In our top 10 of 2021, a recap of Pharma 4.0 sheds light on what technologies the life sciences industries can take advantage of. The article covers talks given by experts at the PDA Annual Meeting, and includes discussion of digitalizing paper records, making the most of data, and how AI can models can boost regulatory compliance.
…A focus of digital transformation is replacing the use of paper as a means of data collection. Paper is cumbersome and time-consuming, placing additional unneeded demands on the workforce, yet factories–and especially those in pharma–still rely heavily on its use. Referencing the Pharma 4.0 pillars, Langer pointed out that digitally native workers come into the workplace only to be brought into a culture which teaches them to use organization and processes that are centered on paper. This is a waste of ability to help transition into the digital era and serves only to create a workforce gap.
At the same time, digital transformation is not one large operational problem to be tackled at once, but rather is made up of a multitude of small changes facilities can make which don’t take as large of an investment to fix, according to Langer. The organization and processes need to become digitally native, and continuous improvement is at the core of this transformation. Langer envisions this process taking a number of years to fully accomplish, with one foot on each side of “the digital divide.” This paradigm shift to digital data will happen gradually, requiring the industry to switch from its current document mindset, and it is never too late to start…
Continue to the full article here: Data and AI Accelerate Digital Transformation in Pharma
