Patient Engagement in Pharma – Why and How?

In an era where medicine is rapidly becoming more personalized, why do pharmaceutical companies still struggle to effectively engage with the very individuals they aim to serve? The traditional model of drug development and healthcare delivery is undergoing a seismic shift, with patient engagement emerging as a critical factor in achieving better health outcomes and driving innovation.

Patient engagement in the pharmaceutical industry is quickly growing into a critical necessity for business continuity. From clinical trial design to post-market drug evaluation, patients are demanding a seat at the table. Their unique insights and experiences have the power to reshape medicines development pipelines, improve treatment adherence, and ultimately lead to more effective therapies.

What is Patient Engagement in the Pharmaceutical Industry?

Patient engagement in the pharmaceutical industry refers to the active involvement of patients in the development, delivery, and evaluation of healthcare products and services. This concept has gained traction as pharmaceutical companies recognize the importance of understanding patients’ experiences, needs, and preferences to improve health outcomes and enhance the overall quality of care.

Why is Patient Engagement Important for Pharma?

As we mentioned, patient engagement in pharma has transformed from a desirable addition to an absolute necessity. Leading companies are now investing heavily in patient engagement training, signaling a big shift in industry priorities. This change is further driven by major regulatory bodies emphasizing Patient-Focused Drug Development (PFDD). 

For instance, the FDA’s requirement for Patient Perspectives in drug reviews has made patient engagement crucial for approvals and reimbursements. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified public scrutiny of pharmaceutical companies, creating a unique opportunity to build trust with patients. These developments collectively underscore a clear message: patient engagement is now fundamental to success, shaping everything from drug development processes to corporate reputation and market performance.

However, pharma is one of the few industries that have not fully embraced their end users in product development. This is unfortunate as patient engagement can hugely benefit all parties in multiple ways. Let’s break them down below.

Improving the drug development process

One of the most compelling arguments for patient engagement lies in its potential to dramatically improve the drug development process. According to Economist Intelligence Unit, drugs developed using patient-centric designs were 19 percentage points more likely to be launched, with an impressive 87% launch rate compared to 68% for drugs developed without such designs. This stark difference emphasizes the value of incorporating patient perspectives from the earliest stages of drug development.

Likelihood of launch of patient-centric trials vs all trials

The impact of patient engagement extends beyond mere launch rates. Trials with patient centricity have demonstrated a remarkable ability to accelerate the recruitment process, a critical factor in bringing new therapies to market. On average, patient-centric trials took just 4 months to recruit 100 participants, compared to the industry average of 7 months. This efficiency gain is even more pronounced in specific therapeutic areas:

  • In neurology and oncology trials, patient-centric approaches halved recruitment time.
  • For rare diseases, the impact was even more dramatic, with patient-centric trials taking only a fifth of the time required by traditional approaches.
Average time to enroll 100 participants for patient-centric trials vs all trials

Enhancing patient outcomes

Beyond the development phase, patient engagement plays a crucial role in ensuring the effectiveness of treatments in real-world settings. When patients are actively involved in their treatment decisions, they are more likely to adhere to prescribed medicines and regimens, leading to improved health outcomes. This increased adherence not only benefits patients directly but also provides pharmaceutical companies with more robust real-world efficacy data, creating a cycle of improvement and innovation.

Building trust and loyalty

By prioritizing patient engagement, pharmaceutical companies can improve their public perception and build trust with patients and healthcare providers. Engaged patients are more likely to remain loyal to brands that demonstrate a commitment to their well-being.

Driving patient-centric innovation

Patient insights are invaluable in driving innovation beyond the drug itself. Engagement can lead to improvements in drug delivery methods, packaging designs, and support services that enhance the overall patient experience. This holistic approach to innovation and research can provide pharmaceutical companies with a significant competitive advantage in an increasingly patient-centric healthcare ecosystem.

Top Ways Pharma Companies Can Drive Patient Engagement

Today, pharma companies are striving to shift their approach and create engagement strategies with an end consumer in mind. According to a study, surveying almost 6,000 healthcare consumers, pharma does a good job of providing patients with certain aspects, however, some areas still require attention. Let’s discuss how patients want to be engaged by pharma companies.

Prioritize customer support

Customer support has emerged as a critical factor in patient engagement. It was found that 71% of consumers consider good customer support from pharmaceutical companies very important. To meet these expectations, pharma companies are expanding their patient support channels to include phone, SMS/text, web chat, email, and social media. Hence, to deliver personalized, relevant service, and foster ongoing relationships, make sure to implement a unified customer view across all channels.

In practice, it may look like an email system that sends out reminders about medication refills based on a patient’s prescription history and past adherence patterns, or a mobile app that provides personalized tips and information based on a patient’s specific medical condition and treatment plan.

Provide comprehensive medical education and patient support

Healthcare consumers have clear expectations when it comes to medication information:

  • 62% expect pharmaceutical companies to provide medication education
  • 57% emphasize the need for ongoing support in managing medications and ensuring the correct dosage

Pharmaceutical companies should offer resources that empower patients with knowledge about their medical condition, including disease management tips, treatment options, medication usage instructions, and potential side effects. This education can be delivered through various formats, such as webinars, videos, and written materials.

Personalize communication

Despite efforts for better communication and engagement, current communication strategies are falling short:

  • Only 14% of healthcare consumers completely understand communications from pharmaceutical companies
  • A mere 6% strongly feel that all communications are relevant

Tailoring communication to meet the individual needs of patients is crucial. This includes using targeted messaging that resonates with specific demographics and conditions. Personalized educational materials, medication reminders, and patient support programs can significantly enhance patient understanding and adherence to treatment plans. To create impactful customized content fast, consider leveraging content experience platforms, like eWizard.

Leverage offers and rebates

Financial considerations play a significant role in patient engagement, with 51% of healthcare consumers stating it’s very important to receive offers and rebates. Pharmaceutical companies can develop strategic offer and rebate programs, integrating them into broader patient support initiatives.

Utilize digital tools

Digital engagement tools, such as patient portals and mobile applications, can facilitate direct communication between patients and healthcare providers. These tools can provide access to health information, appointment scheduling, and medication management features, improving overall patient experience and adherence. Here are some examples of the digital tools you can implement into your strategy:

  • Patient portals: Secure online platforms where patients can access their health records, communicate with providers, and manage appointments and medications.
  • Mobile applications: User-friendly apps providing patients with disease education, medication management, appointment scheduling, and support features directly on patients’ smartphones.
  • Wearable devices: Connected devices that track health metrics, such as activity levels, sleep quality, and medication adherence, providing valuable data to patients and their care teams.
  • Virtual assistants: AI-powered chatbots that offer 24/7 support, answering questions, providing medication reminders, and connecting patients with relevant resources.

Build patient communities

Online patient communities are becoming increasingly important for patient engagement. They are cited as the top channel for customer retention and advocacy by healthcare marketers. The interest in such communities varies by generation: 43% of silents/baby boomers think they’re important, and this rises to 61% for millennials.

Creating online patient communities fosters a sense of belonging and support among individuals facing similar health challenges. These communities can serve as vital platforms for sharing experiences, providing feedback, and offering peer support. Pharmaceutical companies can develop and nurture these communities, tailoring engagement strategies to different generational preferences.

Collaborate with patient advocacy groups

Partnering with these patient organizations can enhance engagement strategies by leveraging their insights and networks. These collaborations can help pharmaceutical companies better understand patient needs and develop services that align with those needs, ultimately enhancing patient experiences.

Possible Barriers that Can Occur

While pharma companies and other stakeholders increasingly recognize the value of patient engagement, several significant barriers continue to impede progress in this crucial area. Being aware of these challenges is the first step toward developing effective strategies to overcome them.

Regulatory constraints: Pharma companies often cite regulatory requirements as a significant barrier to patient engagement. The complex legal landscape can create uncertainty about what is permissible, leading to overly cautious approaches that limit meaningful interactions with patients. This regulatory environment can discourage companies from actively seeking patient input or from implementing engagement initiatives effectively.

Complexity of patient needs and preferences: The diverse needs of patient populations present another layer of complexity. What works for one patient group may not be effective for another, making it difficult to create universally accessible engagement tools and programs. This challenge is further compounded by varying levels of health literacy among patients, requiring pharma companies to communicate complex medical information in ways that are understandable to a broad audience.

On top of that, when patients lack sufficient knowledge about their conditions, treatment options, and the importance of engagement, it can hinder their willingness to participate. If patients do not understand the benefits of engaging with pharma companies, they are less likely to take part in programs designed to support them.

Historical disregard for patient perspectives: Another hurdle is the cultural and organizational resistance within pharma companies themselves. Many organizations have typically focused on doctors as their primary customers, with patients seen as end-users rather than active participants in the healthcare process. In addition, pharma companies have traditionally put clinical outcomes first, without adequately considering patient experiences and preferences.

This disregard of historical problems can lead to a paternalistic approach to patient care, where patients are not seen as partners in their treatment journey, thus limiting their engagement.

Shifting to a truly patient-centric model requires a fundamental change in mindset and operations — a transformation that can be slow and challenging for large, established companies.

Engaging patients demands resources: The resource-intensive nature of comprehensive patient engagement programs cannot be overlooked. Meaningful engagement requires significant investments of time, money, and expertise. In an industry often focused on short-term results, justifying these investments can be challenging, particularly when the return on investment is not immediately quantifiable.

Moreover, pharma companies can struggle to fully understand patient needs, therefore, not knowing how to engage them. Sales teams may not be adequately trained to communicate the value of patient engagement programs, resulting in low participation rates. Without proper education and resources, these teams may fail to promote engagement initiatives effectively.

Distrust in pharma motives: Some patients and patient organizations may harbor distrust towards pharma companies, fearing that engagement efforts are more about marketing than genuine care. This skepticism can prevent patients from participating in engagement programs. Overcoming this barrier requires sustained efforts to demonstrate a genuine commitment to patient welfare.

Summing Up

The future of pharmaceuticals is undeniably patient-centric. Despite the challenges, the benefits of meaningful patient engagement — from improved health outcomes to more efficient drug development — are too significant to ignore. 

As the industry evolves, digital tools have become essential in bridging the gap between pharma companies and patients. And if you’re ready to elevate your patient engagement strategies and want to develop a truly patient-centric and user-friendly solution, consider writing us a message. We have over 14 years of experience in pharma and release more than 35 solutions yearly, so you can count on our expertise and efficiency.

The time for patient-centric approaches is now. By embracing patient engagement and leveraging innovative technological solutions, pharmaceutical companies can not only improve patient outcomes but also secure their position at the forefront of a rapidly transforming industry. The path may be challenging, but with the right strategies and partners, a truly patient-first healthcare landscape is within reach.

Top 7 AI Mistakes Pharma Companies Make

AI can do all sorts of marvelous things these days. It can create beautiful images, craft excellent articles, and even write great songs. Even though the technology is capable of many things, it definitely cannot prevent its users from making bad decisions and huge mistakes.

From Google’s Bard AI chatbot making accusations about Big Four consulting firms to deep fakes about famous singers and politicians flooding the internet, many controversial AI incidents impact our society. So, who is to blame: the AI or its user? Our guide will tell you more about AI failures and mistakes and what you can do to resolve these issues and make the most out of artificial intelligence in the pharma industry.

What Are AI Mistakes?

Artificial intelligence is a truly revolutionizing technology, but it is not flawless: its mistakes can take many shapes and forms. It’s not just about AI giving you the wrong output; it can be any type of error, from biased information to data leaks. It’s sometimes hard to say who’s responsible for some mistakes: a company that implemented AI incorrectly, a developer of a particular AI-powered solution, or just a coincidence that led to big problems. No matter the answer, AI incidents, and mistakes can happen at any time with both small and large language models.

Even big corporations might suffer from poor AI decisions: Microsoft had to cancel the launch of CoPilot+ Recall due to backlash over users’ data being continuously recorded and archived, and Netflix was accused of using AI-generated images in a true crime documentary. It seems like almost every other big company has faced negative reactions from society because of AI, and most of the time, it’s poor decision-making to blame.

Understanding AI Errors and Incorrect Answers

AI, just like any other technology, is far from flawless. Many things about it can make it a dangerous tool, especially in the wrong hands. Let’s take a look at the nature of AI errors and why they happen.

Why mistakes occur

Even though there are many types of AI failures, we can generally divide them into two categories: mistakes made by machines and mistakes made by humans. We’ll discuss the later ones in another section, but what about the situation where the AI system fails? The reason behind every AI failure is rooted in many limitations and challenges in AI development and deployment.

For instance, AI systems trained on poor-quality data will carry over those errors, leading to consistently inaccurate results. Other factors, such as overfitting/underfitting, explainability issues, and the complexity of the tasks, also increase the risk of mistakes or incidents occurring. To understand why something might go wrong, it’s important to understand what types of AI errors there might be, which we will discuss next.

Types of AI errors

This list will go over some of the most common mistakes. Keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive, and your unique workflows might have other problems and vulnerabilities.

Bias

AI is capable of being biased, all because it is often trained on biased data. For example, a study by The Conversation exposes how Midjourney, a generative artificial intelligence tool, displays bias in the different types of images it creates. In some pictures, women were mostly shown younger than men and had fewer wrinkles; all images were conservative in how they portrayed different people, showing no tattoos, piercings, etc.

Lack of common sense

Common sense is innate to human beings, and it is not found anywhere else in either the natural or human-made world. It’s common sense for us that it’s dark at night and light during the day. But is it the same for AI? It does not “think” the way people do, meaning that it doesn’t have common sense. It’s trained on certain sets of data, which can be of bad quality, causing AI to sometimes spur out nonsensical information and untrue facts.

AI hallucination

Have you ever asked an AI chatbot, like ChatGPT, a question only to receive an answer that sounded both adequate and inadequate at the same time? If that happened to you, it’s okay: things like that occur more often than you might imagine. This type of error happens due to the AI’s ability to generate content even when it does not know the right answer. Its response might sound coherent, but the factual part of it will be far from the correct answer. This is an especially important mistake to remember since many users believe that AI, since it’s trained on large datasets, will never give you faulty information.

Catastrophic interference

Neural networks, inspired by the human brain, help machines learn and understand information and make predictions based on that knowledge. Unlike the human brain, a neural network may struggle to connect new information with previously learned data. This is a so-called catastrophic interference or catastrophic forgetting, and because of it, it might be harder to train some AI models.

While humans can retain previous knowledge even as they learn new information (e.g., knowing that 1 + 1 = 2 or that the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening), many neural networks struggle to connect all the information they learn after being updated. However, methods such as meta-learning, regularization techniques, parameter isolation, and other approaches can help mitigate catastrophic interference.

TOP AI Mistakes Companies Make That Are Worth Your Attention

Mistakes are not only about errors in how machines think and operate; many failures and incidents also occur due to human factors. Let’s take a look at some of these and discuss how they can be overcome.

The shiny object syndrome 

When any type of technology becomes popular, sooner or later, everyone tries to integrate it into their workflows. Right now, numerous pharmaceutical companies are investing in AI tools that don’t align with their goals, and they do that without even realizing the problem behind this investment. AI is great, and everyone uses it to stay ahead of the competition, right? Well, this is only true if artificial intelligence is used correctly. Your company doesn’t need another expensive software if it’s not clear what kind of value it will bring.

So, how can you leverage the capabilities of AI without making unnecessary investments? Know your goals. Define what you’re trying to achieve with the help of AI, and seek the right tools that will help you meet your goals. Based on the proven results, scale gradually and expand AI integration.

Data dilemmas 

So many businesses rush into AI implementation that they forget to assess the risks the technology poses, including concerns regarding data access and safety. There is still a lot of bias towards the use of AI in many industries, and for a good reason: AI-based projects might go in a completely wrong direction due to inaccurate and incomplete data, and all of this can happen just because of one simple mistake that can go unnoticed just because the companies trust AI too much.

Of course, the described situation sounds a little bit too dramatic. However, let’s not forget that whenever there is a new tech, there are many worries about data safety. If you want to make the most of AI and mitigate all possible risks, invest not only in AI-powered software but also in some security measures and data governance.

AI-generated content risks

According to the reports, 73% of marketers these days use AI to create different types of content. Almost everyone in the marketing field utilized artificial intelligence to some degree. For sure, AI-generated content has many benefits, such as faster content delivery, increased efficiency, and reduced content production costs. Still, there are many issues AI-generated content entails, such as factual inaccuracies, ethical and compliance concerns, lack of emotional connection, and plagiarism. GenAI is excellent at assisting content creators, but it is not yet a perfect solution for standalone content generation.

To avoid creating and distributing misleading content that might cause reputation damage, focus on the usage of specialized AI models and maintain human oversight of all processes delegated to AI. Remember that there are no AI systems capable of fully replacing humans, nor should you do as well.

Navigating regulatory minefields with custom tools 

Artificial intelligence can assist companies in the early detection of safety risks and other issues related to compliance. Everything sounds great on paper until the benefits of AI turn into disadvantages. Many custom solutions, especially made by third parties, can result in validation, compliance, and transparency challenges, putting companies at risk of data leaks and breaches.

AI-based projects might be delayed or even derailed due to regulatory problems, often tied to unsafe utilization of technology. To prevent anything like this from happening, it’s important to work with regulatory agencies and follow industry guidelines, even if it sometimes seems too much.

The talent gap

Many companies are having difficulty attracting and retaining experts in the current competitive market due to talent shortages. In 2024, the hiring gap for all AI positions was estimated to be around 50%. Moreover, according to Deloitte, only 17% of organizations are looking for solutions to the problem. Both junior-level workers and seniors in many industries are experiencing difficulties getting used to the new technology, and for some, it is especially hard to adjust to the changes.

The scarcity of experts in the new technology is a common problem. This happened many years ago when computers were first introduced to the general public. The first companies to solve this problem were those willing to invest in training their staff rather than solely searching for newly educated experts. If you’re dealing with the same problem, consider partnering with reliable technology vendors instead of seeking new people outside of your organization.

Lack of change management

The world never stands still. New technologies emerge, and old traditions go away. It’s important to always remember that and change your ways as the world evolves. Many companies are now making the same mistake again: instead of preparing their organization for AI adoption, they choose to either completely ignore it or force their employees to figure out everything by themselves. AI is here to stay, and the sooner you develop a comprehensive change management plan that covers all aspects of staff training and support, the better.

Misaligned incentives

Many businesses rush into AI implementation without even considering their goals. As a result, they don’t get any long-term value from the AI tools and solutions they choose and focus on short-term gains instead. For example, some companies deploy AI too quickly, which is already a huge problem itself, and don’t create any training programs for the employees. Even though organizations still receive the desired solution as soon as possible, in this case, without adequate staff training, it is impossible to achieve high-quality, long-term outcomes.

Here is another example. Let’s say a clinic decided to implement a facial recognition system. Immediately, the establishment would improve their safety and increase patient identification. Also, such a system would save the clinic a lot of money. But is it everything a facial recognition system can do? In the long term, it can provide data-driven insights that can help the clinic personalize its greetings and services, which would definitely increase patient satisfaction and loyalty.

No matter what type of AI solution you decide to implement, aligning it with patient-centric goals and considering the broader impact on your patients is crucial. With AI-powered analytics, organizations can learn more about their customers and deepen their relationships. Keep your patients and their needs in mind every time you consider introducing a new strategy or integrating different tools into your workflows, as all of it will have just as much impact on your customers as it has on your employees.

Closing Thoughts

Don’t underestimate human capabilities, and don’t overestimate AI’s. This technology is still evolving, and even when it does reach its peak, it will still need us, humans, to fully unleash its potential. You should not only embrace AI but also learn its strengths and weaknesses.

Hundreds of thousands of businesses are looking for the best AI solutions right now. If you are ready to implement artificial intelligence into your workflows, contact us today to start your transformational journey. Our experts are always ready to provide you with detailed information on all AI-driven solutions we offer.

Data-Driven Storytelling in Healthcare Marketing

With vast amounts of information pouring in from electronic health records, wearable devices, and genetic testing, healthcare organizations are swimming in data. However, raw numbers and statistics alone mean little until they are transformed into compelling stories.

Data storytelling allows healthcare marketers to take complex data and craft narratives that resonate with their audiences. By combining insights from data with powerful storytelling techniques, healthcare organizations can help diverse stakeholders better understand the human impact behind the numbers. Effective data storytelling fosters deeper comprehension of critical healthcare issues and inspires actions that ultimately improve patient care.

What is Data-Driven Storytelling, and Why Is it Important?

Data-driven storytelling is the practice of using data and analytics to create compelling narratives that help communicate insights, trends, and findings in a way that resonates with the audience. It combines the power of data visualization and storytelling techniques to transform complex datasets into engaging and easy-to-understand stories. This approach is increasingly being used in pharma content marketing to effectively communicate the benefits and value propositions of pharmaceutical products and services.

In the context of healthcare, effective data storytelling is crucial for fostering understanding among stakeholders. Healthcare data can be vast, complex, and often overwhelming. Storytelling with data helps break down intricate information into digestible pieces, making it easier for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and patients to grasp the significance of the data and its implications.

Furthermore, data storytelling empowers decision-makers to base their choices on evidence and insights derived from the data. By presenting data in a compelling and relatable manner, this approach contributes to evidence-based practice and quality improvement efforts in healthcare. It also enhances patient engagement by using storytelling with data examples to educate patients about their health conditions, treatment options, and the importance of adherence to care plans. Well-crafted narratives can help patients better understand their personal health data, leading to increased engagement and better patient outcomes.

Data storytelling plays a crucial role in healthcare analytics as well, helping communicate complex analytical findings to diverse audiences. It bridges the gap between raw data and actionable insights, facilitating data-driven decision-making across various healthcare domains. Additionally, data and storytelling can be powerful tools for advocating change in healthcare policies, practices, or resource allocation. By presenting compelling narratives backed by data, healthcare organizations can build a strong case for necessary changes and drive positive transformations.

Main Elements of Data-driven Storytelling

Data-driven storytelling revolves around three key elements: data, narrative, and visuals.

Data

The foundation of data storytelling is the data itself. This includes raw data from various sources, such as electronic medical records, clinical trials, patient surveys, wearable devices, and other healthcare data repositories. Effective data storytelling requires careful data collection, cleaning, and analysis to extract meaningful insights and patterns. What is the core message or insight you want to convey? What is the most compelling or surprising finding from the data? What problem are you trying to address or what opportunity are you highlighting? Who is your target audience?

Narrative

The narrative element is what transforms raw data into a compelling and relatable story. It involves crafting a coherent storyline that connects the data points and insights in a way that resonates with the target audience. A well-structured narrative should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, guiding the audience through the data while highlighting the key messages and implications. The narrative should also incorporate storytelling techniques, such as using analogies, metaphors, and emotional appeals, to make the data more accessible and memorable. Effective content operations strategies ensure data-driven narratives are consistently produced and distributed across channels.

Source: SAP

Visuals

While data and narrative are essential, visuals play a crucial role in making the two more engaging and easier to understand. Studies suggest that as much as 78% of students are visual learners. Data visualization techniques, such as charts, graphs, infographics, and interactive dashboards, can help simplify complex information and reveal patterns that may not be immediately apparent in raw data. Effective visuals should be clear, intuitive, and aligned with the narrative, enhancing the storytelling experience rather than distracting from it.

How to Craft a Compelling Narrative Using Data Stories in Healthcare Marketing

Effective data storytelling in healthcare marketing is not just about presenting data, it’s about crafting a compelling narrative that inspires action, fosters understanding, and ultimately contributes to better patient outcomes and healthier communities. Here’s a roadmap to crafting a compelling data story.

Know your audience

Tailor your narrative to resonate with your target audience. Consider their level of data literacy, background knowledge, and personal experiences. Creating a content map can help structure your narrative for the specific audience. Adapt your storytelling approach accordingly, using language and examples that will resonate with them. For instance, if you’re writing for policymakers, it’s best to concentrate on the big picture, like recommendations and implications of the data you’re presenting. And if you’re writing for researchers, you may be more specific and dive into details, like methods and limitations of your various data sets.

Identify the core message

It’s crucial to define the central message you want to communicate through your data story. This could be highlighting a successful treatment approach, demonstrating the impact of preventive care, or raising awareness about a particular health issue. Ensure that your core message is clear and aligns with your marketing objectives.

Build a captivating story

Like any good story, your data narrative should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Start by setting the context and introducing the problem or opportunity. Then, present your data-driven insights and evidence, building towards a climax or turning point. Finally, conclude with a compelling call to action or resolution.

Effective storytelling involves more than just presenting facts. Utilize techniques such as character development, conflict and resolution, emotional appeals, and descriptive language to captivate your audience and make your data story more memorable.

Connect your data story to tangible outcomes and real-world implications. Demonstrate how the insights derived from your data can improve patient care, enhance treatment efficacy, or drive positive changes in healthcare practices.

Select the right visuals

Visuals play a crucial role in bringing data stories to life and enhancing their impact in healthcare marketing campaigns. Here are some effective visuals you can consider incorporating into your data-driven narratives:

  • Charts and graphs
  • Infographics
  • Heat maps
  • Pictograms and icon arrays
  • Annotated images and illustrations
  • Video and animation

Where possible, incorporate interactive elements into your data story. This could include clickable visualizations, multimedia components, or opportunities for audience participation. Interactivity can enhance engagement and create a more immersive experience.

Revealing Insights and Deriving Value: Examples of Data Storytelling

We’ve talked a lot about how influential data storytelling can be and how to achieve a good narrative and visualization. But let’s show and discuss data storytelling examples.

UNODC

Source: UNODC

The alarming rise of synthetic drugs, such as opioids and methamphetamines, has escalated into a global health crisis, demanding immediate attention and action. Recognizing the urgent need for awareness, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has crafted an interactive page that captures the far-reaching impact of this issue across the globe.

This awareness campaign exemplifies effective data storytelling, seamlessly blending data visualization and compelling narratives. As you navigate through the interactive page, you are immediately drawn to a world map.

Scrolling down, information unfolds layer by layer, detailing the realities of substance abuse, linked to the countries it afflicts. As you delve deeper into the page, the world map becomes a tapestry of data points, each contributing to the overarching narrative — a sobering reminder that this crisis transcends borders and affects nations globally.

Spotify 

Spotify is known for its data storytelling. Just think of the Spotify Wrapped we get each year that turns our listening habits into dynamic visual and audio experiences. It’s similar for the artists, and Spotify’s 2022 Fan Study is a prime example of good data storytelling. This report provides musicians with relevant data insights into how listeners’ habits and engagements can influence their follower count and music streaming numbers. The main page seamlessly blends data visualizations, such as infographics and line charts, with concise explanations, offering a comprehensive understanding of the data trends.

One of the key components of a good data story is the ability to provide context and tell a compelling story with the data. Spotify for Artists achieves this by breaking down the report into subsections like engagement, merch, and release, each section offering data-driven insights and tips to help musicians grow their fanbase and reach a wider audience.

Successful data storytellers not only present the data but also evoke an emotional response by highlighting the human element behind the numbers. Spotify’s report achieves this by focusing on the personal connections between musicians and their listeners, emphasizing the importance of understanding and catering to their audience’s preferences.

Furthermore, the user experience is enhanced by creative visuals, such as animated text on scrolling, making the data presentations more engaging and memorable.

National Geographic

The National Geographic article, “Visualizing 500,000 Deaths from Covid-19 in the US,” is a poignant example of effective data storytelling. When dealing with large and abstract numbers, such as the staggering loss of human lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be challenging to comprehend the true magnitude of the data. This article masterfully addresses this challenge by employing data visualization techniques that make the data relatable and emotionally resonant.

In a good data story, it’s also important to provide context and frame the data in a way that resonates with the audience. In this case, National Geographic achieves this by comparing the 500,000 COVID-19 deaths in the US to familiar subjects and settings that people can easily visualize and relate to.

For instance, the article visualizes the loss by comparing it to all fast food cooks in the country. By anchoring the data in relatable contexts, the article enables readers to grasp the sheer scale of the loss in a way that raw numbers alone cannot convey.

Summing Up

By harnessing the power of compelling narratives, data visualizations, and emotional connections, pharmaceutical companies can effectively communicate complex healthcare insights, treatment effectiveness, and data trends to a wide range of stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the general public.

Effective data storytelling in the pharmaceutical industry goes beyond mere data presentation, it involves uncovering key insights, providing context, and weaving a cohesive narrative that resonates with the audience. This approach not only enhances understanding but also fosters trust and credibility, essential components in an industry where lives are at stake.

As data scientists, pharmaceutical companies must master the art of data visualization, utilizing tools such as infographics, line charts, and interactive dashboards to bring their data to life. By presenting complex data in a visually compelling and easily digestible manner, they can communicate intricate concepts, highlight patterns, and show key ways to drive informed decision-making.

Looking ahead, the role of data storytelling in the pharmaceutical industry will only continue to grow in importance as the industry grapples with an ever-increasing volume of data and the need for effective communication across diverse stakeholder groups. By embracing the art of storytelling with data, pharmaceutical companies can unlock new avenues for innovation, foster trust and transparency, and ultimately contribute to better health outcomes on a global scale.

We here at Viseven can help you create data-based storytelling that is bound to make your audience interested. Our content experience platform, eWizard, enables you to create powerful content, and reuse it on multiple platforms, not only providing an exciting visual experience to your audience but also saving you time and resources. Contact our team below to get a full demo!

Patient-Centric Marketing in the Life Science Industry: Putting Patients First

The rigid restrictions laid out in Direct-to-Consumer Advertising (DTCA) Rules or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) say nothing about the general ethics of treating a patient with care and compassion. Yet, being mindful of patients’ needs holds the most value long-term, combining financial expedience, legal compliance, and genuine commitment to their well-being.

This article will cover the importance of putting patients at the center to foster stronger connections with the target audience, gain a competitive edge, and, more importantly, make a real difference in patients’ lives.

What is Patient-Centric Marketing?

Patient-centric marketing is what many health organizations and institutions are currently striving to achieve. Despite its importance, patient-centricity has only recently become a big trend in the healthcare industry. When it comes to marketing, it is still an unexplored area that many healthcare organizations are just beginning to discover.

Patient-centric marketing focuses on the needs, goals, and interests of a patient. In the past, healthcare marketing was largely concentrated on promoting services and treatments rather than prioritizing the people they served.

Patient-centricity turned things around, making the patient the main hero. As a result, patients now trust healthcare services and organizations more than ever before. From improved patient adherence to better healthcare decisions, the patient-centric approach has many benefits, which we will discuss next.

https://niteeshsrivastava.blogspot.com/2016/11/patient-centric-approach-is-that-next_6.html
Source: https://niteeshsrivastava.blogspot.com/2016/11/patient-centric-approach-is-that-next_6.html

Role of Patient-Centric Marketing in Healthcare

The rise of patient-centric marketing can be attributed to several major reasons. First, patients now have more access to information than ever, thanks to social media and the World Wide Web. Most people start their treatment journey by conducting online research. According to statistics, 80% of patients across all age groups learn about their diagnosis online. The vast amount of information makes them more aware of their health conditions and allows them to compare available treatment options and even pharma brands. As a result, life sciences organizations must search for more effective ways to cut through the noise and better help patients receive proper care.

The second reason naturally follows the first one. With so many customers seeking health-related information online and generating a massive amount of personal data, it has become easier for pharmaceutical companies to craft marketing strategies that revolve around a patient’s preferences. LS businesses no longer must ask themselves, “Do we need to target HCPs or market directly to patients?” Technological advancement enables them to reconcile HCP engagement with any patient needs, drastically improving patient outcomes and overall marketing efficacy.

Another reason to adopt patient-focused marketing is the increasing patient involvement in their own care. One of the recent studies shows that 93% of patients are ready to share their personal data to receive personalized health-related information. These findings give pharmaceutical companies the green light to start producing customized, compelling, and relevant content for patients.

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-patient-experience-still-disjointed-disconnected-/

How to Deliver Patient-Centric Marketing: Tips & Strategies

As a rule of thumb, pharma brands should follow three key steps to promote patient centricity: get to know their audience inside out, provide real value to them, and connect through the channels where their customers need them to be.

Understand Your Patient

LS businesses need to understand their patients as humans, acknowledging their fears, struggles, motivations, sentiments, and cognitive biases. One way to do that is patient journey mapping. But there is a catch: they must be written from the patient’s point of view. While most journeys typically start with the patient’s first interaction with the pharmaceutical company, a far more efficient approach is to begin when the patient notices something wrong, responds to the new reality, and seeks relief by turning to resources.

Ignoring these important steps will lead to a shallow perception of the patient and a lack of understanding of their problem. It is equally important to understand patients’ actions while waiting for results or after receiving a diagnosis, such as exploring alternative treatment options or seeking information online. Such patients would appreciate useful information about available therapies or any different perspectives.

In the post-diagnosis stage, pharma companies should identify the barriers that cause patients to drop off treatment. Sentiment analysis, behavioral targeting, patient surveys, segmentation, and other methods can contribute to finding the cause for dropping off. Once they are aware of specific reasons, they can develop effective marketing strategies to improve patient compliance. One example is when a pharma company uses artificial intelligence (AI) to understand the causes of parents’ reluctance to vaccinate their children. Some parents may exhibit optimism bias, believing there is no chance their child will contract the disease, while others are heavily influenced by how their close environment behaves. Understanding fears and needs enables pharmaceutical companies to effectively engage with them, sending the right message backed up with an abundance of compelling evidence.

Utilize Patient Data to Provide Value

Even if pharma brands in most countries cannot sell directly to patients, they can become trusted experts by providing valuable health-related information. The call to action may remain to consult an HCP, but still, there is a lot they can do to generate interest in their pharmaceutical products and improve patient education. With the help of the right technology and data, LS businesses can produce relevant and useful content to help patients in their journey to recovery.

However, when focusing solely on their treatment, companies risk appearing overly “promotional,” which can repel potential customers. It is important to provide information about the entire spectrum of what patients are up against with their conditions. For example, people recently diagnosed with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) may appreciate content related to social stigma and strategies to overcome it. Patients with Multiple Sclerosis are likely to benefit from helpful resources on managing side effects from their medicine. Such content would make their therapy more tolerable, significantly increasing patient compliance rates. The key lies in ensuring the right messaging goes to the right patient.

Having survived cancer, I realized the crucial importance of having timely access to reliable information. Right at the time when doctors shared the news about my diagnosis, my team and I were developing a mobile oncology assistant that could provide clinicians with real-world evidence and valuable data up to date. My awareness of the disease, its symptoms, consequences, and treatment options helped me quickly respond with the most effective strategy tailored to the specific needs of my body. This proactive approach significantly increased the chances of optimal patient outcomes, reduced possible side effects, and sped up the recovery process.

Nataliya Andreychuk, co-founder and CEO of Viseven

One more thing to remember is that the target audience is patients, not HCPs. As such, it is critical to communicate at an appropriate health literacy level. Using medical jargon, complex multisyllabic words, and lengthy sentences can deter pharma companies from achieving their main goal, which is to educate most of the population.

Interact with Patients in Their Preferred Channels

To put patients’ needs first, engaging with them through the channels where they spend their time while also staying relevant is crucial. For instance, if patients spend most of their time on social media, companies should join online discussions rather than interrupt and try to dominate them. Focusing exclusively on one’s brand is like snatching the microphone from the current speaker only to talk about oneself.

LS brands must remember that social media is about building social connections rather than bombarding users with in-your-face advertisements. Pharmaceutical companies must offer information that helps patients accept and manage their conditions. Even if the topics aren’t closely related to the brand, providing value to patients without expecting anything in exchange is important.

By choosing the right channels and providing relevant content, companies can build a patient community from which they can learn. How do patients’ needs vary across different segments? What do they react to? Engaging patients through digital channels not only makes them more educated care partners but also sheds some light on their dreams, hopes, complaints, expectations, biases, and fears.

And if you would like to provide your patients with a seamless experience, integrate omnichannel marketing into your approach. Omnichannel marketing allows your audience to interact with the brand whenever they would like, while always receiving consistent messaging and support.

Examples of Patient-Centered Marketing

Patient-centered marketing can take various forms, and businesses that want to find the best approach for their patients should try out at least a few methods to discover what resonates. Let’s take a look at some examples of patient-centric pharma marketing:

Personalized treatment plans

Unique treatment plans that are adjusted to the patient’s circumstances are not only more effective but also show that the patient is cared for and that their needs are considered.

Follow-up messages

A healthcare journey does not stop at one visit; however, many patients end up continuing it on their own due to fear, anxiety, and other reasons. Some might even feel like the facility they were treated at doesn’t care about them, while others believe they can handle their conditions on their own. When an organization messages after appointments, asks follow-up questions, and gives recommendations, patients see and appreciate the commitment and receive the necessary support.

Mobile apps

There is a lot of space for customization and personalization in the world of mHealth apps. Scheduling appointments, checking for doctors’ recommendations, chatting with physicians, and many other features can become the ground for your future app. Such software can save a lot of time for both patients and health professionals while making healthcare more accessible.

Social media

The power of social media cannot be underestimated. Use it to post educational content, educate patients, and spread awareness about your facility. Case studies, questionnaires, guides, F&Qs, and other formats can help you increase website traffic and increase patient engagement.

Modular content

The modular approach is a relatively new strategy that focuses on breaking down content into smaller, more manageable pieces instead of always creating something from scratch. This way, you can create tailored content across different platforms much faster, quickly responding to the needs and interests of patient communities and spending less time on content delivery.

Patient support programs

Patient support programs, or patient advocacy programs, is an umbrella terms that encompasses various services offered by pharmaceutical companies to improve access to prescription medicine and provide patients with comprehensive support in navigating various challenges related to their treatment. Patient support programs can be implemented across a myriad of challenges such as mobile apps or telemedicine platforms, making it a versatile and flexible method to increase patient satisfaction and achieve better health outcomes.

There are many other patient-centric practices, such as patient advisory boards or online events, that lead to improved patient retention and better clinical outcomes. Research what works for your organization best, and follow the chosen methods to create a personalized and empowering patient experience.

Summing Up

Patient-centered care is always about understanding your patients and doing your best as a healthcare organization to provide them with the assistance they expect. Conduct surveys to gather important patient insights, develop patient-centric healthcare processes that are both patient-friendly and physician-friendly, work with healthcare marketers to find the best patient-centered approaches, and, most importantly, make sure you put your focus on humanity, empathy, and inclusivity to create an environment where people who come to you feel safe.

Viseven is a future-inspired global MarTech Services Provider for Pharma and Life Sciences industries with over a decade of experience. Viseven’s digital transformation center offers innovative solutions for companies of different sizes and digital maturity levels by merging marketing and digital technology expertise with innovation and strategic capabilities. The company’s solutions, products, and services are actively used by the TOP 100 Pharma and Life Sciences companies in more than 50 countries around the globe.

Follow Viseven on social media: LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook.

Mobile Health Applications for Patient Engagement

Apart from high-quality care, personalization, and transparency, patients are eager to have more control over their time and day-to-day health activities with easy access to accurate medical information. 

A healthcare mobile app is a perfect tool to satisfy all these needs. mHealth apps don’t aim to replace doctors and medical devices but to revolutionize the healthcare system by improving healthcare delivery. 

The revolution in digital health development can potentially exceed customers’ expectations and help attain a higher level of clinical engagement. 

As wearable technology and mobile devices have already created a new tone of connectivity within the patients-HCPs-pharma triangle, the demand for mobile applications in pharma has become immense. 

In this article, you’ll find more about mobile health app development, its enormous role in HCP engagement, and the principal outcomes of including mHealth apps in your multichannel or omnichannel marketing strategy. 

What Is an App in Healthcare? 

Healthcare apps, or healthcare applications, are software designed to provide users with health-related services, such as online consultations, live chats, appointment scheduling, and more. mHealth apps help professionals deliver more personalized treatment, assist patients worldwide, and collaborate with other experts. Due to the increasing demand and technological advancements, the mHealth market is projected to surpass $269.31 billion by 2032. 

Healthcare Mobile Apps: A Brief Statistics Overview 

  • The number of healthcare apps downloaded worldwide is expected to reach 8.6 billion by 2025. 
  • According to Statista, more than 52,000 healthcare and medical apps are available on the Google Play Store worldwide, and over 53,000 mHealth apps are available on the Apple App Store; 
  • By 2023, nearly 30% of American adults regularly utilized a health-tracking or management app multiple times daily; 
  • The global mHealth app market will reach $68.77 billion in 2024. 

How mHealth Apps Are Changing Healthcare 

Hospital in a pocket 

Patients can take advantage of healthcare services while staying home. With the help of a mobile device, they can get consultations and prescriptions and even send payments. 

Entire workflow in a mobile device 

Mobile apps can help healthcare workers remember their daily tasks, browse the documentation, and optimize communication within their teams. Healthcare professionals can conduct quick online checks, access information about their patients within seconds, monitor their health, prescribe medicine, and so on. 

Mobile platform for pharma 

Pharma companies can develop a healthcare mobile app where their staff can send propositions, close deals, and do other business activities with partners and clients. 

Personalized care 

Users can receive personalized treatment plans, answers to their questions, and medical advice through healthcare apps within a few clicks. This decreases the time needed to contact a doctor and makes healthcare resources more accessible. 

AI-powered assistance 

AI-enhanced technology has completely changed the course of the pharmaceutical industry. Apps with AI technology integration offer instant assistance with various patients’ requests, providing them with around-the-clock support. Moreover, AI-driven algorithms can help healthcare organizations analyze patient data, find more effective ways to assist them, and offer better treatment. 

Benefits of Mobile Apps in Healthcare 

More powerful brands 

Revolution in mHealth has stepped ahead. Assistant apps are helping pharma brands boost awareness by approaching the maximum number of smartphone customers. 

It means pharma brands can quickly improve their marketing campaigns with intuitive navigation to company data such as contacts or other first-hand details, which are always available, accessible, and visible on apps. 

Improved time management 

Due to constant direct contact with the audience, applications in healthcare can help physicians save plenty of time and effort. It will streamline HCPs’ workflows, improve productivity, and maintain patient communication agility. Not to mention that people who need medical assistance can schedule or cancel an appointment with a nearby physician using the app. 

Patient loyalty 

Mobile medical apps significantly increase transparency with the help of constant remote monitoring, support, and online interactions. It keeps users engaged and involved in each step of their healthcare journey. 

Data harvesting 

Mobile health apps can work as a single hub for all medical information — from numerical data to their preferences, emotional reactions, and current behavior patterns. It provides professionals with a complete pack of insights valuable for further care and treatment enhancements. 

Real-time response 

Doctors can respond to people who receive medical treatment proactively using mHealth apps while providing effective treatment anytime and anywhere. Patients can request assistance whenever they need it, and an available doctor can consult them immediately. Moreover, mobile app users can avoid going to the doctor over minor problems or questions and just receive all the answers they need right in the app. 

healthcare apps for patients

Main Types of Mobile Healthcare Applications

Many types of apps help patients manage and improve their health independently and assist healthcare professionals with multiple tasks. Here are some mobile health applications examples: 

Patients’ apps 

  • Symptom checkers; 
  • Reminders and alerts; 
  • Applications for remote monitoring; 
  • Support for patients with chronic diseases; 
  • Health plus applications; 
  • Health insurance apps; 
  • Mental health apps; 
  • Fitness apps; 
  • Diet apps. 

Apps for healthcare professionals 

  • Medical calculators; 
  • Prescription management; 
  • Appointment reminders; 
  • Pharma guides and surveys for eLearning. 

Medical salesforce apps 

  • Remote communications; 
  • eDetailing scripts and guides; 
  • Informational materials. 

Most In-Demand Patient Engagement Healthcare Apps 

Medical education 

Patient engagement healthcare apps support and strengthen learning processes. Instead of wasting time on long-turning educational sessions, these apps give permanent access to up-to-date medical materials, prescription guidelines, diagnostics, and more. 

Apps for clinical communications 

Apps of this type simplify interactions between healthcare providers and facilitate quick responses with virtual functionalities, such as voice calling, video conferences, messaging, and beyond. 

Calculators 

Such healthcare mobile apps for patients can calculate dosage or offer dosing suggestions based on multiple complex formulas and individual medical parameters. 

Disease management and diagnostics 

Various symptom checkers are among the most popular apps used in healthcare. Doctors and other HCPs can stay in touch with their patients to keep track of their drug adherence and lab results, check current health conditions, and coach them in their health journey. 

For example, doctors use the SkinVision app to identify skin cancer in its early stages. It reveals the diagnosis immediately. 

Drug reference 

Such healthcare apps for doctors provide health information about medicine, pharmacology, indications, dosages, interactions, contraindications, costs, and beyond. 

Patient education and engagement 

mHealth apps designed specifically for patients can include educational content such as treatment options, health issues, prevention methods, and more. It results in a better experience and a higher satisfaction rate. 

For example, TalkLife is one of the healthcare apps that help patients talk to people with the same symptoms or illnesses. They can ask for advice or exchange their experiences if they need it. 

Mobile telemedicine 

Another great feature in mHealth apps is an implemented video service technology that can provide remote patient monitoring. Doctors and other healthcare professionals can deliver real-time medical assistance to patients through remote video functions. It concerns those who cannot access their healthcare providers directly or get needed care due to remote location or physical disorders. 

For example, Dr. Now is one of the best healthcare apps for patients to make a video call and reach their physicians anywhere they want. 

Top Use Cases of Mobile Apps by Viseven 

Here are some of the best health apps for patients and healthcare professionals Viseven has developed: 

  1. Dosage calculator for children’s caregivers. The app can calculate dosage and the frequency of pill or suspension administration. All the medical data is based on the criteria of disease as well as on the little patient’s weight; 
  2. Dosage calculator for parents and HCPs. This app provides instant access to medicine instructions and allows parents or physicians to calculate the accurate dosage; 
  3. Offline application. This app provides patient care recommendations for specialists in the oncology sphere (adjuvant, neoadjuvant, and surgical therapy); 
  4. Versatile medical reference app for pharmacists. The app offers diagnostic possibilities and helps users identify a type of pain depending on its location, duration, or intensity. Osteohelp also allows choosing among the best treatment alternatives, investigating its pharmacological properties, route of medical administration, and beyond; 
  5. Pharmacist’s guide. This app offers a wide range of up-to-date medical education materials for HCPs with various reference videos for clinical procedures; 
  6. Health app for tracking health. Based on PhoneGap, this hybrid app has a built-in video module and BMI Calculator technology. The mHealth app provides users with the needed medical records regarding their disease, sets up custom pill reminders, and allows them to keep track of their current health situation; 
  7. Life Plus App. This mHealth app allows program members and pharmacists to share offers with clients. It includes various options such as promotions for top products, redeems and redemptions, and eVouchers. Users receive the latest information continuously and always stay updated. 

mhealth applications

Core Usability Principles for Healthcare Apps

The best healthcare apps for patients and HCPs have the following features: 

  • Intuitive user experience (UI) and excellent user experience (UX); 
  • Simple installation and flawless functioning; 
  • Synchronization of data across devices; 
  • Safety and security of personal information. 

Innovations in digital mHealth technologies help augment clinical efficiency, provide accurate diagnoses, and help pharmaceutical brands stand out. 

mHealth application development includes business analysis, UI/UX design, backend, app development, and quality assurance. 

As for operating systems, Android and iOS are still at the top. However, Android remains the lead platform for mobile health application development. 

Need a mHealth app? Viseven is an app healthcare provider that can develop a hybrid, native, or web app for your pharma, healthcare, or life sciences brand, considering your marketing strategy and the needs of your target audience. 

Download our case study or fill out the form below for more information. We’ll get back to you shortly! 

Guide to Strategic HCP Segmentation

Imagine you wake up an omnichannel marketer and ask: What does omnichannel strategy implementation start with? We bet you’ll say segmentation among the mumbled words.

Any decent omnichannel strategy requires proper target audience segmentation; pharmaceutical marketing is no exception. And here’s the thing. Pharmaceutical marketing is a specific area where an omnichannel marketer cannot simply use best practices from other industries and hope they’ll work out.

In this article, you’ll discover what’s unique about healthcare professional market segmentation. We’ll stress the main advantages, review the key criteria, and analyze current and future segmentation practices.

Before getting started, let’s figure out:

What Is HCP in Marketing?

HCP’s meaning in pharma has different interpretations. HCPs stand for healthcare professionals, providers, or practitioners. HCPs can be individuals like physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, or institutions like hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. Healthcare professionals have diverse roles in the industry and engage with patients in various ways. It’s crucial to understand that not all HCPs can be your target audience, however, all HCPs are important when it comes to pharma marketing.

What Is HCP Segmentation? (And What Is Not)

HCPs segmentation refers to any practice of dividing a target audience into segments according to a set of relevant principles. On an intuitive level, all of us in marketing have that notion: you have a target audience that is a mixed crowd, but you want to be relevant and innovative to as many of them as you can. In other words, instead of offering everyone at a party a glass of wine and a steak, you want to cater to those who won’t go for that first option.

In terms of a healthcare professional audience, physicians are different too. No one can reasonably expect that an eDetailing slide or other traditional content focused on patient challenges or costs will compel everyone to consider prescribing.

If we take that analogy further, it may seem that the more segments there are, the better.

In reality, though, it is not the case.

First of all, there is content — if you have too many segments (carefully sliced up by your analysts based on a 12-dimensional matrix), each containing a handful of HCPs, there will be more of these categories than agencies available to craft all that content.

Secondly, humans are highly complex. The account you find in one segment today may appear in a different one tomorrow.

When done correctly, omnichannel approach is a powerful tool that can furnish monstrous amounts of customer data. Thus, it is crucial to remember what omnichannel audience segmentation is and is not:

  • It is NOT segmenting based on anything you can think of, down to loads of tiny segments just because you can
  • It IS segmenting based on the criteria relevant to your business, brand, and situation

Main Benefits of Pharma HCP Segmentation

The benefits of well-segmented campaigns are immense.

  • Your tactics are more powerful, and they yield better results. With proper segmentation, you can identify more precise pharma HCP engagement moves. Based on actual needs, these moves are likely to involve HCPs. That impacts conversion even in a non-personal digital promotion channel like online ads. The conversion rate for targeted ads rises from 2.8% to 6.8% — more than twofold.
  • The affinity between brand and customer increases, and it impacts loyalty. Essentially, it’s a principle similar to providing the beyond-the-pill value in pharmaceutical promotion. If life science professional feels there’s so much more to interacting with the brand than just listening to standard central messages, they’re more likely to perceive this value favorably and become loyal brand advocates.
  • Quality leads. One of the best things about doing segmentation right is that once you have identified a segment, the audience within that segment that was under your radar suddenly becomes more accessible. You already have the content and methods to provide them the value they seek.
  • Brand image and perception in the community. Customers form communities, and the power of reviews is enormous. That’s also true of the medical community, with key opinion leaders of different caliber swaying the fates of pharmaceutical products in entire regions. Segmenting your omnichannel campaigns will provide the life sciences professionals with targeted messaging and the reasons they personally need to refer to your brand as a trusted and valued one.
  • Greater content personalization. Segmentation in Pharma allows companies to find the right audience and narrow it down only to those whose needs these businesses can meet. This strategy ensures that every service, piece of content, and even the smallest message or web banner is relatable to the consumers who encounter it. 80% of marketers consider personalization one of the biggest challenges, especially when integrating an omnichannel strategy, which makes segmentation one of the key ways to address this problem.

Common Criteria for Pharmaceutical Market Segmentation

A segmentation model or pattern is the combination of criteria you choose to segment a life sciences provider target.

In some cases, it may be location, specialty, and the number of patients.  In other cases, it may be the psychological type (see below), specialty, preferred channel, and beyond.

Of course, these examples are too abstract because a more realistic combination is always focused on the brand, campaign, and many other specific factors.

pharmaceutical market segmentation

Here Are the Elements of Market Segmentation:

Demographic data

    • Age and gender
    • Location

For B2C:

  • Income
  • Ethnicity
  • Family status

For B2B:

  • Industry
  • Company size
  • Position

Translating this into the HCP-pharma market, we get:  

  • Age and gender
  • Location
  • Family status
  • Specialty
  • Employment at HCO
  • Amount of patients
  • Position in the community

Behavioral data

    • Purchasing habits
    • Preferred channel of interaction
    • History of interactions with the brand (frequency, proactivity, and beyond)

In healthcare provider segmentation:  

  • Prescribing habits (open to innovation/experiment, traditionalist, and beyond)
  • Preferred channel of interaction (rep calls, email, messengers, electronic health record)
  • History of previous interactions (email open-rate, and beyond)

Psychological data

    • Personality (introvert/extravert, etc.)
    • Values and priorities
    • Interests

For pharma marketing and HCPs, a similar list would apply as well.

Geographical data

What Is Special About Pharmaceutical Market Segmentation?

For the most part, the segmentation components above have been developed in online campaigns, where the marketer is distant from the customer. But the pharma market lives in a different, much more individual reality with CRM and rep calls serving as a good launchpad.

Pharmaceutical segmentation makes it possible for companies to find out what they should focus their marketing efforts on. It’s not just about understanding the problem and its solution, but also identifying who might need it and when. HCPs are busy, and usually, you have a window of just a few minutes per day to reach the right audience and make them interested in what you offer. The magic of pharma market segmentation lies in its ability to pinpoint the exact HCPs who would like to hear from you.

Say you adopt more channels, each with its own metrics, and then start building a complete picture. How do you combine the two parts in your marketing strategy? It’s where it pays off to look closely at what the industry already has.

hcp segmentation in pharma

Problem of Existing HCP Pharmaceutical Practices

With the insight-collecting possibilities provided by CRM/CLM and the reps going from doctor to doctor, the market segmentation of the pharmaceutical industry would be more sophisticated for the F2F channel. However, it only seems that.

In reality, most companies stick with a simplified segmentation pattern based on their immediate commercial goals. While reps may be instructed (ultimately by the global office) to collect data in the CRM, the actual decision-making for the cycle still often relies on two criteria: 

  1. Loyalty
  2. Prescription potential

The problem is that this is brand-centric, not a customer-centric model. Everything revolves around two questions: What can this account contribute to brand promotion, and is it worth it to sway their opinion?

Of course, no marketer can escape these two factors, but this only tells how hard to try to engage, not how to engage. In this situation, the representatives possess insights into each healthcare professional, their preferences and psychological traits. However, representatives don’t decide what content to generate, at least directly.

And it’s not too helpful with other channels than sales rep calls. By now, a big number of organizations use entire sets of digital channels with email segmentation often existing in a specific universe. Meanwhile, a smarter take on rep-collected metrics involves psychology.

Psychographic Market Segmentation

Nothing can be more beneficial in crafting high-ROI targeted campaigns than knowledge about the target audience’s psychology. In B2C and FMCG where omnichannel practices first emerged, things are less complicated than in pharma HCP marketing. Regulations don’t overshadow customers’ choices while making prescriptions requires a hefty dose of scientific evidence.

However, as noted above, experienced and high-performing reps still use psychology in communications during their calls, if only to establish that famed personal connection with the provider.

When you want to expand to multichannel and then omnichannel approach, the last thing you want to lose is that connection. Besides, being aware of what moves this or that segment of physicians to favor the product over others helps create innovative content that performs.

That’s why companies are starting to include psychological data into their segmentation models, providing a further dimension. Some CRM systems have fields configured for this data. Currently, not many marketers use them in commercial operations planning, though.

Psychographic Market Segmentation

The trick here is to define what psychological traits will be helpful outside the CRM and in the global world of omnichannel HCP engagement. That which lies on the surface — introversion/extraversion, Myers-Briggs types, empathy scales — is not very helpful per se. That is until you find combinations that serve to determine common psychological types.

For example, you may notice that the more pragmatic, cost-aware physicians are also patient-centric in their values. They’re generally more open to communications with pharmaceuticals regardless of their introversion/extraversion score.

Such psychological typing helps develop and generate fragments for rep-triggered email campaigns that reps could combine before sending to HCPs. The same logic can be extended to HCP targeting strategies that include other digital channels. These channels influence healthcare professionals’ choices (and the choice of key messages) and behavior when building omnichannel customer journeys.

Emerging Data Layers and Discrepancies

As pharmaceuticals are embracing ever more channels, management boards come across targeting principles and models that are traditional to those channels.

Take email (mass mailing, not the rep-triggered email). This channel comes with a targeting pattern that includes browser/device use and even habits when the customers open the emails (impacting sending time). The web has targeting practices too involving geolocation and other things tracked with click maps and SEO-related research.

Do these models have life in pharmaceuticals? No doubt. Do they have value outside the channels they were developed for? Sometimes. What is the issue to solve? Few people take time to put these multiple models together and filter out what criteria are relevant everywhere, regardless of the channel. Instead of a brand-centric segmentation pattern we covered earlier, multichannel brings about a channel-centric one.

This needs to be broken, and this break is part of the transition to the omnichannel experience. Integrating data from different channel-specific platforms is the tech side of the question and is already being implemented at many companies across the market. The next stage is a shift towards a truly customer-centric mindset.

New HCP Targeting Practices in Omnichannel Marketing

What is the future of HCP targeting and segmentation? What practices are sustainable in an omnichannel model? Various organizations are working on their models, tactics, and methods, but here are some common findings that our expertise at Viseven confirms.

Implementation Process

Thankfully, there is no need to start from scratch. A good practice is to build upon what your business has aggregated throughout the years: the customer base, CRM data, pharma HCP insights identified by reps, email metrics, and questionnaires.

As you add more channels, find out whether the targeting segmentation that seems evident contributes to the overall ROI of the omnichannel campaign, not its channel-bound part.

Another essential thing to remember is that segmentation is an ongoing process rather than a once-and-for-all initial step. Omnichannel approach starts with a segmentation process not chronologically but logically. You harvest additional data in the course of an omnichannel campaign.

In a recent study, we described a case when the HCPs’ reaction to an automated email resulted in them either moving to the next step, the management changing the key message, or changing the channel to a messenger. It is natural to use the data on a message or channel preferences obtained in this way to segment the audience further along the way, refining the approach.

Common Mistake

We have briefly alluded to it when talking about the approximation analogy. It’s crucial not to make segmentation a goal in itself — refining here is not about creating an array of categories that multiply to produce a host of additional small segments of a target.

It’s the message that matters. One should start thinking about the message (or messages) they want to convey. It’s in connection with the messages you want to get through that you can define what insights are relevant for segmentation solutions.

Integrate at Every Step

Finally, the most important point is that there should be one governing segmentation pattern above any channel, even above the CRM. That’s what makes the omnichannel approach different from extended multichannel solutions. It’s all about HCPs with their needs and the value your brand brings, not the possibilities of a single channel, however efficient.

It requires a common data pool across channels and integration of the corresponding platforms that underlies it. With a robust, integrated omnichannel architecture, you can not only put together the data from CRM, email, web, or social, but make decisions based on the extended picture of customers you have.

Currently, only 15% of pharmaceutical companies believe their approach to HCP engagement is omnichannel. This figure is expected to change in the coming years. However, many pharmaceutical organizations continue to grapple with numerous challenges that make their transition to omnichannel marketing impossible, including budget constraints and limited resources.

With experience in setting up omnichannel architectures and campaigns based on the customer’s existing infrastructure and behavior, our experts know how to make your current technical and data capacities work to their maximum. Our team will create a new successful omnichannel mindset which you can then extend and scale.

If you want to get more practical and actionable information, professional advice, and technical expertise on building a segmentable and segmented omnichannel strategy, contact our experts or fill the form below. We’ll get back to you shortly!

Digital Transformation in Pharma: Barriers and Impact

Over time, pharma gets under fire due to its excessive talks about ‘digital transformation.’ It needs to be clarified what these words refer to and whether these grandiloquent statements work for actual doctors and patients. How many healthcare professionals and patients have yet to see the impact of digital technologies in the healthcare industry? Has it already improved pharma’s daily operations?

Let’s figure out where the pharma sector is on the road to the digital age, how this process is changing how they do business, and how it affects the HCPs and patient engagement.

What is Digital Transformation for Pharma companies?

“Every digital transformation is going to begin and end with the customer, and I can see that in the minds of every CEO I talk to.”

Marc Benioff, Chairman, and Co-CEO, Salesforce.

Digital Technology in the pharmaceutical industry pushes us to change, poses challenges we don’t want to take, and makes us move forward. These changes may be dramatic. But when life wants us to grow, it makes us change to remain competitive.

The problem is that digital technologies are changing faster than we are, leaving us with no choice but to keep pace.

When we speak of digital transformation reshaping, we mean the natural evolution of existing processes with new technologies, introducing patterns and strategies that enhance customer experience, and building a genuine dialogue with the customer.

In the pharmaceutical sector, this process was launched three years ago, when the pandemic, without much readiness, forced life sciences to increase their digital innovation culture drastically or, in particular cases, grow it from scratch. Looking back, we may go through all cliches of that period, but the digital shift declared a standard of communication with customers.

Digital Transformation Barriers: where are we?

Where are we now on the road to digital success?

Despite being spurred by the pandemic, the digitalization process runs slowly. In terms of pharma digitalization, there are still many regions on the map where companies’ digital development level is consistently low. This map shows how pharmaceutical companies assess their readiness to become digital organizations.

According to this map, the digitalization process among countries remains uneven. This is primarily associated with the poor scalability of implemented solutions among the regions and resilience to changes.

Now, 1/3 of pharmaceutical companies believe they need to be better resourced for digital engagement. The other 40% report a need for more talent and the right technology for transformation.

It’s important to understand that each industry has its own specifics and digitalization in pharma won’t be as smooth as anywhere else. However, this process highlights the areas where the mindset change should happen and what soft spots digital business processes transformation is designed to cover.

How does Digital Transformation reshape the Pharma industry?

Digital innovation in the pharma sector can help companies perform better by increasing productivity and reducing costs through collaboration, digital technology centralization to optimize delivery, and empowering a company or department.

  • supply chain A global pharmaceutical company is experimenting with VR in its manufacturing operations. Managers can cut training time in half by creating virtual training programs that render production environments and speed up the path to excellence.
  • streamline processes and marketing efforts 

    Another biopharmaceutical company reduced its marketing spending by 20% by building a global system. The move followed a duplication analysis, in which the company found that up to 60% of localized asset-creation activities were duplicative.

    The company now has a centralized content center to deliver standardized marketing materials in flexible formats to more than 40 local markets.

  • acquiring talent more efficiently The medical company double-checked the licenses of applicants for a nursing license during the interview. This included visiting the verification website, taking a snapshot of the applicant’s license, and storing the information in the applicant’s file.

    The HR bot was able to automate 80% of the process. Robotic process automation resulted in a 65% reduction in labor costs and a reduced risk of errors.

    This freed up the equivalent of one full-time job, allowing employees to focus on more critical activities.

Disruptive Technologies and Market Dynamics

Digital technologies can help companies deliver a competitive, digitally enabled, engaging, impactful experience to customers, the workforce, and ecosystem external partners. Key disruptive technologies include using digital tools to engage patients and other stakeholders remotely, involving social and other community networks, and personalizing experiences with user data to deliver excellent value.

  • Creating a platform for customer experience.The Patient Service and Care Management Platform delivers consistent patient experiences across all channels and enables treatment adherence and care coordination with an entire network of healthcare providers for each patient. Through connected apps and devices, it supports digital therapy, helps improve patient outcomes, and helps health professionals coordinate patient care management. The platform analyzes internal and external data to gain insight into patient care and interactions and can integrate with the platform to analyze real-world data.
  • Connecting patients, biopharma, caregivers, health care providers, and other stakeholders. The platform helps biopharma companies build partnerships with advocacy groups and providers to enhance patients’ experience with complex, chronic, and terminal diseases. It supports a next-generation digital healthcare network focused on patient support and digital engagement. Patients who consent to share their data receive information and updates from the sponsoring organization (typically biopharma companies and patient advocacy groups) to help navigate their disease.
  • Optimizing the content provided to health care practitioners. A large global biopharmaceutical company has created a self-service portal for more than 30,000 practitioners across Europe to access digital marketing and sales materials in various media. The content shared with each practitioner differs based on previous browsing habits, allowing for custom targeting and enhancing the effectiveness of the marketing approach.

Artificial Intelligence in the Pharma Transformation

Over the past few years, the use of Artificial Intelligence in the Pharma industry and Life Sciences has become a trending topic. Many pharmaceutical companies are progressively implementing more efficient automated processes that include data-driven decisions and use predictive advanced analytics tools.

The next step of this advanced data analytics approach will consist of artificial Intelligence and machine learning. Some of the ways AI is being applied in the pharmaceutical sector today include the following:

  • Manufacturing process improvement
  • Drug development
  • Processing biomedical and clinical data
  • Rare diseases and personalized medicine
  • Identifying clinical trial candidates
  • Predictive forecasting
  • Drug adherence and dosage

From early-stage drug discovery to prescribing options, the use of Artificial Intelligence is growing steadily within the pharma industry,

with an estimated market volume reaching $10 billions by 2024 (including diagnostics, AI-based medical imaging, personal AI assistants, genomics, and drug discovery).

Can we hold the digital transformations back?

Remember your life before the pandemic; now, it seems like a dream to you, right? Like no other, these two years greatly impacted our lives, habits, and priorities.

In 2019, marketers expected a quick end to the pandemic and a return to routine communication with customers. After three years, again like a dream, the pandemic is slowly receding (at minor restrictions).
It begs the question: do we need to digitalize further? And will this process be slowed down now?
No. Because the digital shift catalyzed some fundamental changes.
Pharma marketing has always been a complicated environment characterized by complex relationships with its target audience. However, the shift towards digital innovation in pharma has exposed many problems that previously needed to be tracked.
Searching through the old reports is like getting into a time machine that can take us back to changes that have taken place. The retrospective looks as follows:

In 2019, 77% of pharma companies reported issues with content localization/translation. Only 28% could repurpose their content with a little manual effort. Back then, 62% say their organization has yet to make plans for using AI-driven content technologies.

The most significant impact of digital technology in the pharmaceutical industry was on HCP engagement.

Before COVID-19, 64% of meetings with pharma sales reps were held in person. During the pandemic, this shifted to 65% of meetings being held virtually.

The old patters revolve primarily around internal content production issues in the pharmaceutical industry and don’t consider the main factor – HCP’s experiences. Today, searching for personalized experiences for the customer is the cornerstone of all companies that want to withstand competition in the market and have a serious competitive advantage.
In the end, we should remember that technology exists to make our life easier. In life sciences, the ultimate goal of Digital Transformation is to introduce new technologies that will allow space and time for more strategic decisions on customers. These technologies should solve the long-standing issues of MLR optimization, content and taxonomy management, and multivendor environment support.

Transformation in the Pharmaceutical sector: what it refers to

Pharma often speaks clichés, but most critics are associated with a lack of clarification of what it refers to. The pandemic exposed many problems in pharma that, in the new era of communication, cannot remain unresolved. We’ve tried to highlight them all for you to see that Digital Transformation usually touches people, processestools, and content, areas where innovations are needed to simplify the internal processes that often hinder the natural evolution of companies toward strategic marketing.

Why do we need it?

In communicating with our customers, we should remember that the biggest shift occurred in patients’ mindsets. Not speaking their language, we can compare our audience to distant stars we try to reach in the dark.

The main driver of prescriptions in the pharma industry is loyalty. The main factor that affects loyalty is the message your brand translates. Feel free to learn about it by checking our pharma digital transformation case study.

Companies that help with pharma digital transformation

Such professional services companies as Mckinsey, Vaimo, and Viseven are driving Digital Transformation by offering an end-to-end content operating model that is aligned with strategy, and ready for scale and innovation adoption.

Viseven combines technology and marketing expertise mastering the entire chain of enablers to deliver a best-in-class digital experience.​

Contact us to learn more about how we enable digital transformation for pharma businesses of all sizes and maturity levels.

2021 in Pharma: What We Have Learned and Where We Have Won

Are you still processing 2020? Well, here is the news, 2022 is almost here. And while you are thinking about how it could happen; we can only assume that the last year was so intensive and eventful that no wonder it passed before we knew it.  

It may seem a bit chaotic at least because it frustrates the hopes of all humanity associated with an early end of the pandemic. But in fairness, we must give the credit to 2021 as the one that brought us one step closer to defeating covid and many other diseases. With ongoing digital transformation and the success of mRNA vaccines, we literally can observe how modern technologies shape the healthcare system of the future. 

As for pharma marketing, we made a huge step forward to deliver personalized experiences to customers with the widespread of a modular approach and current innovations in omnichannel marketing.  

Wrapping up this year, let’s look closer at the achievement, hopes, and fears we have for the year we step in and arm ourselves with the most recent data on the hottest topics of 2021:    

  • Building a successful communication mix with omnichannel approach
  • The rise of modular content and its role in advanced personalization 
  • Balancing of customers’ expectations and data security 
  • Collaboration to save the day: Viseven is the part of Veeva’s Digital Factory Accelerator Program (DFAP) 

Searching for a balance between digital and virtual promotion

Stepping into 2021, our biggest hope was to draw a line under the period of the coronavirus. The emergency vaccine invention suggested a chance to overcome the pandemic in record time, but the year started with news on new mutated strains. They rained down like a bolt from the blue and now, when the omicron has entered the scene, we realize that the covid period is now an era.

What does it mean for pharma?

In terms of communication, it prolonged the prevalence of digital communication, making pharma look closer to the mixed communication where face-to-face now is just one channel. New 2021 Veeva Pulse Report demonstrates stability in HCPs’ preferences towards digital with the sixfold growth of virtual meetings.

At the same time, it poses the challenge for pharma that now is looking for a balance between offline and digital promotion.

Resilience to changes

Can we say that pharma’s digital moment has arrived? The digital transformation is on every corner, but the biggest challenge remains the resilience to becoming digital and the unevenness of transformation among regions.

This can be explained by the growing complexity of content production and the difficulty of digital tools adoption across regions.

Technology is changing and sometimes much faster than we are. Currently 1/3 of pharma believe they are poorly resourced for digital engagement.

To win this competition, pharma  should ensure that content development process is accelerated to the needed extent. With the introduction of smart content, however, it is easier to keep content creation at scale and navigate the complex digital landscape. The concept assumes content and data to be synchronized and supports supreme enterprise context management (taxonomy, claims, business rules, and tags).

It is the whole new approach to content management with more features designed specifically to support rapid content development.

Personalization

The word of the year in pharma would likely be personalizationNow all the habits that we, as patients and customers, have acquired in 2020 have finally taken root. And pharma is rushing to introduce something extra to the customers as the main ingredient to win this competition.

According to Smart Insights, 72% of consumers say they now only interact with marketing messages that are personalized and tailored to their interests.

The number of channels has increased giving us additional opportunities to engage customers. However, we must admit that currently we use it blindly, bombarding HCPs with thousands of emails and other messages. To reach customers with the right message, it must be perfectly tailored to their needs. Only then, we can call it personalization.

Where pharma won in 2021

Omnichannel to mix it up wisely

A digital shift has turned healthcare to reach new heights in omnichannel. After two years, this approach has established its position as a key provider of flexible communication for generation covid who, above all, appreciate empathy, accuracy, and flexibility when it comes to interaction with a healthcare provider.

In pharma, omnichannel covered the exposed gaps that were not that obvious before the pandemic. It turned out that besides being one the most expensive channel, according to data on Viseven’s projects, face-to-face visits cannot cover up to 80% of the database. It is especially painful for regions with a stable issue of low audience coverage. Thus, in 2021 pharma chooses to digitize and further actively spends an impressive part of its budget on digital tactics.

However, not everything can be achieved by focusing only on digital activities. With HCPs who are still divided into tribes of digital natives and those who prefer in-person communication, face-to-face meetings do not get pale and remain especially important when it comes to product launches.

Recovering from a pandemic, it is hard to predict where the channel mix will go further. However, in 2022 only 10% of pharma plan a big increase in budget allocations on-field force activities.

And if recently the demand for a mix of virtual and hybrid interaction among HCPs was 85%. Now, this figure has grown to 87%.

Top communication channels in 2021

A large number of omnichannel projects we were lucky to have this year allows us to share our internal observations regarding customer preferences and the channel that interest them the most. The email has confirmed its championship with 3x more demand among our pharma customers compared to the previous year. The second most relevant channel was SMS.

And especially remarkable this year was for messengers that were in high demand among our customers. At their request, eWizard received a new feature, namely the support of messenger ad content creation for WeChat messenger.

For us, these numbers and demands are just a confirmation of the industry’s ambition to move further towards digital and omnichannel excellence.

Smart investment into digital

The variety of channels, systems, and connections between them captures the imagination at first but later it creates some difficulties as the multiple means of communication make it difficult to track the performance of each activity in the campaign, leaving you in the dark about what you invest in and what you get in the end.

Viseven’s experts in omnichannel suggest that pharma can easily drive efficient campaigning with a clear connection of how it influences HCPs’ loyalty and can measure and define the activities that spurge the decision of a particular client.

The rise of modular content

The widespread modular content has made the trend of personalization sound much louder. 

Over the years, content production in the pharmaceutical industry was considered a time-consuming process associated with many bottlenecks.

The modular approach that was previously practiced exclusively by trailblazers is now entering the pharma mainstream.

According to researchers, 54% of pharma use modular content, and a further 40% plan to start. These impressive numbers can be proved by the number of requests Viseven received this year.

When we speak of our expertise in modular content, we mean a flexible and reusable digital asset living in the form of modular units that can be father used in various channel-specific templates, channels, and contexts. Modular approach of Viseven eliminates the need for affiliates to create content from scratch, but instead, successfully reuse (localize) global content and reap up to 65% of content development costs. The feature of auto-translation, in its turn, allows to translate only the needed assets that will by further reused.

The use of pre-approved content modules can significantly accelerate content production, time to market and ensure rapid MLR approvals.

But most importantly, it gives a green light to simplified content production that, in its turn, forces personalization and more creative work with content.

Many of our great achievements in 2021 were marked by modular. Auto-tagging has become a feature the year with the ability to synchronize content and data (taxonomy, claims, business rules, and tags) within our Content Experience Platform. eWizard now embodies even more opportunities to sew various experiences together and create a unified, automated, and scalable content development standard for our pharma customers.

This can be proved by Viseven’s experience on successful modular implementation in several leading pharmaceutical companies.

Follow our updates to be among the first to reveal the details of these success cases.

Establishing a secure hierarchy

Today balancing between customers’ expectations and data security is the challenge for all who are actively digitizing. Digital technologies empower us to deliver more personalized content, tailored messages and cover the expectations of the target audience. At the same time, unfortunately, it rises data security and access management concerns. These are having a long history in life sciences.

The tangled mess of countless laws and regulations don’t make it easier for pharma, posing the great challenge not to lose the customer’s trust, pursuing personalized experiences. 95% of customers say they are more likely to be loyal to a company they trust.

Of the greatest features of meta-tags, except making it easier to find the information in the DAM is to provide accesses hierarchy, where each user role includes a certain level of access to certain information.

Working with pharmaceutical content implies certain requirements and measures to be followed. The International Standards Organization (ISO) guarantees that the company works according to all required procedures, policies, and guidelines, protects, and has full authority over the Company’s assets.

To confirm our determination to protect our customers’ data, Viseven has passed the supervisory audit ISO 27001 and regularly confirms its status and the ability to provide a secure environment for the pharma customers.

Partnerships to save the day

Partnerships has taken a new sense in pharma over the last year. Collaborative approaches and cross-enterprise collaboration are exactly what helped pharma to pass a rough test it has been put on. If you were reading comics, you know that even the coolest of superheroes cannot cope without trusting a partner on their side. The same goes for our partnership with Veeva aligned with greater achievement catalyzing our powers in aspiration to make healthcare invincible.

Digital Factory Accelerator Program (DFAP) is designed and launched by Veeva initiative to provide additional support to narrow circle of Veeva’s customers that are building large-scale Digital Content Factories in place and using Veeva services.

We are pleased to announce that Viseven Group is now among the first Veeva’s DFAP Partners.

Parting thoughts

2021 was the consolidation of our habits as HCPs and patients and the ways we are consuming services. Agile and flexible communication is what pharma customers are striving for today. The current innovations in omnichannel marketing open up new horizons to meet customers’ needs and offer timely, sequential digital interactions in an appropriate format.

The only MUST is the flexible content that will boost a content supply chain and will make it circulate through the omnichannel system.

These two absolute prerequisites of today’s HCP engagement can fully be covered, regardless of your current level of digital maturity.

Turn to us for assistance and help – Viseven’s mission is to enable digital transformation for businesses of all sizes and digital maturities.

Using omnichannel approach to achieve better HCP engagement: how does it work?

The pharmaceutical industry has talked about improving communication with HCPs for decades. While even several years ago, “closing the loop” was routinely equaled to traditional rep calls plus maybe a couple of emails, things have changed a lot recently. After the seismic shift of 2020, when the F2F variable temporarily left the equation, one thing became obvious: one-way communication (pharma speaks, HCPs listen) is no longer enough. Where is the guarantee the physicians do hear the message? Where is the value they are expecting? Establishing real, reciprocal HCP engagement is a challenge, yes. However, an increasing number of pharma organizations are using digital and omnichannel approach to resolve it – and successfully so.

HCP engagement? Customer experience is the key

To understand how to achieve genuine HCP engagement, it is helpful to define what it really is. Nodding at a representative or liking a pharma brand’s social media post – does this count? How far does the interaction really need to go to be considered significant for the overall communication funnel?

In reality, it makes sense to define engagement as either a two-way interaction (HCP actively responding to pharma), or any event that can potentially lead to such an interaction (e.g., a physician downloading materials from a portal or subscribing to a service).

From the HCP’s viewpoint, all of this happens within a certain “landscape” – their overall experience with the brand. At some point, when this customer experience attains a certain level of value to the HCP, they actively engage to get more. There are two prerequisites:

  • The value already received from the experience (proof that the brand can offer more), e.g., a fruitful conversation with a rep or an interesting webinar
  • The “promised” value – i.e., what the doctor can get if they only click that CTA button or ask the rep/MSL a question, etc.

The effects of a well-constructed customer experience are hard to underestimate. In recent research by McKinsey (immunologists, n=600), the doctor’s satisfaction with “prescription journey” (in HCP-to-patient and HCP-to-pharma aspects) had the power to almost double the likelihood of prescribing the product.

In other words, the overall experience interacting with the brand (in this case, via the representative) influenced the decision making roughly as much as the convenience factor while leading the patient.

Interestingly, this refers to a “rep-only” or “rep-led” scenario. Seeing as how digital resources and channels are gaining more weight and credibility (for example, 46% HCPs reported to trust branded professional web resources in 2019), the power of a coordinated omnichannel experience would be even more impressive.

But pharma already has a number of digital channels at disposal. Why is the problem still not obsolete? What could be improved?

What areas of improvement are still active?

Even though most organizations are, by now, using at least several forms of digital communication (tools, channels), there are factors that undermine the effort when it comes to HCP engagement. Drawing on Viseven’s experience, the most typical ones are as follows:

  1. Attempt to “squeeze” as much as possible into a single touchpoint. A tradition from F2F era, when the rep was supposed to deliver a list of obligatory messages within the 2-7 minutes of the call – and an unnecessary constraint in an omnichannel environment. With proper organization, the information to deliver can be split across touchpoints and delivered in the sequence most likely to get the HCP engaged.
  2. Lack of personalization. While a “one-size-fits-all” approach to messaging and content may sound temptingly simple, it no longer works well. Other industries, including retail, have raised the bar of expectations for customer experience.
  3. Siloed channels. The digital maturity stage immediately preceding omnichannel – “multichannel” really used to presuppose broadcasting the same messages across different channels without actual interconnection or traceability across them. However, this approach severely limits the marketer and only allows to operate in broad, crude segments.

Addressing these three areas of improvement at once is the essence of the omnichannel approach as it has emerged lately.

Omnichannel in pharma: what is it, actually?

Compared to simply having multiple channels, an omnichannel approach presupposes integration and interconnection between these channels. This is the next stage of strategic development, empowered by modern technology to connect the once-separate online and offline platforms into a single, observable and manageable whole.

From the HCP’s perspective, this connection between the channels means they are no longer “bombarded” by the same messages in different situations (reps, emails, messengers, web) but rather enjoy a cohesive, meaningful experience with the brand.

For the marketer, this approach allows to truly coordinate the channels and touchpoints and arrange the experiences delivered to the HCP. By knowing what the certain physician (individual or group) has been exposed to prior to the next touchpoint, and what the feedback was, the marketer can provide the experience that will engage with more probability.

Essentially, the integration of channels and cross-channel campaigning based on data, insights and automation provides the possibility of choice at multiple levels.

By having a 360-degree outlook on the target audience, the brand can deliver the right message or information in the right context, and via the right channel at every touchpoint. For example, the understanding of where exactly in the adoption funnel the HCP is right now, the marketer can choose to offer them the information they need at this stage. At the same time, the HCP make choices of their own, based on their interests, needs, and other individual characteristics.

These choices contribute to the pool of data that the marketer can then use to provide even better experiences, further reinforcing the connection.

Technology and mindset

The omnichannel approach is powered by technology, which includes integrated digital tools, Marketing Automation System, and (increasingly) even ML-based tools to account for large amounts of data.

At the same time, using omnichannel is also linked to a change in mindset when it comes to operating the entire system. Omnichannel pharma marketing requires the ability to think in terms of customer journeys – and making them automated.

Tools help in this process; marketing automation platforms offer journey planners that allow creating of automated flows, where the HCP’s decisions (clicks, reactions, subscribes, etc.) serve as disambiguations in the flow. A certain event (triggered by the HCP) essentially “tells” the algorithm to offer the next touchpoint. Of course, it is best at least at the initial stage of implementation to have a skilled professional arrange the journeys for maximum efficiency.

How to increase engagement rate in HCP audience (3 aspects)

So how does a pharmaceutical brand use all of this in practice to increase HCP engagement? What to look at? Here is a short checklist.

#1 Personalized communication

With the advent of digital, the demand for personalized communication has increased. An HCP will not have the time to listen to a rep detailing “obligatory” slides when they are interested in other information they can find online. Is this a problem? Not really, once an omnichannel system is functioning around the brand. Arranging touchpoints across channels, the marketer can ensure that the messages get through, while the HCP retains their right to choose according to their real individual needs. Personalization can be delivered in terms of content, tone of voice, channel mix, and even timing of the touchpoints.

#2 Logically crafted Customer Journeys

A good customer journey is one that looks good from the HCP’s side, so for building it, the professional has to keep in mind both the campaign goals and the perspective of the customer. For example, a chain of touchpoints that starts as emails, can be programmed to cross over to messengers with the same content if the emails are simply not opened. The same journey can “behave” differently if the HCP opened the email but did not engage with it, switching the tone of voice, supporting material, etc.

#3 Using digital to reinforce F2F

Digital channels can be used to reinforce the traditional F2F interactions within the same context. For example, a rep call can be followed up by an email or message, further inviting the HCP to engage with content on a portal, website or landing page.

Where to start

Adopting an omnichannel communication model gives a considerable competitive edge and allows to engage HCPs in meaningful dialogues. Of course, to make it work, an organization will want to account for all the aspects, including technology, mindset, workflows, and even elements of psychology, not to mention the work on data management. As of now, though, this has become easier since pharma does not need to “transplant” best practices from other industries and risk every time. Engaging experts who have overseen omnichannel implementation with industry leaders is the most feasible solution. Viseven Group offers this expertise in all aspects, drawing on dozens of projects for TOP 50 pharmaceutical and Life Sciences enterprises. Learn more about how professional teams can help boost HCP engagement for your brand.

Balancing the World of Innovation: Stay True to the Product with Medical Experts

The Great Digital Transformation has brought pharma into the place where often it remains only to guess what is behind words about another big transformation, dramatic shift, or new normal.

Thus, at all times, amid periods of stagnation or great innovations, medical experts help companies not to lose the truth about their product and its essence.

When it comes to the proper use of new technologies, they are the single source of truth in pharma. Their role and rich clinical experience are credible sources for the protection of patients’ safety.

To send this message around, we held a dedicated session at the recent Next Webinar – to show how the dramatic shift towards omnichannel that occurred in the healthcare industry has made medical experts permanently change the emphasis of their work; how integral they are for the life sciences community and how they fit in such a rapidly developing environment.

What has changed for medical experts?

They say pharma too often throws the words “digital transformation” around. However, these people don’t understand that each business industry is individual and has its own evolution path. In the sense of digitalization, pharma has been behind for a long time, with many regions on the map where even in our days, sales reps were presenting information to HCPs exclusively on paper booklets.

That was until a “small incident” that shook our planet a year and a half ago forced pharma to reconsider old canons. Now even the regions with severe budget shortages have at least the grounds of a digital strategy in-places. And despite previous efforts, in our opinion, it was a true moment when the Great Transformation started.

2,500 companies around the world participated in the recent survey conducted by Twilio. 74% of healthcare decision-makers from the US, UK, Germany, Australia, France, Spain, Italy, Japan, and Singapore reported they had sped up their digital transformation as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. According to ABI Research, the overall digital factory revenue will exceed US$4.5 billion in 2030.

This great transformation is mostly associated with personalization, the rise of omnichannel – and the technology developments that enable all of these.

Omnichannel has become an evolutionary link in the lifecycle of pharma’s digital transformations as the approach to maintaining a consistent value-based dialog with the target audience. A recent study found out that the companies using omnichannel marketing strategies retain 89% of their customers, compared to only 33% of customers in companies with a weaker omnichannel marketing strategy.

The role of medical experts in the world of omnichannel innovation

Such a rapidly changing environment has modified the role of medical experts and, in a way, significantly expanded it. Both external and internal medical experts today are balancing innovation and accuracy of medical data during a product launch, providing tech-driven support to stakeholders, and making all messages aligned.

Internal medical experts:

  • Company Employee
  • Immersed in specialization
  • Formed installations
  • Limited by time resource

External medical experts:

  • You can connect an entire team with large resources when you need them. 
  • A broad view of the problem
  • Have an understanding of Best Practices after working with other companies

These two groups include both highly specialized specialists and generalists with knowledge of all branches of medical science.

They help find new ideas for promotion while their advanced skills in the search and analysis of medical sources of information provide a larger array of data to be worked out. The pharmaceutical company also gets transparent and relevant information based on medical and economic analysis to demonstrate the value of therapeutics at the market scale – the benefits that the market will get if it’s going to accept and promote the drug in a certain territory.

It is statistically proven that the information the doctor hears from the Rep during eDetailing has an impact on the prescriptions process. According to the iPhysicianNet study, there is a 58% increase in the volume of prescriptions with eDetailing programs. A medical advisor with both medical and marketing experience has a deep understanding of prescription making. They help to prepare materials for each stage of the prescription process, as a result, making the number of long-term prescribers grow.

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However, as it turned out, the work of medical experts is not limited to this, and their role in pharma’s omnichannel transformation is, in fact, unique.

Misinterpretation or a broken telephone

Channels are the foundation of the omnichannel approach. As your strategy grows stronger, you overgrow with more channels – and this is the first case when it’s worth involving a medical expert – to avoid a so-called ‘broken telephone’.

Under a broken telephone, we mean a common case when the product message may get distorted traveling from one channel to another. For example, when you have just two channels, there is a slight chance to distort the message. But when there are more channels, it becomes more difficult to achieve the integrity of the message (see figure 1).

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Figure 1

This is where the medical expert may step in and make sure that your messages remain consistent and compliant at every step of the promotion.

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Explicit advertising

In a bid to present the best side of the product, marketers can sometimes go to extremes, giving a rather distorted “portrait” of the medication. For example, let’s take a look at the properties of an ulcer disease product based on which you can extract 4-5 key messages. Each of them can be presented in varying degrees of scientific or emotional form. At these transitions, the marketer can get carried away and attribute the wrong properties to the drug or simply present them incorrectly. (see figure 2)

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Figure 2

That’s why medical experts work in close collaboration with the marketing department, keeping an eye also on the correctness and scientific accuracy of the product messages.

The creation of omnichannel content is very specific due to the large amount of such content needed and a whole conglomeration of channels where it must circulate. This process may only be faster with well-coordinated teamwork guided by the experience of medical experts. They can provide:

  • Adaptation of content for omnichannel and CLM
  • Quick and inexpensive production of new content
  • Finding of new medical articles and sources
  • Offering additional opportunities for positioning
  • Finding new advantages, selling points, potential indications, etc.

The team of medical experts also participates in the tactical planning of omnichannel campaigns, deciding on a digital mix (online + offline promotion) plan, customer journeys, communication channels selection, and social media planning.

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Medical marketing – a single source of truth for marketing strategy development. The involvement of medical experts may also be significant cost savings going through rounds of obligatory regulations and approvals. Content is going through fewer approval stages and there is no need to involve KOLs to approve marketing materials. The approval of the material is faster since everything is done carefully and as medically correct as possible.

Whatever changes happen around, the most important thing is to be true to yourself and what you are doing. No matter how important it is to move forward, in the end, you don’t get determined by the level of innovation, but by the quality of the products you offer to the audience. 

Contact us to take advice and assistance of professional medical experts, which perfectly balance innovation and product quality when it comes to omnichannel communication building.