In episode 9 of Doceree Dialogue, our EVP & GM, Global Supply Partnerships, Vijay Adapala, sat down with a leader who has spent over a decade at the intersection of pharmacy, technology, and patient experience - Lara Loveman, Vice President, Pharma Solutions, Outcomes-Cardinal Health. From digitizing pharmacy communications in the early days to building platforms that now power clinical conversations at scale, the discussion unpacked what it really takes to move outcomes forward—for pharmacists, patients, and pharma alike.
The journey began more than ten years ago, at a time when consumer expectations were being reshaped by apps that tracked everything from food deliveries to fitness goals.
“Everybody was all about apps—tracking your pizza, like Pizza Hut and Domino’s. We asked, why can’t a pharmacy do it?”
The answer, of course, wasn’t simple. Pharmacy systems were far more complex, but that didn’t stop the effort. Starting with small, independent pharmacies willing to take a leap of faith, the focus was clear: digitize communication and make the medication journey more transparent for patients.
As adoption grew, larger players followed. Target Pharmacy, Costco, and others came on board, pushing the conversation beyond technology and toward experience.
“We really started to think about the patient. How do we become the translating engine between what’s happening at the pharmacy—which is quite complicated—and what’s happening with their medication?”
That vision ultimately led to Cardinal Health becoming an early investor and later acquiring the company, laying the foundation for what Outcomes is today.
When asked about the most pressing challenges pharmacists face, the answer was immediate and unequivocal time.
“The biggest pain point is time. Where to allocate it, and how to best allocate it.”
With limited bandwidth and razor-thin margins, pharmacists need platforms that don’t just add information, but enable meaningful, revenue-driving conversations. Today, with over 200,000 pharmacists and technicians on the platform, the focus is on equipping them with the right tools to deliver value where it matters most.
From dose titration and late-to-therapy management to comprehensive medication reviews, these clinical conversations depend heavily on having the right content at the right moment.
“Anything that we can do to help those pharmacists have the right content when they’re having those conversations is helpful.”
How Pharmacies View Pharma Marketing Today
Pharma marketing, particularly within pharmacy environments, is often seen as a delicate balance.
“It’s complicated. There’s a little bit of push and pull.”
On one hand, pharmacies and pharma are aligned on outcomes—happier patients, faster access to therapy, better cost transparency. When interventions clearly improve the patient experience, pharmacies are eager to participate.
On the other hand, reimbursement pressures are very real.
“Most of the pharma spend occurs with your top 30 brands, where retailers really struggle on reimbursement rates.”
This is where more creative, direct-to-consumer models—and partnerships with trusted platforms—can unlock value. With over 40 million text-eligible, opted-in digital patients, the opportunity lies in thoughtful, responsible engagement.
“When you intercept a pharmacy message with manufactured education, financial support, or video—it’s a powerhouse. But we’re very careful about not over-messaging.”
One of the most thought-provoking moments in the conversation came when discussing innovation beyond the usual buzzwords.
“People can call me crazy, but I think one of the market shifts we may see is the script going into a patient’s hands.”
Instead of prescriptions disappearing into opaque systems, patients could gain visibility into where their script is, what hurdles it’s facing—prior authorizations, rejections—and where they want it filled.
This shift could be especially impactful for specialty and “tweener” drugs, where costs and complexity often lead to frustration and drop-offs.
“It’s about empowering the patient to take that script wherever it needs to go, with the support of the right tools.”
Despite advances across the ecosystem, a major gap still persists.
“The script gets prescribed, and then it’s just like—what happens to the patient?”
First-fill drop-offs can reach 40%, depending on the therapy area. While hubs support a fraction of patients, a large majority are left navigating the journey on their own.
The solution, according to the discussion, isn’t another standalone platform or app.
“Don’t try to build siloed environments and get the patient to come to you. Meet them wherever they are.”
Today, that place is most often the pharmacy—making it a critical point of engagement for education, support, and continuity of care.
No healthcare conversation is complete without addressing AI. While still early, its role is becoming clearer—especially reducing friction for pharmacists.
“We’re building AI to create more efficient dialogue with a patient.”
Rather than replacing human interaction, AI is being used to surface context—why a patient is calling, which medications are on hold, and what questions need answering—before a pharmacist even picks up the call.
“Anything you can do to get rid of the noise so the pharmacist can pay attention to the right thing—that’s the goal.”
In a highly regulated environment like healthcare, guardrails matter, and adoption must be thoughtful. But the potential to shorten lines, streamline workflows, and improve experiences is undeniable.
To close the conversation, we asked for one prediction that could reshape the pharmacy landscape.
The answer returned to a powerful theme: choice.
“Do you want your prescription to go to CVS, Amazon Pharmacy, Costco—or do you want to take the script yourself?”
As direct-to-consumer models continue to evolve, patient empowerment may no longer be optional—it may become the default.
“Give the consumer the options. That’s where this is headed.”
This episode of Doceree Dialogue reinforced a simple but transformative idea: real progress in healthcare doesn’t come from forcing new behaviors—it comes from meeting patients, pharmacists, and providers exactly where they are, and making every interaction more meaningful.
Stay tuned for more conversations that explore how technology, data, and empathy come together at the most critical moments of care.