Pharmaceuticals

Respond to the demanding challenges of the pharma industry with an effective omnichannel strategy.

Introduction

While the COVID-19 pandemic has led governments around the globe to introduce unprecedented measures, healthcare systems have undergone and are still experiencing conclusive changes.

The Healthcare Industry experiences high costs, limited access and variable quality challenges: from poor user design to lack of insights and poor data access. Additionally, global supply chains have undergone huge disruption such as delays, stock outs and more. While consumer demands and expectations of their healthcare experience are changing, the industry is shifting from volume to value and technology is rapidly advancing.

The Healthcare Industry will be the key to fighting the pandemic with the scientific know- how, the management capabilities, and the physical and technological capacities to develop treatments. These technologies, partnerships and ideas will provide further opportunities to guarantee the sustainability and growth of this industry.

Key Challenges

Six Main Challenges
were identified facing the pharmaceutical industry in its ambition to become more patient-centered.

Lack of co-ordination among cross-functional teams

Regulatory uncertainty with regards to digital

Pharma’s notorious excessive pricing models

Limited data privacy

Lack of organizational agility impacting recruitment and retention of digital skills

Patent’s low levels of health and digital literacy

Opportunities

Moving from Legacy to Patient-Intimate Digital Marketing

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the pharmaceutical industry to restructure not only their customer engagement strategies, but also the way of measuring the results. Therefore, some companies are really struggling to establish meaningful KPIs for the “new” digital channels they have been implementing. Pharmaceuticals should turn these disruptive times into an opportunity for hyper-acceleration and re-inventing themselves to become stronger.

Reinventing the Value of Commercial Medical Representatives

Restrictions during the period of social distancing make remote engagement solutions urgent. Life sciences companies are looking for alternative channels to meet with HCP stakeholders and optimize HCP interactions with a convenient, flexible and compliant virtual solution. Doctors are increasingly closing their doors to traditional sales reps while those working for hospital groups have further restricted access to these sought-after professionals.

There are five key hurdles to progress; beyond compliance issues, organisations don’t believe they have the skills, the people or the overarching digital strategy to succeed. And they don’t know how to measure the return. These challenges are driving a widespread reluctance to invest more in MCM. multichannel success is not about tools and technologies – it’s about insight, planning, methodology and measurement. And it’s not about moment-in-time decision-making, it’s about having the awareness, agility and ability to continually monitor the flight path – and re-route as conditions change.

Source: BCG Analysis

While HCPs are turning away from in-person meetings with sales reps a midst the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still strategies for them to keep their pipelines full. Not surprisingly, other B2B industries have already added digital in a much more strategic role, such as omnichannel engagement excellence. Pharmaceuticals is still lagging behind. Digital not only allows companies to reach customers with speed and scale, it enables them to personalize content and build customer experiences that drive loyalty.

Rising Need for Digital Acumen across the Pharmaceutical Companies’ Employees

The behavior of the patient changes and the pharmaceutical industry has responded. Now, with digital at the forefront of its strategy, innovative practices are helping to enhance healthcare.

Pharmaceutical IoT
As patients demand faster and easier access to healthcare services the advent of IoT can be used to help the sector change and adopt. An example of that is the transformation of manufacturing and supply processes, which in turn has improved issues in quality control. Drug packaging is now having tags that monitor temperature, ensuring the products retain their integrity and quality during transit.

Electronic Health Records
The paper chart at the end of a patient’s bed will soon be a memory. There are multiple benefits from the use of electronic health records (EHR) instead, as the digital version provides instant updates, security, and better data organization. Digital records streamline the information sharing when patients move between different hospitals and when several doctors are involved.

Wearable Technology
Wearable technology gives the patients more responsibility in looking out for their own health as it allows real-time monitoring of symptoms or vitals and provides status reports or reminders so that both patients and medical staff stay informed.

Analytics
Health apps, such as Livingo, use advanced analytics to create personalized experiences on technology that didn’t exist three years ago. Using a ‘whole person’ approach Livongo offers patients care using digital technology to help people manage conditions e.g. using an iPhone fitted with a cellular chip to keep track of sugar levels in diabetes patients.

Solutions

Pharma patient engagement strategies

below we summarize the key engagement strategies pharma needs to adopt to overcome current challenges

Change corporate cultures and structures based on fostering innovation and attract appropriate talent.

Develop partnership to support digital technology deployment

New pricing models generated big data analytics

Automate processes and optimize digital hubs for patients

Predict and manage risks with data security and privacy risks

Build collaborative relationships with all stakeholders