Digital And AI As Accelerators Of Clinical Supply Strategy

By Irena Maksimovic, Ph.D., CSCP cell therapy and drug product operations performance lead, Bristol Myers Squibb

Part one of this two-part series examined how protocol design, comparator sourcing, integrated planning, and governance shape most clinical supply outcomes before any technology is deployed. The natural next question is how digital tools and artificial intelligence actually create advantages once those foundations are stable. The answer starts with a mindset shift. Technology does not repair broken systems. It magnifies them. When the operating model is disciplined, digital multiplies results. When it is fragmented, digital becomes an expensive spotlight on existing problems.

Research from the Chemical Abstracts Service estimates that roughly 70% of digitalization initiatives in pharmaceutical settings fall short of expectations, largely because technology is expected to compensate for organizational weaknesses it was never designed to solve.¹ The constraint is rarely the platform itself. It is how decisions, data, and accountability are structured around it.

The Dependency Principle: Digital As A Supporting Lever

Clinical supply transformation rests on four reinforcing levers:

• Process redesign: efficient protocol design, strategic sourcing, integrated planning
• Capability building: analytical and operational skills across functions
• Governance and decision rights: clear ownership and escalation pathways
• Digital enablement: tools that increase speed, scale, and accuracy

Digital enablement differs from the first three because it is dependent on them. Accenture research shows that organizations with mature change capabilities are more than twice as likely to achieve successful transformations, yet only a minority invest in these capabilities at scale.² Deloitte studies also highlight that companies defining clear value metrics for digital initiatives are far more likely to see measurable enterprise impact.³ Technology generates sustained value only after processes, skills, and governance are aligned.

AI Fluency Matters More Than AI Procurement

Artificial intelligence is entering forecasting, demand sensing, and risk detection at speed. Access to tools is no longer the differentiator. Fluency is. Many organizations run isolated pilots that never reach daily operations. Others invest in analytical literacy across supply, planning, and quality teams and experience compounding gains. The difference is human capability, not software sophistication.

Forecasting provides a clear example. Algorithms learn from historical data. If historical data reflects inflated enrollment projections, defensive over-ordering, and frequent amendments, the model will reproduce those patterns with impressive precision. The technology is functioning correctly. The inputs are flawed.

Industry analyses suggest that AI-enabled demand forecasting can reach accuracy levels near 80% to 85 % compared with roughly 60% to 65 % for traditional approaches, but only when data quality and amendment discipline are strong.^4,5 Without discipline, AI automates bias. With discipline, AI enables scenario planning, early risk detection, and dynamic reallocation.

Practical Focus

• Invest in cross-functional analytical training alongside tool deployment.
• Teach teams to question model assumptions and run alternative scenarios.
• Reward forecast accuracy rather than optimism.

Data Quality: The Quiet Multiplier

Advanced analytics are only as strong as the data beneath them. Yet data governance in many pharmaceutical organizations remains fragmented. Definitions vary across systems, enrollment data arrives in inconsistent formats, and ownership is unclear. Estimates suggest that 20% to 30% of enterprise data in pharmaceutical environments is affected by quality issues such as duplicates or missing fields, creating both direct and indirect costs.⁶

Deploying sophisticated analytics into inconsistent data environments produces outputs that appear authoritative but rest on unstable foundations. In practice, cleansing and standardizing data often delivers more value than purchasing another analytics layer.

Practical Focus

• Conduct data quality audits before expanding advanced analytics.
• Standardize definitions and reporting protocols across regions.
• Assign explicit ownership for data accuracy and correction cycles.

Speed Only Matters When Decisions Keep Pace

Digital tools create value through speed. Forecasts update continuously. Risk signals surface in near real time. Analyses that once took days now take minutes. Yet speed matters only if decision-making keeps pace.

Surveys of healthcare leaders show that only a minority report true real-time enterprise wide visibility into inventory, and many still feel unprepared to manage major disruptions.⁷ Meanwhile, industry benchmarking indicates that on-time delivery performance is already high.⁸ The remaining constraint is decision latency rather than analytical capability. Clear governance, predefined thresholds, and explicit ownership allow analytical speed to translate into operational speed. Without them, dashboards inform but rarely transform.

Integration Over Accumulation

Many clinical supply organizations have accumulated technology portfolios organically. Forecasting, inventory management, and enrollment tracking often sit in separate systems connected by manual handoffs. Fragmentation offsets efficiency gains and undermines integrated planning.

Digital enablement is most effective when tools are embedded in end-to-end workflows rather than deployed as stand-alone solutions. Before adding new platforms, integrating existing ones and eliminating duplication frequently yield greater returns.

Practical Closing: Sequence First, Accelerate Second

Digital and AI deliver the strongest returns when deployed after foundational readiness is established. Protocol discipline, strategic sourcing, integrated planning, and clear decision rights create the conditions in which analytics compound value. When these elements are missing, returns remain incremental.

Actionable tips for leaders:

• Assess upstream maturity before approving major technology investments.
• Pair digital rollouts with capability training and governance clarification.
• Define value metrics in advance rather than after deployment.
• Start with one integrated workflow instead of multiple disconnected pilots.
• Treat digital as infrastructure that accelerates strategy, not as the strategy itself.

Organizations that capture disproportionate value are not those with the most advanced platforms. They are the ones that are clear about what those platforms are meant to accelerate. Strengthen the upstream levers first. Then let digital and AI multiply the results.

References

1. CAS. Digital Transformation in the Pharma Industry. 2023.
2. Accenture. A Science-Backed Approach to Change Can Double the Success of Transformation Efforts. 2024.
3. Deloitte. Measuring Value from Digital Transformation. 2023.
4. Pharmaceutical Technology. “Artificial Intelligence in Clinical Supply Forecasting.” 2024.
5. TraxTech. AI in Medical Supply Chains: Predictive Forecasting to Zero-Waste. July 24, 2025.
6. Striped Giraffe. Data Quality Management in the Pharmaceutical Industry. 2021.
7. Pharmaceutical Commerce. “AI Demand Sensing and Integrated Data Systems Survey.” 2025.
8. McKinsey & Company. Clinical Supply Chains: How to Boost Excellence and Innovation. 2021.

About The Author:

Irena Maksimovic, PhD, CSCP is a global supply chain leader dedicated to bringing clinical innovation to commercial scale. She integrates deep technical expertise in CMC and IMP development with extensive experience in manufacturing networks and product strategy across small molecules, biologics, and cell therapies.

Known for turning complex strategy into execution, Irena strengthens governance and drives operational excellence in high-stakes environments. She possesses a unique understanding of how business decisions ripple through operations to shape patient outcomes. By building resilient supply capabilities and high-performing teams, Irena ensures life-changing therapies are delivered faster and more reliably.