OBJECTIVES: As both RWE and HEOR functions have grown in importance in recent years, a challenge has emerged with role clarity within the functions, and for cross-functional collaborators. This conceptual paper identifies best practices for operating efficiently and with impact in a cross-functional organization to inform health care decisions. It also identifies areas for business efficiency when addressing the needs of external stakeholders such as Regulators and Payers.

METHODS: Several companies in the pharmaceutical industry participated in a benchmarking project on HEOR organizations which included 15+ categories of research questions on structure and ways of working. Additionally, an initiative was completed to streamline Review Committees for Observational Research proposals including updated procedures outlining and defining design, conduct, and management of research.

RESULTS: Two examples of HEOR and RWE collaboration success resulted in evidence generation for improved health care delivery to optimize patient outcomes. The first being informed access and reimbursement for hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with VEKLURY®. The second being protocol development and research in HIV-1, which was later used for discussions with payers and HCPs.

CONCLUSIONS: Real World Evidence has become an increasingly important tool of the pharmaceutical industry for internal, corporate strategy decision-making and for informing health care decisions. Health Economics & Outcomes Research plays a key role in generating and disseminating evidence demonstrating product value to a variety of stakeholders. Several steps can and should be taken to strengthen collaborative practices between RWE and HEOR departments. Output of the pharmaceutical benchmarking project suggests a need to better define the breadth of RWE in order to operationalize the best ways of working within an organization’s structure. Two example success stories also demonstrate the benefit of collaboration between HEOR and RWE in developing relevant and robust evidence for external stakeholders.