Patient support leaders face unprecedented pressure heading into 2026. Rising healthcare costs, evolving policy mandates, and increasing patient expectations are fundamentally changing how patient support programs are designed, delivered, and measured. As financial and operational demands intensify, organizations must balance cost control with the need to deliver personalized, digital, and seamless patient experiences.
To succeed in this environment, patient support leaders need practical insight into where patient support models are headed and how priorities must evolve in the year ahead. This article explores four trends reshaping patient support in 2026: redefining efficiency through patient outcomes, applying artificial intelligence (AI) to modernize case management, expanding direct-to-patient (DTP) models to improve access and engagement, and strengthening compliance amid growing regulatory scrutiny. Together, these trends are driving a reexamination of how manufacturers design, deliver, and evaluate patient support programs.