A Reference Architecture for Pharma, Healthcare & Life Sciences

Abstract

This paper contributes to the digitalization research by proposing a digitalization reference architecture (RA) for the pharma, healthcare and the life sciences domain in the context of the overall healthcare landscape from a business and information technology (IT) perspective. The RA fills the gap created by the existing siloed, non-interoperable standards. The RA comprises three main components – therapeutic segments, pharma-specific functions, and generic functions. Horizontal slices – following the widespread TOGAF framework layers – characterize the RA to support a seamless view from capability to technology. The paper aims to provide a holistic RA along examples of how this architecture can be used in general and in the oncology sector – one of the largest pharma markets. The proposed RA can help companies interested in evaluating the value of digital technologies, their alignment with business models, or the impacts of regulations or other legal requirements in light of these digital technologies