Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente is enhancing its digital pharmacy as health systems and payers compete with new entrants such as Amazon Pharmacy, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Kaiser Permanente, for instance, is rolling out digital prescription-refill reminders, according to the Jan. 4 story. "The experience itself is like what you're used to as a consumer in other industries, like how you order your coffee or groceries," Chief Digital Officer Nari Gopala told the newspaper.
Organizations such as payer Elevance Health are also shifting toward a smartphone app-based, mail-order pharmacy experience, as companies work to match disruptors in the field, the Journal reported. "Healthcare lags almost any other industry in terms of its digital maturity and its consumer experience," Kate McCarthy, vice president and team manager at IT consultant Gartner, told the news outlet. "So they have quite a bit of work to do."