Industry digitalisation analysis

Pharmaceutical and Medical Product Manufacturing: Digitalization Opportunities

Sound production records and smoother quality assessment

Digital maturity

Typical digital maturity

Shows the level of digitalisation companies in this line of business typically operate at.

The assessment considers use of core systems, how far processes are digitalised, integrations, data readiness and advanced use of data.

A 3 means ordinary, middling maturity. A 5 is given only where real-time data, automated decisions and advanced optimisation are already a routine part of core operations.

high
Digitalisation potential

Digitalisation potential

Shows the scale of business impact digitalisation could have in this line of business.

It weighs economic leverage, the scope for digital impact, the scale and repetition of processes, value lost today, and the leverage of better data and decisions.

A business area’s score is calculated from five weighted dimensions. A sector’s score is derived from the scores of its business areas.

66/100
Biggest challenge
Quality control is disconnected from production
Biggest opportunity
Production and research records prepared for batch review

Operating model

Approved instructions, equipment suitability and quality review are important in the production of pharmaceutical and medical products. Specific checks depend on the products being manufactured and the work being done by the company.

Production of medicines in batches

The team records the production steps, materials and inspection results in an approved order. Authorised professionals review the documentation and decide if the batch is ready to supply.

Production of biological and sterile products

Additional control over biological material, production environment or sterility. The identified deviation is linked to a specific batch and passed on to quality specialists.

Manufacture of medical devices and combined products

Production history and checks are selected according to the purpose of the product and the quality order applied to it. Separately, what data and approvals are required for the final product.

Market context

In the manufacture of pharmaceutical and medical products, batch review depends on production, laboratory and quality records. The system change must be in line with the management and verification procedures approved by the manufacturer. Reliable supply is important to the customer, and timely information prepared for authorized batch evaluation is important to the manufacturer.

  • All production records collectedThe missing action or approval is easier to refine at the time of production than by collecting the whole batch documents at the end.
  • Change ControlEmployees must use approved instructions, and the quality team can see their versions and identified deviations.

Product and Execution Chain

01

Purpose and approved technical basis

Product requirements, versions of documents and mandated responsibilities are established. The volumes of medicines and medical devices are defined separately.

02

Material and equipment readiness

Verification of process-specific material permits, maintenance, calibration or qualification. Sterile process conditions are included where applicable.

03

Controlled Execution Record

The required actions, data and approvals are recorded. Initial information and replacement history are retained to allow for a reliable review.

04

Results and deviation survey

The Quality Specialist evaluates the tests, deviations, affected batches and required actions. Electronic records help to collect the data needed for this solution.

05

Release and change control

Authorised persons perform applicable certification and release actions. Subsequent changes to a process or system are verified in an approved risk and suitability regime.

Digital maturity scale

1

Separate records and manual work

Information is mainly held in separate files or notes. Employees pass it on and reconcile it manually.

2

Organised data within individual teams

Teams record their work consistently, but sharing information with colleagues still requires considerable manual checking.

3

Partially integrated systems

Core work is managed in systems. Some information is transferred automatically, but repeated data entry remains.

4

Coordinated systems and teams Typical current situation

Systems deliver the required data on time. Employees can see unfinished work and know who is responsible for resolving discrepancies.

5

Continuous measurement and improvement

The team checks data quality, evaluates results and uses them to improve operations. Automation is applied where its value can be demonstrated.

Executive conclusion

Production and laboratory records must be accessible to the quality team. Seeing flaws and incomplete checks makes it easier to plan a batch review and clarify deviations.

Related digitalisation topics

Production Execution SystemAdvanced Production PlanningProduction TraceabilityPredictive facility maintenance

Shorten the test of deviation without losing control