Maria Kirsch
General Manager, Patient Services
Expertise:
Maria is a decisive, strategic and forward-thinking leader with more than 20 years of experience across operational excellence and strategic development in the pharmaceutical industry. She previously served as Head of Patient Experience, Technology & Innovation at Novartis, where she focused on industry-leading, innovative strategies aimed at removing barriers for patients accessing and adhering to their medication.
Overseeing EVERSANA’s Patient Services Operations, Maria provides strategic and executive oversight to ensure the best possible patient and customer experience.
Articles by Maria Kirsch
Invisible Orchestration: How Behind-the-Scenes Collaboration of Patient Services and Field Deployment Teams Delivers a Seamless Front-of-House Brand Experience
Providing services to patients in a digital world requires a delicate balance of blending high-tech and high-touch solutions. A majority of patients want the option to guide their own treatment journeys with ease and on their own time as much as possible. But they also want the ability to speak directly with experts concerning more complex […]
Navigating the Complexities of Patient Care with Digital and Human Touchpoints
Three Key Objectives Guide Program Development: Access, Affordability and Adherence Patients taking branded therapies to manage long-term health conditions are faced with a dizzying array of challenges, all of which can hinder access to medication, create affordability challenges and undermine long-term adherence objectives. State-of-the-art wraparound support programs must be devised to help patients and their […]
Podcast: Achieving Cell and Gene Therapy Commercial Excellence
There is no question about the incredible clinical impact cell and gene therapies (CGTs) can have on the lives of patients. However, this impact is the result of innovation that does not equate to a simple, straightforward commercialization process. The commercialization and management requirements of these treatments are just as complex as their innovative science. […]
Reimagining the SpecialtyRx Patient Journey Through the Lens of a Digital Consumer
Nearly 32% of Americans suffer from complex, chronic or rare conditions, such as autoimmune diseases, genetic disorders or cancer, many of which require a specialty prescription therapy. Despite being only 3% of overall prescriptions, specialty medications represent nearly 50% of the overall prescription drug spend in the U.S. While we have moved to the on-demand […]
Bridging the Patient Support Gap With Integrated Technology Solutions and Strategies
Each year, medication non-adherence causes 125,000 preventable deaths and $300 billion in avoidable healthcare costs. In a world where patients face more medication barriers than ever, patient support programs are critical in providing value-based care that yields a palpable and lasting impact. The pharma industry is acutely aware that product access and affordability is key […]
Driving Commercial Excellence for CAR-T
In this session from the 6th Annual CAR-TCR Summit, Faruk Abdullah, Head of U.S. Consulting, EVERSANA™ MANAGEMENT CONSULTING and Maria Kirsch, SVP & Head of Patient Services share insight on building the future commercialization model designed specifically for CAR-T, including: Key differences between CAR-T and traditional therapies Ideas, tactics and techniques needed to address CAR-T’s […]
Precision Medicine and Predictive Action Drive Measurable Impact for Patients
The Institute for Precision Medicine defines “Precision Medicine” as the “medical approach that proposes to prevent and treat disease based upon a person’s unique genetic makeup and their lifestyle habits. Precision medicine, the ability to accurately measure specific predictors of patient outcomes, is implemented in personalized clinical care.” Thanks to recent advancements in bioinformatics, big-data […]
Webinar: Improve Hub Performance and Patient Outcomes
The use of health data technologies and analytics in the life sciences industry continues to evolve, but many manufacturers are still crawling around in the dark. With limited in-person patient and provider-rep interactions, hubs that lack synergized technology and data are struggling to understand access and adherence barriers – and, most importantly, new and unexpected […]
Watch Now: PharmaVOICE Panel on Next Gen Patient Services Models
The Future of Data-Driven Patient Support Is Now The use of health data technologies and analytics in the life sciences industry continues to evolve, but many manufacturers are still crawling around in the dark. With limited in-person patient and provider-rep interactions, hubs that lack synergized technology and data are struggling to understand access and adherence […]
Leveraging Innovative Technology to Improve the Patient Journey
Commercial teams cannot afford to misinterpret the patient and product journeys. Over 50% of new launches fail to meet market forecasts. In addition, newly launched products are experiencing increased patient drop-off due to many U.S. market access considerations. COVID-19, unfortunately, has also caused many to lose their jobs, and the high unemployment rate has created […]
Patient Empowerment on the Rise with Health Consumerism
There’s no question that the pharma industry is evolving, and so are company relationships with patients as health consumerism gains popularity. While the COVID-19 pandemic created an immediate need for telehealth options, patients are seeing their own personal needs for customized healthcare options overall. Today’s patient and patient caregiver are engaged and active in the treatment journey and seek a personalized experience. Pharmaceutical companies need to determine how to support this next generation of […]
Advancing Beyond the Traditional Patient Adherence Model
Showcase Featured In PharmaVOICE – October 2020 Delivering value in the era of empowered patients renders the one-size-fits all patient services program obsolete. Not every treatment journey is consistently linear within a disease state because patients take different paths to medication adherence. For example, one patient may be compliant when prompted by a smartphone notification, while […]
Why are We Settling for Mediocre Patient Services Programs?
Patient Services Programs Are Falling Short
To give credit where credit is due, pharmaceutical manufacturers make a tremendous – and well-intended – effort to alleviate the product access obstacles and burdens patients and providers often endure when a new medication is prescribed. While interactive wellness apps, generous co-pay card offerings and essential patient assistance programs make a brand appear “patient-centric” and “easy to prescribe,” these programs fall short on the back end.
Leveraging Predictive Analytics and Behavioral Technology to Build Patient Adherence
Delivering value in the era of empowered patients renders the one-size-fit-all patient services program obsolete. Not every treatment journey is consistently linear within a disease state because patients take different paths to medication adherence. For example, one patient may be compliant when prompted by a smartphone notification while another relies on a caregiver for their […]