Empathy is at the core of everything we do and drives us to deliver superior support to patients along their treatment journey. It's the recognition that the “patient” is simply a human being in need. For those driven to answer this call, it's an exciting time. Modern marketing has brought about a continuous stream of new technologies designed to help improve and fill in the gaps of the patient-care continuum. However, while it can be easy to get caught up in the buzz surrounding these new technologies, it’s important for marketers to remain grounded and steadfast in providing patients with what they truly need as they navigate the ever-evolving virtual world.
This starts with thoroughly mapping today’s patient journey to identify how pharma—and these new technological advancements—can effectively support patients. An IQVIA white paper, Transformation of Patient Journey in the Digital Age, elaborated on this critical step: “The most successful companies stringently map the patient journey to tap into a patient’s experience through a disease, from symptom onset to diagnosis, treatment, and management. ... Capturing that holistic 360-degree view is imperative because it’s only by understanding what is of ‘value’ to patients that companies can develop tailored services and solutions to help patients stay adherent to treatments and improve health outcomes.”
As marketers, we are intrepid explorers at heart. We act like sherpas, studying and mastering the complex healthcare landscape to guide patients and help them overcome any obstacles they face on their journey to receiving treatment. By encouraging patients along the way, we also empower them to become active participants in their healthcare plan. What does this look like? While each patient’s journey can be unique, there are common stages that many encounter.
The health scare
The journey begins when patients and caregivers realize that something is “not quite right” upon symptom onset. During this stage, they spend time gathering information: the causes and potential health implications of their symptoms, possible treatments, the physicians in their provider's network. While the research methods are numerous, they typically include search, visits to health-related websites, mobile health apps, AI-powered chatbots, social media platforms, and their healthcare institution’s online patient portal. This may be a stressful time for the patient and their caregivers, as it's tempting to assume the worst possible outcome.
This uncertain time is an opportunity for pharmaceutical marketers to provide emotional and educational support through disease-education content, symptom-assessment tools, sponsorships of patient-support groups, physician-locator tools, and doctor-discussion guides. A discussion guide is particularly effective at empowering patients and their caregivers to proactively engage in a constructive dialogue with their doctor instead of passively listening to a diagnosis and potential treatment options.
The visit
The next stage is the consultation. This is the first time the patient and their caregiver are engaging with their primary care physician (PCP) or a specialist, either in-person or through a telemedicine platform, to uncover the cause of their symptoms. Despite the healthcare provider's best efforts to deliver complex medical information in layman's terms, it may still be a confusing and overwhelming experience for the patient as they try to quickly process all this new information about possible diseases and treatment protocols. This is the next opportunity for pharmaceutical marketers to provide support along the treatment journey by helping make sense of the information at this critical point of care.
One way to do this is by employing interactive exam room touchscreens at the point of care (POC) to help explain the possible disease and treatment options through easy-to-digest educational materials, such as 3D models to show the effects of the condition on the body. Additionally, brochures that patients can take home and review while they wait for a diagnosis can help reinforce the healthcare provider's presentation and direct them to other valuable online resources. These should include branded messaging to build awareness of how the treatment fits into the condition in advance of diagnosis, as this can lead to increased conversion during the solution phase.
Another helpful initiative is a patient feedback loop with digital surveys to understand the patient's perspective, experience, and comprehension of their possible disease. The benefits of this feedback loop are twofold. Not only does it provide insights that help identify gaps in care and pain points, it also encourages patient engagement by reinforcing the idea that their input is crucial in helping them receive the best possible health outcomes.
The diagnosis
The diagnosis stage can be incredibly emotional for patients—and where they can benefit from support the most. This is a critical moment in their journey as the patient and their caregiver are focused on fully understanding the disease and treatment options. This is an ideal time to provide additional educational materials and support to help them better understand what they can expect after being diagnosed and explain the treatment options available to them. This stage presents the most pivotal moment where collecting patient feedback can help marketers fully understand the patient’s mindset and concerns after being newly diagnosed and help guide modifications to the support offered to them at this stage.
The solution
Once a treatment is selected, patients and caregivers should be educated on every aspect of it, from its benefits to the potential side effects they may experience. Cost and coverage are also primary concerns for patients that should be clearly presented. The brand website should be easy to navigate and offer engaging, brand-specific content. Interactive videos can convey important information about the treatment in a memorable way. Testimonial videos in particular can serve as powerful tools by offering patients hope as they come to terms with their new reality. An AI-powered chatbot can be integrated into the brand website to allow patients to ask questions about the treatment and discover the answers they are looking for in real time to help them set realistic treatment expectations. For treatments with financial assistance, the cost-savings program details, including eligibility criteria, should be easy to understand with clear enrollment instructions. An intuitive online enrollment process can help reduce the patient’s burden and help accelerate the time to treatment.
The aftercare
For chronic conditions, treatment is followed by the maintenance stage. Patients may become wary as they deal with setbacks, side effects, and changes in their treatment protocol. That’s why it’s important that their “sherpa” provides resources that encourage them to not give up. Adherence tools such as online symptom- and progress-tracking programs, appointment reminder apps, and medication alerts can encourage patients to stay committed to their treatment plans. Online testimonial videos emphasizing the importance of ongoing treatments, a robust customer relationship management (CRM) program, additional digital education materials, online patient communities, and the continued collection of information via the patient feedback loop can help motivate patients and their caregivers to ensure that patients are keeping up with their treatments.
The journey evolves
As the marketing world becomes increasingly more digital, so has the patient journey. This fundamental change has shifted the care continuum by allowing patients to play a central role in their healthcare. Advancements in AI, virtual and augmented reality, wearable devices, evolving telemedicine platforms, at-home diagnostic tools connected to EHR systems, and many other new technologies will continue encouraging and empowering patients to take greater control. As a result, pharmaceutical marketers must frequently review and modify their digital patient journey maps to set patients up for success and help them stay on track by giving them the information they need—exactly when they need it.
Interested in decoding and digitizing your patient's ideal treatment journey? We're ready whenever you are. Learn more at DeerfieldAgency.com/solutions.
