Reimagining HCP Engagement: What the AI-Empowered Future Looks Like for Pharma

As healthcare professionals (HCPs) increasingly adopt AI in their daily decision-making, the way life sciences companies engage must evolve. Quickly. In an era defined by complexity, personalization, and real-time clinical decisions, traditional pharma commercialization models are no longer enough.

That was the core message of our recent HLTH webinar, “Is Your Pharma Strategy Ready for the AI-Empowered HCP?”—a conversation co-hosted by Viz.ai and Salesforce, featuring perspectives from leaders across digital innovation, clinical AI, and next-generation CRM.

Pharma’s Wake-Up Call: Engagement Must Evolve

HCPs haven’t changed what they need. What’s changed is how poorly those needs have been met.

As Frank Defesche, SVP and GM of Life Sciences at Salesforce, emphasized:

“The treatment landscape is more complex than ever. It’s time for life sciences to rethink its role from information broadcaster to true clinical partner—delivering previous, relevant insights when and how HCPs need them.”

Today’s environment demands a new playbook—one rooted not in volume, but in precision and real-time relevance.

The Opportunity: Real-Time HCP Activation Inside the Workflow

At the center of this shift is a simple but transformative idea: pharma must move closer to the moment of care.

Salesforce and Viz.ai have a blueprint for what the future could look like:

• Clinical AI surfaces high-value insights at the point of care (e.g., diagnosis, EMR flags, imaging)
• Intelligent CRM platforms like Salesforce’s Life Sciences Cloud + Agentforce capture those insights
• Sales and marketing teams act in near real time—delivering support, education, and value at the exact moment an HCP is making a critical decision
  

“Imagine if pharma could operate in sync with clinical workflows,” said Chris Mansi, co-founder and CEO of Viz.ai. “That’s not just more efficient—it’s transformative. It turns pharma into a real partner in care.”

A Shift That’s Already Underway

Though the Viz.ai + Salesforce model is still emerging, many building blocks are already in motion.

• HCPs are actively using AI—with AMA data showing a jump from ~40% usage in 2023 to 66% in 2024
• Health systems are embedding real-time AI platforms like Viz.ai to accelerate diagnosis and reduce time to treatment
• Pharma teams are exploring how to leverage clinical context—ethically and compliantly—to drive smarter engagement

“AI is not just about automation,” Frank added. “It’s about enhancing judgment, precision, and personalization across the ecosystem—whether it’s content, timing, or channel.”

Beyond the HCP: Redefining the Entire Pharma Commercial Stack

The conversation also touched on how AI doesn’t replace the human connection—it amplifies it. With the right insights at the right time, reps and MSLs can shift from generalists to truly valuable partners.

One senior pharma digital leader described this as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to reshape not just technology, but mindsets and organizational models.

“If AI can speed up accurate diagnoses, it can help save lives. Pharma can help advance this technology — and that may require reimagining processes across our organization,” the leader said.

Why It Matters Now

With AI agents, LLMs, and workflow automation advancing at breakneck speed, the window for pharma to lead—not lag—is now.

✔️ For commercial teams: it’s about moving from campaigns to clinical moments
✔️ For medical affairs: it’s about surfacing credible, useful insights where and when they matter
✔️ For digital and data leaders: it’s about building platforms that are agile, connected, and future-proof

“This is the future of go-to-market,” Chris noted. “Contextual. Relevant. Actionable. And built for the moment of decision—not the marketing calendar.”

Final Takeaway: Partnership Is the Strategy

Ultimately, the webinar made one thing clear: this transformation isn’t a solo effort. It requires ecosystem collaboration—technology, pharma, and health systems working in lockstep.

That’s the vision Viz.ai and Salesforce are working toward together: An AI-enabled future where pharma can finally meet HCPs where they are, when it matters most.

Interested in exploring what this could look like for your organization?
 📥 Contact us to learn more about pilot opportunities, joint innovation workshops, or strategy sessions.

Missed the webinar?
Watch the full recording here.