The Fact Maker

Roche Pharma India Launches Patient Support App To Help Patients Seamlessly Navigate Their Care Journey

  • Mobile App will be available to eligible patients who are part of Roche’s Blue Tree patient support program in India
  • Technology platform enhances patient experience and will allow easier access to a basket of patient support services 

Kochi : Roche Pharma India today launched a new digital platform – The Blue Tree 2.0 mobile app for patients who are part of Roche’s Blue Tree patient support programme in India. The mobile application, available in both Android and iOS platforms will make it easier for patients to access a variety of patient support services, thus simplifying their treatment journey.  

The app aims to improve both the patient and healthcare professional’s experience by speeding up programme enrollment, providing easy access and advance notifications to avail multiple support services, increasing the scale and reach of the program to patients, particularly to those who are in remote locations, and allows the support programme journey to be managed directly from their phones. 

Key Blue Tree program features/ benefits that patients can avail through the mobile application include: 

  • Digital enrollment to the program with an enrollment tracker that indicates percentage completion
  • Place request for free drug assistance  that are made available a part of the Roche’s Patient Assistance Program
  • Doorstep delivery services of drugs, and live order tracker to keep you informed where your medicine is and when it will reach you
  • Advance notifications to patients on their upcoming infusion schedules and other value added services like diagnostic tests and counseling
  • Book for free expert consultations on emotional wellbeing, physiotherapy, healthy eating etc. at the click of a button
  • Book for free diagnostic support services, including Foundation Medicine’s comprehensive genomic profiling to guide effective, personalized treatment decisions in certain types of cancers
  • Funding support, Interest free EMIs and other services to ease the financial burden on patients and their families.          
  • Accurate and right amount of information about the disease from a credible source to improve awareness, so that you are prepared to face it, and more importantly, not fall prey to any fake news or wrong advice  
  • Provision for continuous user feedback to ensure delivery of best-in-class service

Ways to engage

  • Patients/ Caregivers can engage with the program by:
  • Downloading the Blue Tree mobile application from Google play store or Apple iOS store
  • Reach out to their healthcare providers 

Commenting on the launch, V Simpson Emmanuel, Managing Director and CEO, Roche Pharma India said, “The launch of the app signals Roche’s goal to leverage digital platforms and mobile applications that put effective and scalable solutions, including patient support programmes at patients’ fingertips. At Roche, it is not just about treating patients – it is about traveling the road with them and their families. We recognize the different healthcare needs of patients through their journey and hope to address those in a holistic manner. By introducing a technology platform to our flagship patient support program – The Blue Tree – we are taking a significant step forward in our commitment towards transforming patient lives, addressing their specific needs and simplifying their treatment journey.”

Dr. Amit Rauthan, HOD Medical Oncology, Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru, says, “As medical professionals, we look to ensure the best possible treatment outcomes for our patients. Medication alone does not provide these outcomes; they are a combination of medicine, access to disease information, patient monitoring, adherence to treatment schedules and many other services to provide holistic care to the patient. As a single point destination, The Blue Tree program will enable accessibility and thereby enhance treatment outcomes as well. It is truly a futuristic endeavor and a boon for the healthcare ecosystem”.

To make the treatment journey a truly integrated experience for patients, Roche has partnered with Tata 1MG that overall manages The Blue Tree program and the last mile deliveries are managed by Vardhaman and IMS. The bouquet of services are delivered through various leading service providers with whom Tata 1MG engages on behalf of the patient. Roche Pharma India partnered with leading smart tech solutions provider MOURI Tech to develop this patient centric mobile app. In the future, many feature enhancements are planned for the mobile app, including version extensions for HCPs, hospitals and distributors.  

Virginia D’silva, a HER2+ve metastatic breast cancer survivor from Mumbai commented, “A few years ago I felt a lump in my armpit. At first, I ignored it but then it started growing and I got alarmed. Upon undergoing a mammography it was confirmed to be breast cancer. I told my treating doctor just one thing, that I wanted to live life as normally as possible. My family, my will power and Roche’s The Blue Tree program were my support pillars in my fight against cancer. Services provided by The Blue Tree program helped me regain control of my life in all aspects…be it nutritional health or mental wellbeing”.