Research Roundup
Section Editor: Aakash Bipin Gandhi, BPharm, PhD, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
An access-focused patient-centric value assessment framework for medication formulary decision-making in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Yang M, Mittal M, Fendrick AM, et al. 2025. Adv Ther. 2025;42(2):568-578.
Summary
The authors propose an access-focused patient-centric value assessment framework for formulary decision making in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. They argue that traditional approaches are inadequate given the evolving immune-mediated inflammatory disease treatment landscape, where medications are approved for multiple indications and treatment targets have advanced beyond clinical trial endpoints. The access-focused patient-centric framework encompasses 3 core value components: (1) achieving therapeutic goals, (2) improving health-related quality of life, and (3) enhancing work productivity with monetization derived from clinical trial data when real-world evidence is unavailable. Patients and their families are positioned at the top of the healthcare ecosystem pyramid, supported by utilization management protocols guided by policy makers, payers, and employers.
Relevance
This article contributes to the broader discussion of patient-centric value assessment by proposing a structured framework that explicitly incorporates patient-relevant outcomes beyond traditional clinical endpoints. The framework’s focus on quality of life and work productivity reflects growing recognition that value in healthcare must encompass dimensions that matter to patients themselves. By attempting to monetize these patient-centered outcomes, the authors provide a practical approach for translating patient priorities into the formulary decision-making processes.
Insights for resilient and patient-centric healthcare systems. Sparacino L, Schmid A. 2026. In: Organizational Insights: Healthcare Perspective: An Introduction to the Dynamics of Healthcare Excellence. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland; 2026:49-68.
Summary
The authors examine how technology, particularly telehealth and decentralized healthcare delivery, can create more resilient and patient-centric systems. They emphasize that patient preferences vary greatly based on individual circumstances, life stages, and cultural contexts, and advocate for an “ethics of care” approach to policy making that considers the relational and contextual nature of healthcare decisions. Authentic community engagement is stressed as essential, with explicit warnings against tokenistic consultation. The authors recommend 3 principles: fostering cocreation within and across communities, promoting coordination of simple and integrated health systems, and creating agile systems that accommodate variable patient and community needs.
Relevance
This article offers clear articulation of what genuine patient centricity looks like in practice, moving well beyond token participation by advocating for authentic cocreation with communities. The authors’ warning against tokenistic engagement directly addresses the core concern of this issue, although it also reveals the complexity of balancing individual preferences with population health needs and navigating power dynamics between institutions and diverse communities.
How to fix a broken healthcare system: pathways to maximize health and well-being for all. Chin MH, Bruch JD, Grogan CM, et al. Diabetes Care. 2026;49(1):44-62.
Summary
The authors present a comprehensive analysis of US healthcare system failures—using diabetes care as a model for systemic problems—and argue that the fundamental issue is the system’s failure to prioritize the long-term health and well-being of all individuals and communities. Three foundational elements are identified: ethics and culture, political economy, and the definition and measurement of value in healthcare. Policy recommendations include anchoring healthcare in ethics and justice, implementing principles of good governance, measuring social return on investment, reforming health insurance toward universal coverage, and addressing social determinants of health. The authors stress that sustainable reform requires both technical policy changes and fundamental cultural shifts toward valuing the health of all Americans, particularly marginalized populations.
Relevance
This article provides a comprehensive framework for understanding systemic barriers to patient centricity, demonstrating that the current system’s prioritization of short-term financial gain is precisely why patient perspectives remain marginalized in value assessments. The authors’ call for fundamental shifts in ethics, political economy, and value measurement suggests that healthcare systems are not ready for genuine patient centricity without major structural transformation, making incremental improvements in patient engagement insufficient on their own.
Note from the Section Editor: Views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this section are my own and not those of any organization, committee, group, or individual that I am affiliated with.
