Patrick Anthony drives smarter, simpler oncology support to improve patient access and outcomes

In the fast-evolving world of oncology care, where time is of the essence and clarity can make the difference between treatment adherence and abandonment, few leaders have driven meaningful change with the impact and foresight of Patrick Anthony.

His strategic initiatives in patient support services, copay enrollment, and digital healthcare integration have set new benchmarks for how life sciences companies can better serve patients, physicians, and specialty pharmacies in a unified manner.

By uncovering inefficiencies, redesigning outdated processes, and rallying diverse stakeholders around a shared vision, Anthony has charted a new course for oncology support services that is already improving persistence on therapy and reducing patient burden.

The story begins with a strategic review Anthony spearheaded of Lilly Support Services and three contracted specialty pharmacies. What initially seemed like a routine oversight soon revealed a major challenge in the patient's journey. Within the first 30 days of therapy, oncology patients faced an overwhelming 23 separate touchpoints from various sources.

Rather than building confidence, this avalanche of messages created information overload and fragmented communication, leaving patients confused at a time when clarity was most critical. Anthony’s analysis did not stop at diagnosis; his findings triggered a company-wide project to standardize oncology communications.

By streamlining how, when, and from whom patients received information, his work laid the foundation for a more supportive experience, designed to keep patients engaged and committed to their therapy.

Yet communication overload was only one piece of the puzzle. As Anthony dug deeper into the patient experience, he identified another major obstacle: the enrollment process for oncology copay cards (CPCs). Designed to ease financial burdens, CPC programs were paradoxically discouraging patients from accessing them.

Data showed that nearly half of patients—approximately 48 percent—abandoned registration on the very first page. The culprit? Antiquated, fax-based workflows and websites that lacked mobile optimization. For patients already navigating the stress of a cancer diagnosis, such friction often became the tipping point that kept them from receiving financial assistance.

Anthony responded with a clear and actionable solution: redesign the system around a mobile-first, digital enrollment model. His recommendations were not only adopted but became the new standard, streamlining both physician and patient workflows. The outcome was reduced abandonment, faster enrollment, and a significantly lighter burden for patients.

Recognizing that physicians are central to the patient journey, Anthony went further to address their challenges as well. He recommended and piloted a digital healthcare provider (HCP) enrollment channel through platforms like TailorMed Express Enroll and Annexus Health AP Connect.

By replacing outdated fax-based systems, this innovation allowed physicians to initiate copay enrollment directly within electronic health record (EHR) workflows. The impact was profound: processing delays were cut, errors caused by incomplete forms were reduced, and time-to-therapy accelerated. What once required back-and-forth phone calls and manual corrections could now be executed seamlessly in real time, freeing up physicians to focus more on care rather than administration.

Another significant step Anthony championed was the integration of automated CPC data-sharing across specialty pharmacies. Previously, patients were burdened with the responsibility of manually reporting critical identifiers like ID, PIN, and PCN codes—an error-prone process that often resulted in delays or inconsistencies in affordability support.

By designing a roadmap for automation, Anthony ensured that data flowed securely and accurately between systems, improving reliability while reducing patient stress. This initiative not only eliminated inefficiencies but also addressed a critical equity issue: ensuring that all patients, regardless of their digital literacy, could benefit from affordability programs without facing preventable roadblocks.

Perhaps most striking was Anthony’s ability to bring together diverse stakeholders to achieve alignment on such transformative changes. In a cross-functional workshop with 23 senior leaders spanning marketing, payers, specialty pharmacy, legal, contact centers, and IT, he facilitated open dialogue and strategic planning that bridged silos.

His leadership was instrumental in convincing each group to see beyond its narrow priorities and focus on scalable national solutions. In a sector as fragmented as healthcare, consensus-building of this kind is rare. It demonstrated not only Anthony’s strategic acumen but also his ability to inspire collaboration and collective ownership of systemic improvements.

Patrick Anthony’s work is persuasive proof that patient support is not merely a logistical function but a critical lever for improving outcomes in oncology care. By modernizing communications, simplifying copay enrollment, integrating digital solutions, and fostering stakeholder alignment, he has redefined how support services can function in harmony with clinical care. His vision transcends process improvement—it is about restoring dignity and clarity to patients during one of the most vulnerable periods of their lives.

In an industry often criticized for complexity and inefficiency, Anthony’s leadership shows that change is possible when guided by empathy, data, and innovation. As oncology care continues to evolve, his efforts serve as a blueprint for how patient support services should be designed: simple, accessible, and human-centered.

By ensuring patients have fewer barriers and more clarity, he is not only helping them persist on therapy but also setting a higher standard for what compassionate, digitally-enabled healthcare should look like in the 21st century.