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Harness Patients’ Quest For Trusted Information From Cyberspace

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The controversy surrounding patients’ looking for health information online is virtually an ongoing one, for various reasons. Interestingly, it has been continuing at an accelerating pace for a long time. For example: “Eight in ten internet users have looked for health information online, with increased interest in diet, fitness, drugs, health insurance, experimental treatments, and particular doctors and hospitals,” reported Pew Research Center way back on May 17, 2005.

Nearly a couple of decades later, yet another research study, Reuters Events (Pharma & Healthcare) on July 12, 2023, reiterated the same, especially focusing on the role of drug companies in this fast-evolving scenario. It said, “Patients are increasingly having to research their own health needs. Pharmaceutical companies can help fill in information gaps for patients to protect trust in the healthcare sector.”

One may easily brush aside this trend, ascribing it as merely a western phenomenon, but probably at one’s own peril. In this article, therefore, I will discuss this issue against a contemporary Indian backdrop – in search of ways and means to leverage this opportunity through the pharma industry. Let me begin with contemporary Indian examples, as available in the public domain, giving a sense of the ground situation in this space.

Are Indian patients also increasingly trying to get online disease information?

Here below are some examples of recent studies confirming more patients are now seeking disease-related information online, before meeting their doctors:

  • A 2022 study by the Indian Medical Association found that 72% of Indian patients do some research on their condition online before meeting their doctor.
  • A 2023 survey by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry found that 65% of Indian patients believe that it is important to be informed about their condition before meeting their doctor. 
  • A 2023 report by the National Health Portal of India found that the number of visitors to its website seeking information about diseases and conditions has increased by 20% in the past year. 

These are just a few illustrations that reinforce the ascending trend of Indian patients’ seeking out disease related online information, just as in other parts of the world.  

Any benefits to patients’ seeking such information online?

In my view, there are several benefits to patients seeking disease-related information before meeting their doctors, such as:

  • Patients can come to their appointment better prepared. By doing their research ahead of time, patients can come to their appointment with a better understanding of their condition, the different treatment options available, and what to expect. This can help them to make more informed decisions about their care. 
  • Patients can ask better and more relevant questions. By having a good understanding of their condition, patients can ask their doctor more specific and informed questions. This can help them to get the most out of their appointment.
  • Patients can feel more confident and empowered. By being informed about their condition and treatment options, patients can feel more confident and empowered to take control of their own healthcare. 

Is this a healthy trend that deserves to be encouraged?  

From a large number of studies, it appears that the increasing number of patients seeking online health and disease information has both pros and cons.

Pros: 

  • Patients can become more informed about their health and conditions. This can lead to better communication with doctors and more informed decision-making about treatment.
  • Patients can access information from a variety of sources, including medical websites, patient support groups, and social media. This can be especially helpful for patients with rare or complex conditions. 
  • Patients can find information that is tailored to their specific needs and interests. For example, they can find information about their condition in their native language or about treatment options that are available in their area. 

Cons:

  • The quality of online health information can vary widely. Some websites are more reliable than others, and it can be difficult for patients to assess the credibility of the information they find online. 
  • Patients may misinterpret information they find online or apply it to their own situation incorrectly. This can lead to anxiety, confusion, and even harmful health decisions.
  • Patients may delay seeking medical attention if they are self-treating based on online information. This can be dangerous, especially for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions. 

Overall, the pros of patients seeking online health and disease information outweigh the cons. However, it is important for patients to be aware of the potential risks and to take steps to ensure that they are getting accurate and reliable information.

Points to consider for patients who are seeking online health and disease information:

  • Use reputable sources, such as websites from government agencies, medical organizations, and universities. Here pharma companies can also play a very meaningful role. In this context, I also wrote an article on December 17, 2018 titled - Rewriting Pharma Strategy For ‘Doctor Google’ Era.
  • Be critical of the information you find online and don’t take it all at face value. Check multiple sources and talk to your doctor to confirm what you’ve read. 
  • Don’t use online information to self-diagnose or self-treat. If you have any concerns about your health, see a doctor. 
  • Patients can also talk to their doctor about how to use online health information safely and effectively. 

Role of pharma companies in this area:

As I mentioned above, pharmaceutical companies can play an important role in helping patients get credible online information on healthcare and disease information. The following are some of the many things they can do:

  • Create and maintain high-quality websites and social media pages that provide accurate and understandable information about diseases and conditions, treatment options, and clinical trials. These websites and pages should be easy to navigate and should be updated regularly with new information. 
  • Partner with other organizations, such as patient advocacy groups and medical associations, to develop and distribute educational materials about diseases and conditions. These materials can be made available online and offline.
  • Support research on how to best communicate health information to patients. This research can help pharmaceutical companies develop more effective ways to reach patients with credible information. 

Some global and Indian examples:

1. Some recent global examples of pharmaceutical companies taking steps to help patients get credible online information on healthcare and disease information:

  • Pfizer: In 2022, Pfizer launched a new website called “Pfizer Rx Path” that provides patients with information about their medications, including how to take them, potential side effects, and interactions with other medications. The website also includes a tool that allows patients to search for clinical trials for their condition. 
  • Novartis: In 2023, Novartis launched a new social media campaign called “#NovartisAnswers” that aims to provide patients with answers to their questions about diseases and conditions, treatment options, and more. The campaign features a series of videos and blog posts that are created in collaboration with medical experts. 
  • GlaxoSmithKline: In 2023, GlaxoSmithKline partnered with the patient advocacy group “Parkinson’s UK” to develop a new educational website about Parkinson’s disease. The website provides patients with information about the disease, its symptoms, and treatment options. It also includes a forum where patients can connect and share their experiences. 

By taking these steps, pharmaceutical companies can play an important role in improving patient health outcomes.

2. Some recent Indian examples of domestic pharmaceutical companies taking steps to help patients get credible online information on healthcare and disease information: 

  • Sun Pharmaceutical Industries: In 2022, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries launched a new website called “Sun Pharma Health” that provides patients with information about a variety of diseases and conditions, including COVID-19, diabetes, and cancer. The website also includes a section on “Patient Resources” that provides patients with tips on how to manage their health and medications.
  • Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories: In 2023, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories launched a new social media campaign called “Dr. Reddy’s Health Talk” that aims to provide patients with answers to their questions about diseases and conditions, treatment options, and more. The campaign features a series of videos and blog posts that are created in collaboration with medical experts. 
  • Cipla: In 2023, Cipla partnered with the patient advocacy group “Diabetes India” to develop a new educational website about diabetes. The website provides patients with information about the disease, its symptoms, and treatment options. It also includes a section on “Living with Diabetes” that provides patients with tips on how to manage their diabetes and live a healthy life. 

By taking these steps, Indian pharmaceutical companies can also play a very important role in improving patient health outcomes in India.

In addition to the above examples, many Indian drug companies are using social media platforms like X (Twitter) and Facebook to educate patients about diseases and conditions. They are also partnering with doctors and other healthcare professionals to create informative content about healthcare. For example, in 2022, the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) launched a campaign called “IPA Health Talk” on Twitter. The campaign aims to provide patients with accurate and timely information about a variety of health topics. The IPA also partners with doctors and other healthcare professionals to create and share informative content about healthcare on its social media channels. 

These initiatives by Indian pharmaceutical companies are expected to help improve access to credible information on healthcare and disease for patients in India. Such endeavors are now well poised to increase manifold in the years ahead.

Conclusion:

Patients’ quest for trusted information from cyberspace is valuable because it can lead to better health outcomes. By having access to information about their conditions, treatment options, and clinical trials, patients can make more informed decisions about their healthcare. They can also become more empowered to advocate for themselves and to get the care they need.

However, it is important for patients to be aware of the potential risks of seeking health information online. The quality and accuracy of this information can vary widely, and it can be difficult for patients to assess the credibility of the information they find online. Patients should also be careful not to misinterpret information or to delay seeking medical attention if they are self-treating based on online information. 

Overall, the value of patients’ quest for trusted information from cyberspace outweighs the risks. By being informed and critical of the information they find online, patients can use cyberspace to improve their health and well-being.

By: Tapan J. Ray

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.

 

Pharma Leadership Challenge In Post Covid Paradigm

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Bringing a long cherished relief to many, on September 15, 2022, the World Health Organization said, ‘we can see the Finish Line’ for the COVID-19 pandemic but it’s not over yet’. As I see today, several things are changing pretty fast in this scenario. Such as, not so long ago – on September 27, 2021, the same global health organization predicted differently: ‘World Will Live with COVID for Foreseeable Future.’ It further highlighted “It is dangerous to assume that omicron will be the last variant, or that we are in the endgame. On the contrary, globally the conditions are ideal for more variants to emerge.” The Wall Street Journal also reported on September 18, 2022 that the US President Joe Biden too  feels, ‘Covid-19 pandemic was over’ in the United States.

Be that as it may, I reckon, the world is not going to replicate to the pre-Covid mode of working, any longer. The Covid-19 pandemic has clearly made some impactful changes in the most work scenario, across the world. This has been revealed by several recent studies. With this perspective, in this article, I shall dwell on the challenges that the pharma leadership teams will face or are already facing, as the world shifts towards the post Covid paradigm.

Four critical areas for change:

To illustrate this point, I will focus on just three critical areas for pharma players, as follows:

  1. No going back to the pre-Covid mode of working
  2. Create a more employee focused organization for future success
  3. Determine the right size of digitally savvy field force in the new paradigm 
  4. Increase online share of voice in represented therapy areas and identify pharma’s digital world opinion leaders.

Why no going back to the pre-Covid mode of working:

With the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic on people’s lives and livelihoods fast receding, the need for some critical changes in several areas of pharma business, is now being felt by some forward looking astute pharma leadership teams. Recent studies, such as, the Gartner paper of June 16, 2022, among others, vindicate ushering-in some of the following changes in workplaces:

  • Ongoing changes in the way people work have transformed employees’ relationship, and their expectations of work.
  • Hybrid work could be a great opportunity, particularly for diverse talent..

Another article in this regard, published in the Harvard Business Review on January 13, 2022, capture 11 trends that will shape the work, in general, from 2022 and beyond. When I put some of these in the pharma space, it may include the following:

  • Employee turnover will continue to increase, as hybrid and remote work becomes the norm for knowledge workers in pharma companies.
  • Many repeated managerial tasks at various levels, will be automated, creating greater space for them to build more human relationships with their peer group and direct reports.
  • The tools used for working remotely are also being used to measure and improve employee performance on an ongoing basis.
  • The complexity of managing a hybrid workforce may drive some employers to evaluate a ‘return to the office’ with its pitfalls and benefits.

Thus, creating an employee focused organization becomes critical.

Creating an employee focused organization will be critical:

In the current scenario, the importance of being able to afford employees maximum flexibility, adapting and flexing to their individual circumstances and needs, is increasing manifold. This, has also come out very clearly in a number of studies, including one paper of the Healthcare Consulting Group (HCG), as reported on July 25, 2022.

Thus, nurturing employees’ desire for personal and professional growth, besides motivating them with a strong sense of purpose to their work, has become foundational to being an attractive workplace, more than ever before.

Is the pharma industry right-sizing the digitally savvy field force?

One can pick up several signals in this direction from what is happening, as the industry is opening-up with a rapidly declining onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic. Various studies vindicate the intent of field staff reduction by the pharma industry. Today’s environment requires a digitally savvy field force of optimal size, which may vary from company to company.

For example, the article published in the Reuters Events Pharma on May 5, 2022, in this regard, elucidated “While Reuters Events Pharma’s own recent polling of the industry suggests a moderate reduction in numbers over the next couple of years, others see signs of more dramatic change.”

Many pharma players are now pondering – during Covid pandemic when companies were making so many less face-to-face calls, sales were OK. Now, when the intensity of the pandemic is receding, do they need the previous sales force numbers to make more such calls?

The general feeling appears to be that the old practices aren’t as productive as they were before, in the changing scenario. Thus, the paper underscored: ‘So with the largest players are already thinking about how to do more with fewer boots on the ground, how do they go about it?’ It concluded by saying: ‘No one is saying it is easy then, but the imperative for change is clear.”

Pharma customers’ online engagement is increasing with a low share of voice of companies:

This is yet another critical area of change where drug industry needs to strengthen its online voice. Several studies indicate that even a tiny part of most pharma companies’ online conversation about their represented disease and therapy areas doesn’t get captured in Google search. For example, yet another recent paper on this subject, published in the Reuters Events Pharma on July 05, 2022, confirms this point.

The article highlights: ‘Around 80% of patients Google for a recommended or newly prescribed medication. And doctors routinely use search engines too – to stay up to date, to verify assumptions and so on. Indeed, it may be no exaggeration to say that the answers found online are possibly the biggest influence on patients and HCPs today. Understanding their real-world digital information experience is, therefore, critical to identifying the content influencing their behavior.’

In today’s world, what these customers see and hear via search engines may shock many, the author emphasized. The study also reveals, despite many pharma companies’ investment in evidence-based, balanced, and accessible content designed for HCPs and patients, this is often buried far out of reach from the billion-plus health-related questions being asked of Google each day. ‘Pharma’s online voice often simply isn’t cutting through,’ it concluded.

What needs to be addressed soon in this area:

Each pharma marketer may wish to ascertain through data-based studies, which voices are dominating these conversations. And also, the nature and quality of the company’s own digital conversation and its share of voice. This is, besides getting to know who the digital opinion leaders are. Then, the task will be to find out ways to work with these people and share the company releases with them, requesting for their inputs, if any.

Conclusion:

The experience of the Covid pandemic and lockdowns has changed work patterns in many industries from what those were in the pre-Covid days. The drug industry is no exception. According to recent studies, two out of every five workers have either switched jobs or are actively looking for another that will fit into their working needs better, and with some remote work. This trend, being a common expectation, is gaining ground.

Thus, making an employee centric organization is now more important than ever before. Bringing together the best of remote working and office locations, as centers of excellence for team building, learning and innovation, is emerging as a central part of the pharma leadership challenge, as an HCG study, reportedly, also points out. It is generally believed that employees ‘who feel connected to purpose at work are more productive and more likely to stay.’ In tandem, pharma leadership teams also would require leaving a lasting impact on everyone’s work, which will be more tangible to them.

Alongside, as several contemporary studies indicate, and I also wrote in this blog on April 29, 2019 – ‘Adopt A Hybrid Business Model For Better Sales – Not A large Field Force,’ each company’s field force number also require a fresh look now with a focus on digitally savvy individuals. Another reason being pharma customers’ online engagement is increasing fast where most companies have a very low share of voice, as the search engine reveals. Consequently, identifying, partnering and in-depthunderstanding of key digital opinion leaders has become critical in creating a digital content that will influence the customer behavior. As reported on September 26, 2022, pharma major Sanofi, apparently has taken a major step in this direction.

From this perspective, it appears that the pharma leadership teams have a task cut out for them to effectively respond to the challenges of change in the post Covid paradigm – in search of pharma business excellence.

By: Tapan J. Ray     

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.

Using Selling Simulator For New Drug Launch In The New Normal

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The reverberation of unparalleled business disruptions in healthcare caused by Covid pandemic, extends across its value chain – from patients and families to clinicians and pharmaceutical companies. Consequently, even many diehards or staunchly tradition-bound pharma marketers were being prompted to reimagine their marketing model, to keep the business going.

Some of these areas include, customer preferred engagement channels, platforms and associated remote or virtual training inputs – necessary for effective execution of new strategic marketing models for the evolving new normal. A few of them are also moving in this direction – garnering requisite wherewithal.

“But it has also left some of them paralyzed by uncertainty. Should they invest now in transforming their commercial model or wait to see how things play out?” This palpable dilemma of many pharma marketers, was well captured in a recent McKinsey & Company article - ‘Reshaping pharma’s strategy in the next normal,’ published on December 15, 2020.

In a situation like this, one of the critical challenges is the successful launch of new pharma products amid changing customer behavior, product expectations and other associated uncertainties. ‘As pharmaceutical companies reshape their commercial models to prepare for the uncertainties ahead, personalization and digital enablement will be crucial to launch success in the new environment,’ underscored the above article.

As many of us will know, quality training and development inputs for the same, remain a vital prerequisite before the sales force hits the marketing battle ground. Isn’t that also a challenge in the prevailing market situation? Could digitalization of the company provide a solution to this critical sales force training issue for the same, in the new normal? This article will delve into this area.

Digitalization is a basic step – the challenge is much beyond that:

As I wrote in my article dated October 07, 2019, disruptive digital transformation in pharma sales and marketing is indeed a necessary basic step. It will also help to leapfrog in the field staff training and development process by imbibing leading-edge technologies, such as AI, for giant leaps to higher growth trajectories. But, ‘Digitalization’ isn’t a panacea, either.

This was also echoed in another recent article on ‘Pharmaceutical Marketing in The New Normal’, published in the Forbes magazine on August 11, 2021. It wrote, ‘even the best, most advanced digital tools won’t help if reps are not properly trained.’ This is due to multiple factors. Let me elaborate the point from a new product launch perspective.

New normal brings unprecedented changes – no footsteps to follow:

The extent and depth of personalization required in any effective customer engagement process for successful outcomes, has undergone a fundamental shift. Today, personalization of content, channels and platforms is a necessity and no longer an option. In the new normal one size doesn’t fit all. Consequently, sales force training process, particularly for a new drug launch, has also become personalized, with simulation of new expectations and requirements of each market becoming a key ingredient, more than ever before.

Simulated sales training still not too common in pharma:

That personalized and simulated sales force training is still not too common in the pharma industry, was also captured in the February 2020 ‘The Voice of the Sales Rep study’ of the sales research firm – SalesFuel. It reported, just 30% of sales reps in the pharma industry are now getting personalized sales training based on individual needs. This study was done in the United States, and the same percentage is expected to be much less in India.

In this context, the above Forbes article also noted that at an elementary level, reps should be proficient in video conferencing and virtual CME basics, such as, screen sharing, lighting, cameras, and the likes. There could also be occasions when they may need to teach even some of the physicians for whom, as well, this type of engagement is new. Thus, simulation training may possibly play a critical role to make the sales force future ready, always.

Besides, gaining deeper insights of customers, market dynamics, and tailoring the content of personalized engagement, accordingly, will be a critical part of personalized training through simulation, especially for new product launch in the new normal.  

Doctors availing product and treatment related online services: 

While navigating through acute disruption of life during Covid pandemic, several doctors have learnt to use digital channels and platforms to avail product or new therapy related information directly, instead of through sales reps. And that too, as they want, when they want and the way they want, gaining a discretionary choice. Several surveys, such as,  2020 Accenture research, also reported many doctors want either virtual or a mix of virtual and in-person meetings with pharmaceutical reps, even after the pandemic ends.

Available studies also give a sense that the future overall trend in pharma is unlikely to be a replication of pre-Covid time, prompting the players to reimagine their customer engagement format. For example, a contemporary ‘Real Time Covid-19 Barometer Survey of physicians,’ by Sermo, found that ‘67% believe pharmaceutical companies could improve communications with HCPs and could do more to help physicians make prescribing decisions.’

Hence, even with the much-reduced threat from Covid infection, as and when it will happen, the same trend is likely to change the scope and traditional toolkit for future new brand launch, as well. Hence, pharma companies would, need to change their sales training architecture, accordingly – like simulation training – always keeping one ear on the ground.

Proven edge of simulation training in healthcare during Covid-19:

There are several studies in this area in different parts of the world. To illustrate the point, let me quote a Canadian study, published by ResearchGate in December 2020. It made several important points, which I summarized, as below.

The study elucidates, healthcare resources were strained to previously unforeseeable limits because of COVID-19 pandemic, in most countries. The unprecedented nature of disruption in health systems prompted the emergence of rapid simulation training for critical just-in-time COVID-19 education. The aim was to improve preparedness for giving high quality care to rapidly increasing number of Covid infected patients, including caregivers, across all healthcare sectors.

The researchers found that simulation training was pivotal for healthcare provider learning, alongside new systems integration, development of new processes, workflows, checklists, protocols, and in the delivery of quality clinical care to all concerned.

To cope with the new reality, triggered by the Covid pandemic, as also demonstrated by several other studies, simulation training has the potential to deliver the best learning outcomes. Some may obviously would seek a little more clarity in understanding what exactly is a simulation training that I am referring to.

What exactly is simulation training?

It won’t be terribly difficult for pharma marketers to understand what exactly simulation training in pharma sales and marketing is. As the name suggests, simulation is a replication of what happens or may happen in a real-life situation. In this particular case, it involves the simulation of changing pharma customers and market behavior and expectations, in the new normal.

Thus, a simulation training process, say for a new brand launch, would create virtual market scenarios by replicating all recent changes in customer behavior/expectations and the market dynamics – of a specific territory. This is usually done with AI based computer software, designed to help sales force learning of a real-life situation, without being in the thick of it on the ground. In simulated training, the selected trainees interact with technology, rather than reading notes or listening through the lectures of persons having similar insights.

The selling simulators are cost-effective and provides better outcomes:

Besides being cost-effective, simulation training is also considered a 24-carat way of developing new skills, and also assessing how well the trainees are translating the new learnings into practice. No wonder why even the US National Library of Medicine, after evaluation and review of several research studies, has acknowledged that simulation training imparts learning ‘just like a real thing.’

How will it work on the new product launch?

In pharma sales and marketing area, the simulation of customers’ post-pandemic new needs and expectations, can be simulated by developing a ‘selling simulator’ for new product launch, in the new normal. These simulators will integrate AI-based software with game dynamics or gamification, creating a virtual field situation for sales reps to continuously learn and hone their new-product launch skills. The required contemporary skills may often be unique in nature, beyond the traditional pathways, even where there are no footsteps to follow.

Why simulation training for a new drug launch will add greater value?

This  query is also well deliberated in the McKinsey & Company article - ‘Reshaping pharma’s strategy in the next normal,’ published on December 15, 2020, with the Covid pandemic as the backdrop. It underscores, ‘it is clear that major shifts in the way that healthcare professionals (HCPs) interact with pharma companies will present a challenge for the traditional launch model, with its reliance on face-to-face meetings with physicians and its “one size fits all” approach to engagement.’

The study further points out that “the traditional pharma commercial model will likely struggle to adapt to a different world. When reps venture back into the field, they will need to address the plurality and access challenges of the new interaction landscape. To do that, they will need to consider a new approach to launches: one that is digital, local, and personalized.”

This changing need will call for a new genre of training, and I think, simulation training for pharma reps will prove to be more productive in this area.

Conclusion:

Many uncertainties in the pharma business continue, even after the second wave of Covid pandemic, with the Damocles sword of its third wave hanging over the head, including the Indian population. In the current volatile pharma business environment, as an article on the subject, published by the Pharmaceutical Executive on July 30, 2021, articulates – the challenges of remote work mean that training approaches must be adaptable and engaging.

Simulation training, with its power to engage learners, and developed for strategically minded, and data-literate sales teams, would become a key component of the future pharmaceutical sales training landscape. This is destined to happen regardless of whether delivered on site or in remote training formats. From this perspective, I reckon, with a well thought-out – AI-driven selling simulator, especially for new product launch, to start with, could be a potential game changer in yet mostly untried new normal.

By: Tapan J. Ray  

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.

With Changing Customer Behavior Pharma To Leverage AI For Better Engagement

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More than 55 million doses of Coronavirus vaccines were administered in India, reportedly, at the beginning of the last week of March 2021, in what is the world’s biggest inoculation drive. Notably, amid this mega initiative, the news media simultaneously reported that ‘India is facing a second wave of coronavirus because it let its guard down too soon.’ I also reiterated in my article of November 16, 2020 that in the thick of ‘Covid Vaccine Challenges – Abidance To Defined Health Norms Stays As Lifeguard.’

From the pharmaceutical industry perspective – as I had written on July 06, 2020, in the midst of this pandemic, there appears to be a break in the clouds that pharma should effectively leverage. There isn’t an iota of doubt that Covid pandemic, for-all-practical-purposes, has propelled healthcare into a virtual world, primarily for survival of business, maintaining the continuity.

Most pharma players, especially in the sales and marketing domain, either were not or, were using e-marketing, in a selective way, as a key strategic tool in their brand prescription generation process. The pace of this shift in the digital space is now getting accelerated to more than neutralize the long-term impact of unprecedented business disruptions that overwhelmed the industry, last year.

Interestingly, a large number of pharma marketers weren’t focusing much beyond syndicated retail and prescription audit data, in the old normal. Whereas, to make digital strategies work effectively during rapidly changing customer behavior and business environment, ‘customer centricity’ is no longer an option today. It’s rather a key business success factor for effective customer engagement, in the prevailing environment. Thus, unlocking the ‘Herculean Power’ of targeted data of many types and genre, is a pre-requisite for acquiring deep insight in this area, while moving in this direction.

Alongside, comes the need to unleash the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to ensure pinpoint accuracy in targeted strategy formulation for the same. Well before Covid struck, I wrote on April 01, 2019 – ‘A New Pharma Marketing Combo That Places Patients At The Center of Business,’ flagging a slowly emerging need. Covid, unexpectedly, has provided a strong tailwind to it, increasing its urgency manifold in the new normal.

Consequently, pharma marketers should have, at least, a working knowledge in this area – such as ‘machine learning’ and other analytics-based processes of AI that can help them enormously. In this article I shall discuss, why it is so important for today’s astute pharma marketers to hone their knowledge in this area for making a strategic shift towards ‘real-life’ Patient-Centricity. No wonder, why top pharma leaders now consider this transformation so critical for pharma strategy formulators, to acquire a cutting-edge in the digital marketing warfare.

Patient needs aren’t really at the center of a business strategy, today:

Despite so much hype on patient-centricity – in a true sense, patient-expressed needs aren’t generally placed at the center of a business strategy, as on date, unlike most non-pharma companies. That pharma players, by and large, don’t have a robust online feedback mechanism in place to capture ‘patient-experience’ with medications – directly from patients, vindicates the point.

As I reiterated in my article of March 21, 2021: ‘Measuring patient-experience has always been an integral part, virtually of all types of sales and marketing using digital platforms. We experience it almost every day, such as, while buying a product through Amazon, buying grocery items through D-Mart, scheduling a doctor appointment through Practo, buying medicines through PharmEasy, or even for availing a service through Urban Company.’

Thus, patient-experience, in their own words, with prescribed medications, is generally expressed to the physician, if at all. The process, generally, doesn’t get extended to drug companies’ strategy formulators for taking a patient-centric amendment, wherever needed.

However, assuming that doctors would convey the same to concerned medical representatives, it becomes a third hand (patient-doctor-Rep-Company) feedback, with commensurate distortions in each verbal transfer of communications. The outcome of this strategic gap has been captured in several research studies.

Outcomes of absence of online direct ‘patient experience’ feedback system:

Let me elaborate this point by quoting an example from a contemporary research in this area. This study was conducted by DrugsDisclosed.com in August 2020 with a total of 3,346 patients all taking medicine on a daily basis – aged between 18 and 80. The key findings are as follows:

  • 72% of patients feel ignored by pharma companies.
  • 76% don’t trust advice from them.
  • 81% feel that drug players influence prescribing decisions.
  • 63% would like to give product feedback to directly to companies.
  • 69% find their medication effective.
  • 81% feel their medication is needed.
  • 77% feel confident with their medication.
  • 82% don’t feel bothered by side effects from their medicine.
  • 73% take the medicine as agreed with their doctor.
  • 74% feel that the benefits of their medication outweigh the disadvantages.

The study concluded – the above insights show the need for patients’ voices to be heard by the pharma companies. If medicines are to solve health problems for billions of people who need them, listening to real-life patient-experience with medication, is the key to unshackle the full potential of the world’s health systems. Thus, pharma companies need to directly listen to what patients experience and express with their medicines. It will help them earn customer-trust and greatness in business, while gaining new and important insights for performance excellence.

I hasten to add, although, this study was conducted among patients residing in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, the core issue, even in India, is unlikely to be much different from what appears above. This genre of pharma marketing approach would warrant extensive use of AI, much more in the coming days – than ever before.

The above genre of pharma marketing calls for extensive use of AI:

The above genre of pharma marketing calls for extensive use of AI, much more in the coming days than ever before. For example, as new generations of Covid vaccines will come – with some without the use of needles, like a nasal drop, machine learning tools may be necessary for pinpoint accuracy in market segmentation. I reckon, there will be many such areas, where those companies who would use AI to orchestrate a cohesive customer experience, will drive stronger differentiation, better customer access and higher sales impact.

In that process, creating opportunities and empowerment for deserving marketers to reap the benefits of AI based digital tools and systems, such as machine learning with human integration within sales and marketing, will be the need of the hour. Gaining actionable insights from this endeavor, marketers need to go whole hog to unleashing the power and value of AI for achieving business excellence. I wrote about it, even during pre-Covid days – on July 15, 2019. But, this approach has assumed much greater importance in the new normal, when innovative e-marketing is gaining momentum to gain a competitive edge. However, this would require more investment in AI than what it is today.

The process has accelerated during the Covid pandemic:

This has come out clearly in the results of McKinsey Global Survey 2020 on AI. The paper is titled – ‘The state of AI in 2020’ and was published on November 17, 2020. The findings of the study ‘suggest that organizations are using AI as a tool for generating value. Increasingly, that value is coming in the form of revenues.’

Although, the number of these companies is small, they are planning ‘to invest even more in AI in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its acceleration of all things digital.’ The paper emphasizes that this could create a wider divide between AI leaders and the majority of companies who are still struggling to capitalize on the technology.

Pharma’s increasing use of AI during the pandemic:

The above trend gets reflected in the ‘AI In Pharma Global Market Report 2021: Covid-19 Growth And Change.’ The report underscores, the global AI in pharma market is expected to grow from $0.91 billion in 2020 to $5.94 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 47%. The initial spurt in growth was mainly due to companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, the report underscores.

Although, the number of pharma entrants in this space isn’t yet very many, major players includePfizer, Novartis, IBM Watson, Merck, AstraZeneca and Bayer. Gradually, some Indian drug companies are also testing water in this area, as discussed in the article – ‘The Increasing Use Of AI In The Pharmaceutical Industry,’ published by Forbes on December 26, 2020.

Conclusion:

“Patient-Centricity” emerging as a hallmark, fueled by rapidly changing expectations and behavior of pharma customers, especially doctors and patients. To be effective with such changes in market dynamics – capturing ‘patient experience’ with medication – directly from them – to the respective companies online, is a necessity today.

Most other industries involved in digital marketing are already doing so. Pharma companies while embracing e-marketing can’t just wish it away, any longer. Today, when digital marketing has commenced in the pharma industry, with accelerated speed – machine learning alongside the creative application of AI powered analytics, can immensely help gaining actionable insights on customers. These include customer experience, their perception and pattern of usage of brands, besides channel preferences, preferred contents for effective engagement.

Thus, the consequences of not directly listening to patients’ voice on structured digital platforms – supported by analytics, can be ignored at pharma marketer’s own peril. Many of them may not yet be able to fathom the depth of its potential, opportunities and possible roadblocks, or simply unable to figure out where to begin with and – how. Experts’ hand-holding will be pivotal for them in the transition phase of this endeavor. From this perspective, I reckon, to keep pace with fast-changing customer behavior, pharma marketers need directly listen to patients’ voice online. And based on which, develop customized strategies by leveraging AI – for more productive engagement with them.

By: Tapan J. Ray   

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.

With More Patients Preferring Telehealth Pharma Marketing Needs Retooling

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Even after six months of COVID-19 pandemic, the omnipresent chaos, general unease and apprehensions about a yet unpredictable future continues in all countries, including India. In absence of vaccines and proven medicines to address the disease, wearing face mask, maintaining social distancing and frequent hand sanitizing, remain the primary measures for all to combat this unprecedented health crisis.

The rapid spread of the lethal Coronavirus has not only impacted lives and livelihoods, besides changing the health care ecosystem – with a silver lining, though. The pandemic has instilled a sense of urgency – an accelerated speed – in the entire value chain of the health care systems, including the pharma industry.

To contain the rapid spread of the disease – many physicians, Governments and even patients themselves, are being encouraged to leverage technological platforms, for various non-Covid related medical needs. Realizing that there no other working alternatives in this situation, even most skeptical doctors and patients are now resorting to video consultations.

Consequently, ‘Telemedicine’, in different forms, has started growing in leaps and bounce. Its spin-off benefits favor the patients – better care at lower costs, sans any further strain on the existing health care systems. Along with many others, the Bloomberg article of April 10, 2020 – ‘Coronavirus Should Finally Smash the Barriers to Telemedicine,’ also expects it to grow, not just during the pandemic, but much beyond.

Echoing the World Health Organization (W.H.O) on the need to promote telemedicine in this health crisis, Niti Aayog of India also acknowledged, ‘‘Telemedicine: A Blessing In Disguise In Time Of COVID-19.’ It further added, ‘With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has finally gained momentum. Telemedicine providers reported an overnight increase in demand, acceptance among doctors, paramedics, and consumers.’

As patient-doctor interactions are now expanding – from personal visits to physicians to remote telehealth, is there a need for recomposing notes of the pharma marketing playbook - to excel in the new world order?  This article would focus on this specific area of leveraging ‘The Break in The Clouds’.

Telemedicine and its key primary driver: 

‘Telemedicine’– often called telehealth or e-medicine, in simple term, involves the remote delivery of health care services, when both doctors and patients are not physically present at the same place. It includes, patient examination, doctor consultations, diagnosis, treatment and remote monitoring, over the technology enabled modern communication infrastructure.

Although, telemedicine is not a new concept, it was not very popular for various reasons, till Covid pandemic offered no other viable alternatives to non-Covid patients. The article – ‘COVID-19: The rise and rise of telemedicine,’ published in the MobileHealthNews on May 27, 2020, also vindicates this point. It reconfirmed: ‘Telemedicine has experienced a huge surge in adoption over the past few months, during the coronavirus pandemic.’

Even Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, ‘Telehealth – A Technology-Based Weapon in the War Against the Coronavirus’ of May 13, 2020, found the demand for telehealth technology rising dramatically, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the delivery of healthcare worldwide. Thus, ongoing stringent requirements of wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing to contain the virus spread, will continue to drive the growth telemedicine as the preferred way of accessing healthcare.

Indian perspective of increased online access to health care:

Practo’s Insight Report of June 20, 2020, titled, ‘How India accessed health care in the last three months,’ has revealed some interesting India-specific data in this area. This study was based on transactions of 500 million Indians accessing health care online, during March 1, 2020 to May 31, 2020 period. It found, while COVID-19 continued to remain India’s topmost concern, ‘telemedicine has helped doctors – patients stay connected, as people practiced physical/social distancing.’ This resulted into a ‘500 percent increase in online doctor consultations,’ in that time frame. Other important findings of this report include:

  • 80 percent of all telemedicine users experienced it for the first time.
  • 44 percent of the teleconsultations were from non-metro cities.
  • In-person doctor visits dropped by 67 percent.
  • Indians consulted their doctors 2 times per month, using telemedicine.

The surge in teleconsultations in India, reportedly, follows the long-pending telemedicine guidelines which were finally issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with NITI Aayog and Board of Governors, Medical Council of India (MCI).

Could ‘Telehealth’ be a game changer even beyond Covid time?

Many experts in this area believe so. For example, the article – ‘Telehealth could be a game-changer in the fight against COVID-19. Here’s why,’ published the World Economic Forum on May 01, 2020, makes some important observations. It suggests: ‘Beyond the pandemic, governments, insurers and healthcare providers need to work together to ensure that the innovation sparked by this crisis endures and accelerates. Post-crisis, telehealth can still help alleviate the pressures posed by healthcare resource shortages, the growing elderly population and issues with healthcare accessibility.’

The article, published in the Invest in India website of the Government of India, on April 10, 2020, emphasized the relevance and benefits of ‘Telemedicine’ in India – even after Covid Time. Conceding, in-person health care delivery in the country is challenging, given the large geographical distances and limited resources, it enumerated all-time relevance and the key advantages of ‘Telemedicine,’ as hereunder:

  • Saves cost, effort and other related inconveniences, especially of rural patients, as they need not travel long distances for obtaining consultation and treatment, also limiting burden on the secondary hospitals.
  • Ensures higher likelihood of maintenance of records and documentation, minimizing the possibility of missing out advice from the doctor and other health care staff.
  • Provides safety to patients and health workers’, especially where there is a risk of contagious infections.
  • The doctor has an exact document of the advice provided via tele-consultation. Written documentation increases the legal protection of both the parties.
  • Enables the availability of vital parameters of the patient available to the physician with the help of medical devices such as blood pressure, blood glucose, managing.
  • Provides equal access to quality care to all, minimizing inequity and barriers to access.

The official guidelines for telemedicine practices in the country are aimed at allowing registered medical practitioners to providing remote consultation. Under this backdrop, Telemedicine is expected to remain in a growth trajectory, even in India. Accordingly, there arises a need for recomposing notes of the pharma marketing playbook - to excel in the new world order. 

Increasing telehealth preference prompts marketing strategy retooling:

As I wrote on July 10, 2020, pharma leaders need to leverage the art of turning challenges into opportunities, now – especially when telehealth is at the threshold of playing a pivotal role in the health care delivery systems. In this scenario, traditional pharma brand-demand generation strategies are unlikely to deliver expected business results, anymore. Pharma players would need to work out fresh and effective marketing models, in-sync with patients changing health care related needs. Conceiving, strategizing, and delivering changing patient-value based content, effectively, using modern omnichannel platforms, would be the new ballgame.

‘Telehealth is more than a channel for delivering care’:

As the ZS Insights article – ‘While telehealth continues to evolve, pharma needs to keep an eye on the future,’ published on August 03, 2020 reiterated: ‘Telehealth is more than a channel for delivering care, it reflects a fundamental shift in how brands reach patients and physicians.’ Following are some key points worth noting:

  • Until now, in-person delivery of care has anchored brand marketing in the sales territory-based geographic perspective. Whereas, telehealth platforms are free of sales territory-based geographic distinction.
  • Physicians now provide telehealth services to patients in two ways, having different implications for pharma players:
  1. Vertically integrated virtual practices, such as, Practo, Lybrate and others in India.
  2. Brick-and-mortar offices, where physicians provide telehealth visits through     FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom and other teleconference platforms.

It is envisaged, alongside patients avoiding the risk of contracting Covid, tangible benefits of lower treatment cost and escaping long waiting time to meet the doctors physically, will encourage people switching to Telemedicine, for an indefinite period.

Collaborative, not standalone pharma marketing may not work better:

In the era of telehealth or Telemedicine, the common ground where patients, doctors and drug companies can meet, would be the telemedicine platforms. These may well be some popular telemedicine apps for e-consultation, such as, Meddo, Practo, mFine and others in India. Besides, there lies an opportunity for pharma companies also to develop custom-made ones, for installation by doctors.

These platforms can be effectively leveraged with collaborative approaches – for content delivery to physicians, patients and other stakeholders, at the appropriate time and places. There are various innovative ways to prepare a grand strategy for this purpose – ‘tailor-made’ for each company. And astute pharma marketers should play the role of ‘master tailors.’

Conclusion:

Meanwhile, as on October 11, 2020 morning, India recorded a staggering figure of 7,051,413 of Coronavirus cases with 108,371 deaths. The daily number of new cases appeared to have slowed down during the last week.

Nonetheless, the unprecedented and savage onslaught of the new Coronavirus has unsettled the pharma industry, as it disrupted the old normal of the world. At the same time, many people have also demonstrated high resilience, grit and innovative mind to keep moving, in a relatively orderly manner – amid an omnipresent chaos, as it were. In the health care space, the need for responding to non-Covid related health emergencies, pushed people to experiment with not much used before – telehealth or  Telemedicine.

It worked and continues receiving support from all concerned. Its other major benefits also surfaced – as a breath of fresh air. It’s unlikely that people will let it go, in the foreseeable future, which has a great implication to pharma industry. With more patients and doctors increasingly preferringTelemedicine, in various ways, pharma marketing needs retooling its strategy kit – by expanding into collaborative approaches with Telemedicine providers.

By: Tapan J. Ray    

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.

 

Rewriting Pharma Strategy For ‘Doctor Google’ Era

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In search of more and more information on an ailment, a large number of Internet savvy individuals now feel comfortable to consult ‘Doctor Google’ – much before approaching a qualified medical professional for the same. If and when they visit one, many would possibly have arrived at a ‘symptoms-diagnosis correlation’ – based on their own interpretations of the sessions with ‘Doctor Google’– right or wrong.

‘Doctor Google’ – a ‘weird’ terminology, was virtually unheard of, until recently. This name owes its origin to universally popular ‘Google Search Engine.’ The number of frequent ‘consultations’ with ‘Doctor Google’ is breaking new records almost every day – primarily driven by deep penetration of smartphones – a versatile device that helps to charting unhindered, anywhere in the cyberspace.

In this article, I shall not go into whether this trend is good or bad. Nonetheless, the hard fact is, in the modern digital age, this trend is fast gaining popularity, across the world, including India. I shall discuss below, why and how the impact of ‘Doctor Google’ syndrome sends a strong signal to pharma companies to rewrite their business strategies for sustainable future growth.

‘Doctor Google’ syndrome:

To be on the same page with all my readers, ‘Doctor Google’ terminology is used for the process of getting various disease, treatment or medicine related information from cyberspace and especially through Google Search.This practice is currently being followed by many individuals who arenot qualified medical professionals, but through ‘Google Search’ often try to self-diagnose a disease or medical condition, or other health related issues. Some may even cross verify a professional doctor’s advice with ‘Doctor Google’.

Today, it is not uncommon to visit ‘Doctor Google’ first, instead of immediately visiting a General Practitioner (GP) for seeking professional advice. The areas of such search may range from trivial to even serious health conditions. The bottom-line therefore is, prompt ‘information seeking’ of all kinds, including health, and forming an opinion based on available information, is fast becoming a behavioral pattern within Internet canny and smartphone equipped population, across the world.

Medical Journals also reported this trend:

This trend has been captured in medical journals, as well. For example, a paper on Dr. Google in the Emergency Department (ED), published by the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) on August 20, 2018 concluded as follows:

“Online health care information was frequently sought before presenting to an ED, especially by younger or e-health literate patients. Searching had a positive impact on the doctor-patient interaction and was unlikely to reduce adherence to treatment.”

Yet another study titled, ‘What Did You Google? Describing Online Health Information Search Patterns of ED patients and Their Relationship with Final Diagnoses’, published onJuly 14, 2017 in the ‘Western Journal of Emergency Medicine’, came with a thought-provoking conclusion. Reiterating that Internet has become an important source of health information for patients, this study observed, many of these online health searches may be more general or related to an already-diagnosed condition or planned treatment, as follows:

  • 35 percent of Americans reported looking online, specifically to determine what medical condition they may have;
  • 46 percent of those reported that the information they found online led them to think they needed medical attention;
  • The majority of patients used symptoms as the basis of their pre-ED presentation Internet search. When patients did search for specific diagnoses, only a minority searched for the diagnosis they eventually received.

Availability of credible online ‘symptom-checkers’:

To help patients getting credible information on many symptoms, there are several highly regarded online sources for the same, such as, a Symptom Checker provided by the Mayo Clinic of global repute.

The purpose of this tool is to help narrow search along a person’s information journey. This is not purported to be a self-diagnostic tool. A ‘symptom-checker’allows searchers to choose a variety of factors related to symptoms, helping to limit the potential medical conditions accordingly. This tool does not incorporate all personal, health and demographic factors related to the concerned person, which could allow a definitive cause or causes to be pinpointed. It also flags, the most reliable way to determine the cause of any symptom, and what to do, is to visit a competent health care provider.

Further, the research letter titled, ‘Comparison of Physician and Computer Diagnostic Accuracy’, published in the December 2016 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine, records additional important findings, as follows:

  • Physician diagnostic error is common and information technology may be part of the solution.
  • Given advancements in computer science, computers may be able to independently make accurate clinical diagnoses.
  • Researchers compared the diagnostic accuracy of physicians with computer algorithms called symptom-checkers and evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of 23 symptom-checkers using 45 clinical vignettes. These included the patient’s medical history and had no physical examination or test findings.
  • Across physicians, they were more likely to list the correct diagnosis first for high-acuity vignettes and for uncommon vignettes. In contrast, symptom checkers were more likely to list the correct diagnosis first for low-acuity vignettes and common vignettes.

Nonetheless, the above examples further reinforce the fact that patients now have access to robust online health-related data, on various aspects of a disease treatment process.

Technology is rapidly transforming healthcare:

That technology is rapidly transforming healthcare is vindicated by the estimate that the global market for digital health is expected to reach £43 billion by the end of 2018. This was noted in an article, titled ‘3 ways the healthcare industry is looking more like Google, Apple and Amazon’, published in Pharma IQ on November 16, 2018.

Pharma companies are realizing that an increasing number of patients now have better access to online information regarding their overall health and medical conditions, including various prevention and treatment options with costs for each. As people take a more active role in managing their health, pharma players, especially in their engagement with patients, require moving from mostly passive to active communication platforms. Consequently, personalizing health care products and services is expected to become the new norm, making the traditional pharma business models virtually redundant, the article highlights.

While going through this metamorphosis, pharma sector would willy-nilly emerge as an integrated technology-based industry. More tech-based changes will call for in various critical interfaces related to an organization’s ‘patient-orientation’, which is today more a lip-service than the ground reality. Entry of pure tech-based companies such as Google, Amazon and Apple into the healthcare space would hasten this process.Although such changes are taking place even in India, pharma companies in the country are yet to take it seriously.

Pioneering ‘omnichannel’ engagement is pivotal: 

Again, to be on the same page with all, the term Omnichannel in the pharma parlance may be used for a cross-channel content strategy for improving patient engagement and overall patient-experience. This should include all touchpoints in the diagnosis and treatment process of a disease. It is believed, the ‘companies that use ‘omnichannel’, contend that a customer values the ability to engage with a company through multiple avenues at the same time.’ Thus, pioneering ‘omnichannel’ engagement is critical for a pharma player in today’s scenario.

A valid question may come up – is ‘Omnichannel (all-channel)’ patient engagement is just another name of ‘Multichannel (many-channel)’ engagement? No – not really. Interestingly, both will be able to deliver targeted contents to patients through a number of interactive digital platforms, namely smartphone-based Apps, specially formatted websites, social media community and the likes. But the difference is, as a related paper lucidly puts it - ‘Omnichannel approach connects these channels, bridging technology-communication gaps that may exist in multichannel solutions.’

That said, just as the above-mentioned pure technology companies, pharma players also need to learn the art of gathering a large volume of credible data, analyze those through modern data analytics for taking strategic decisions. This is emerging as an essential success requirement, even in the health care arena.

Precise data-based answers to strategic questions, as planned, are to be used effectively for omnichannel personalized patient engagement. This is fundamental to offer a delightful personal experience to patients, encompassing diagnosis, treatment, recovery, including follow-up stages of an ailment, especially involving the chronic ones. Only well-qualified and adequately trained professionals with in-depth pharma domain knowledge can make it happen – consistently, across multiple channels, such as social media, Apps and devices – seamlessly.

Real time customer data management is critical:

Virtually real time customer data management of huge volume that aims to provide ‘Unique Patient Experience (UPQ)’,is the lifeblood of success in any ‘omnichannel’ engagement. This is criticalnot just for right content strategy formulation, but also to ensure effective interaction and utilization between all channels, as intended, besides assessing the quality of UPQ. Once the process is in place, the marketers get to know promptly and on an ongoing basis, about the quality patient experience – as they travel through various touchpoints, to intervene promptly whenever it calls for. I explained this point in my article titled ‘Holistic Disease Treatment Solution: Critical for Pharma Success’, featured in this blog on October 29, 2018.

Credible data are all important – not just any data:

Real time voluminous data generation, coupled with astute analysis and crafty usage   of the same, has immense potential to unlock doors of many opportunities. The effective leverage of which ensures excellence in business. But most important in this endeavor, it is of utmost importance to ensure that such data are of high quality – always. Similarly, use of any high-quality data, if not relevant to time, in any way or outdated, can be equally counterproductive.

An article titled, ‘Hitting Your Targets: A Check-up on Data’, published at PharmExec.com on August 02, 2018, aptly epitomizes it. It says, no matter what sophisticated technologies a life sciences organization uses, and how smart its sales and marketing strategy is, if there are flaws and gaps in foundational provider data, the company will end up with wasted resources and lost market share. Implementing ongoing data governance and stewardship programs will help improve efficiencies, allocate resources, and target customers with increased precision.

Conclusion:

Going back to where I started from, it’s a fact that many Internet-friendly people now visit ‘Doctor Google’, much before they visit a medical doctor. Most probably, they will also arrive at a list of possible diagnoses, according to their own assessment.

While going through this process, they acquire an experience, which may or may not be new or unique in nature – depending on various circumstances. But the key point is, such patients – the number of which is fast increasing, are no longer as naïve as before on information related to a host of ailments. Consequently, the ‘pharma-patient interaction’ that has traditionally been passive, and through the doctors, will require to be more active and even proactive. This has to happen covering all the touchpoints in an involved disease treatment process where pharma is directly or indirectly involved.

To be successful in this new paradigm, pharma companies need to ensure that such ‘active communication’ with patients is necessarily based on a large pool of constantly updated credible data, exchanged through ‘omnichannel’ interactive platforms. The key success factor that will matter most is providing ‘unique patient experience’ through this process and its high quality. From this perspective, I reckon, rewriting pharma business strategy is of prime importance in the fast unfolding ‘Doctor Google’ era.

By: Tapan J. Ray

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.