As pharma teams look for better ways to educate, engage, and support patients as direct-to-patient (DTP) offerings grow, AI has quickly become part of the conversation.

That’s why Infinitus launched an AI suite designed specifically for DTP programs, and why we’re hearing the same questions again and again from life sciences teams. Do patients want to talk to AI? Can the AI remember them? How fast can programs change? What about safety events?

Below, we answer the most common questions we’re receiving about how direct-to-patient AI actually works, and what it makes possible for modern pharma engagement.

Not everyone is comfortable speaking with AI. What if a patient would rather speak to a human?

While we find that most people like speaking with our AI agents at Infinitus (in fact, our research shows nearly half of people have had a question they were too embarrassed to ask a healthcare professional and our agents receive 90% approval ratings), we recognize some would prefer to speak to another person. That’s why all of our AI agent calls begin with the agent offering the option to speak to a human agent instead. 

Can the AI remember a patient across multiple calls?

Yes. At least Infinitus can. Our agentic communications platform can take what Infinitus calls “patient memory” and context from previous calls, which is stored in customers’ systems of record as well. The added benefit to that is that if a human agent needs to make a call, they will have access to data collected on previous calls. 

Is getting started with agentic communications for DTP a lengthy and/or complex process?

We partner with pharma companies in the way that makes the most sense for them, and can be fully up and running in 4-6 weeks. Our platform launches directly from within leading systems of record like Salesforce, and integrates seamlessly with your existing workflows. That means no months-long custom development cycles, no heavy lift for IT, and no disruption for your team. 

How quickly can the AI be updated in the event our DTP program changes, we have a new copay offering, etc.?

Chances are, it can be updated faster than it would take to retrain a team of human agents. We’ve found that such changes generally have at least a day – if not a week or more – of lead time, which is more than enough time to update the AI system. In situations where an urgent change is required, the system can be updated even faster.

Which channels resonate best and deliver the highest ROI for patient discoverability?

The biggest takeaway is simple: the highest ROI comes from meeting patients and caregivers where they already are. For some, that’s the phone. For others, it’s text or a patient portal. With an agentic system built on a comprehensive knowledge base and deeply integrated with your CRM, you can use the same intelligence across all of those channels. The challenge today is that many organizations treat these touchpoints as disconnected – phone, brand websites, portals – creating fragmented experiences. Agentic systems allow those experiences to feel unified and consistent, which ultimately drives better engagement and returns.

Can AI handle adverse events (AEs) and product complaints?

At Infinitus, yes. Our agents can detect potential AEs and product-quality keywords in real time, collect the required minimum elements verbatim, and immediately route to the appropriate party for intake. 

How can you improve patient engagement with a brand to sustain awareness and drive adherence?

This starts with recognizing that engagement doesn’t stop at the top of the funnel – it has to continue throughout the entire patient journey. A critical part of that is meeting patients where they are: in their language of choice and at their time of choice.

Healthcare often operates from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but patients and caregivers experience healthcare from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. An agentic system changes that dynamic by being available 24/7/365. That constant availability is a powerful way to sustain brand presence and trust.

For the first time, manufacturers, pharmacies, and providers can reach out to patients before frustration or anxiety sets in, setting expectations, explaining what’s coming next, and checking in along the way. And critically, this can now be done at scale.

How can I get more information about DTP offerings from Infinitus?

We’ve created two assets to help you quickly get up to speed:

  1. Our direct-to-patient playbook explores how to reimagine how patients treatment options, connect with your brand, and start – and stay – on therapy.
  2. Our CEO and Co-founder Ankit Jain hosts an on-demand webinar, covering everything you need to know to win in the DTP era, in just 25 minutes.

In addition, current Infinitus customers can reach out directly to their account teams to learn more and see demos of our solutions for companies launching or expanding DTP programs. Otherwise, we recommend you reach out to our team to set up time to learn more.