Pharmaceutical companies have invested heavily in mobile health. The apps exist. The patient support programs are live. But do they actually work?
Valtech set out to answer that question. In the summer of 2019, we reviewed 50 qualified mHealth services across 17 engagement parameters — scoring each on content quality, user experience and visual design. What we found was a market full of good intentions and a significant gap between promise and delivery.
The gap between promise and delivery is the real problem
Of the initiatives we reviewed, 62% launched with a strong value proposition. Only 23% could deliver on it. That is not a content problem. It is a strategic one — and it is costing pharmaceutical companies patient trust, engagement and adherence.
The pattern repeated across every dimension we measured. Rich media, which demonstrably improves comprehension and engagement, appeared in just 15% of services. Meanwhile, two thirds of apps relied on long, dense text that patients are unlikely to read on a 60-second mobile session. Almost 80% of initiatives demanded high effort from users; only 17% gave them a tangible outcome in return.
What patients actually need from mobile health
Patients managing a chronic condition are not looking for a digital brochure. They are looking for something that helps them on a Tuesday morning when motivation is low, a side effect is worrying them, or they need a fast answer before a physician appointment.
That means mHealth needs to do several things at once. It needs to personalize — 40% of the services we reviewed still offered generic experiences regardless of the patient's condition, behavior or stage of treatment. It needs to connect — 75% of initiatives failed to integrate with device features or health platforms that patients already use. And it needs to support — 78% offered no social or community component, leaving patients to find peer support elsewhere.
The opportunity for pharmaceutical companies
The mHealth market is not short of apps. It is short of apps that work. Pharmaceutical companies that are willing to redesign their patient engagement programs around genuine patient need — not just regulatory requirement or product promotion — have a clear competitive advantage.
Valtech's research points to nine evidence-based principles for building mHealth initiatives that drive real engagement and measurable outcomes. From value proposition design to gamification, connected experiences and content strategy, this whitepaper sets out a practical framework for getting it right.
Download the full report to explore the findings and recommendations.