Digital transformation is the latest buzzword. Simply put, it refers to the adoption and implementation of new and emerging digital technologies within an organization to improve or create new products, services, or processes. It's a more comprehensive way of describing automation. It's an incredibly powerful tool for enhancing efficiency, profits, innovation, and experiences for both employees and customers.

Digital transformation is not really new, but the scale, speed and complexity that we’re currently seeing is unprecedented. The pharmaceutical industry has benefitted from the technological advances in every part of the production cycle. Companies are now able to research and develop drugs faster, collect accurate data and analyze it faster and in more detail using machine learning and Artificial Intelligence and provide more accurate forecasting. 

Drug manufacturers are also using an array of tools together like Blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), RFID, image processing and pattern recognition to prevent the spread of counterfeit and falsified medicines. This is a serious problem affecting the public and being able to trace a drug back to the legitimate manufacturer securely and with full transparency can help stop the spread of fake medicine.

The patient experience in the healthcare is improving because of all of these changes. As healthcare becomes more patient-centric, companies are introducing smart packaging that can do so much more than just protect the pills from damage, like remind patients of dosage, connect to apps that can help doctors track intake as well as symptoms and so much more. 

However, perhaps the most significant change to the industry is in the manufacturing process. The streamlining of manufacturing using robots, AI, image recognition, and real-time data analysis has significantly boosted efficiency and effectiveness. The ability to meticulously monitor every step in the manufacturing process, including equipment cleaning, packaging, and labeling, introduces substantial time and cost savings while also reducing errors that can lead to unusable products, impacting company profits and reputation.

While we are now 30 years into the digital transformation revolution, it's not the end, and there are no signs of slowing down. New startups, research papers, and solutions are announced every week. It might be tempting to implement every new technology that emerges, but companies that intelligently and diligently choose the right transformation tools for their business will be the ones to thrive in this highly competitive market.