts).

• Ensure experienced clinical champions are empowered and willing to take risks.

Governance

Respondents said a memorandum of understanding is the best way to achieve strong, enabling processes. These documents should be co-created with legal experts from the outset and should include a requirement for a clear project plan, enabling SOPs (standard operating procedures), and ownership and financial boundaries.

Participants frequently expressed frustration with the intricate nature of contractual agreements, which can hinder the swift progression of collaborative initiatives. Delays in finalizing contracts not only impede project timelines, they exacerbate uncertainties surrounding data ownership, rights to innovations, and financial arrangements. Addressing these concerns requires a streamlined approach to contract negotiation and execution, one that favors clarity and expediency in addressing crucial aspects, such as data management, intellectual property rights, and financial obligations.

Incentives

Performance management systems explore the interplay between monetary and nonmonetary incentives, resulting in policies or programs that reward the right collaborations and endorse and motivate individuals and teams. Susanna Gallani, the Tai Family Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, has examined mechanisms to align behavior, reward performance, and reduce burnout. A major part of her current work focuses on innovations in incentive models in healthcare.

Scalability

In this case, scalability means the ability to demonstrate from the outset how learnings might have value implications beyond initial impacts. For example, concerns around timelines stem from a fear of investing in new ideas/programs without the ability to scale them within a reasonable time frame due to fragmented systems and organizational silos.

Industry Representation

As expected, the collaboration of healthcare systems with pharmaceutical companies is a key requirement in the successful integration of new data technology platforms. The pharmaceutical or technology companies’ effort should be headed up by a senior executive who understands the system, is highly motivated, is willing to be held accountable for revenue generated (or not), is bold, and can manage the challenges associated with maintaining momentum.

[For more on this study, see: “Using Data Technology Platforms to Deliver Stakeholder Value in Healthcare.”]