Today’s pharmacy landscape includes a mix of technology-enabled drug access models, from cash pay and alternative pricing options, such as Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug and GoodRx, to telehealth and virtual pricing, like Hims & Hers. And then there are direct-to-consumer models, such as LillyDirect and PfizerForAll, to hub-enabled strategies for accessing costly specialty drugs.

The models that have survived the test of time have a key feature in common, leaders from digital pharmacy partner HealthDyne noted at Asembia’s AXS25 Summit, in Las Vegas. These companies are “solving real problems, using consumer-friendly technology, but also … [plugging] into the existing infrastructure system we have,” said Sarah Thomas, HealthDyne’s head of growth and commercialization.

Telehealth providers such as Hims & Hers “are solving an unmet need in the market,” Ms. Thomas said. The new wave of tech-enabled companies “drive their revenue by filling prescriptions on a cash basis, solving a need for patients who are either uncomfortable or embarrassed, or they just don’t feel like they’re getting the informed care they want around conditions like weight loss.”

There are also multiple price-focused disruptive digital players, such as BlinkRx, which provides an independent digital platform for prescription fulfillment and free home delivery that analyzes patients’ insurance and applies available savings before delivering the prescription from one of its thousands of licensed pharmacy partners.

“Consumers want and expect a streamlined experience, with high-tech navigation and simplified pricing options,” Ms. Thomas said. “That means market solutions involving a connected ecosystem with complete visibility, automated digital hubs, nationwide home delivery and blended coverage with transparent affordability. Those are the players that are going to emerge on top.”

Success also means overcoming “huge pain points we are seeing on cost and access at traditional retail counters around access and affordability,” Ms. Thomas added. “That’s where there is a huge opportunity for digital technology to play a role,” she noted, citing smartphone apps as just one example.

Integrated delivery networks (IDNs) should not stay on the sidelines of this tech-enabled trend. “The IDNs need to be willing to create a solution for the patient that helps them navigate and gives them the best option for access and affordability—which means giving them options that may not include that IDN as the primary [provider],” Ms. Thomas noted. “The endpoint is getting the patient to the right therapy, the right location and the right coverage mix.”

But a persistent challenge remains. “There are awesome standalone solutions, but they’re not knit together in a way that offers continued, holistic visibility of the patient and their care,” Ms. Thomas said. “By applying the power of AI to analyze what options are [available] for the patient and serve them up in a curated way, we can create a much better future for helping patients navigate access to their medications.”

The sources reported no relevant financial disclosures.