NOTE: This post is adapted from Understanding the unmet support needs of patients, our survey of 500 patients with chronic illnesses, intended to help the healthcare industry better understand their struggles. You can read the full report here.

Despite evidence that patient support programs work, many patients, and even some providers, aren’t aware that they exist. While the reasons for this vary, one unfortunate result is that many patients feel as though getting healthy rests entirely on their shoulders.

In fact, nearly half of the patients we surveyed said they felt like accessing and adhering to treatment was their responsibility alone.

Drilling down a level deeper, both awareness of and use of support programs were low. The vast majority were unaware that help is available from the manufacturers of their medications. And only a third said they had ever used a patient support or patient access program.

We were surprised to find the number of patients who could name the maker of their medication was also low. And while it’s not strictly necessary for a patient to know the name of the pharmaceutical company that makes their drug, it can be important in certain contexts, especially when it comes to accessing support.

Awareness challenges persisted here for our survey respondents, as well.

This lack of awareness is one reason life sciences companies are increasingly investing in AI solutions – to surface the right support at the right time, and make it easier for both patients and providers to take advantage of it.

The patients we surveyed had more to say, about the ways the system has fallen short, and the kinds of support they wish could have been a part of their journey. To see more, and understand how leading companies are using AI to help, read our full report here.