Boris Kushkuley, General Manager Shane Mayer, Account Group Supervisor
In the healthcare arena, we can leverage the power of mobility to integrate the idea of compliance into patients’ everyday lives, even while they’re on the go.
If the old retail adage is true — it’s cheaper to keep an existing customer than to win a new one — then it’s no surprise when both new and mature brands look to implement retention programs for brands that treat chronic conditions. It’s just smart marketing.
Patients being treated for chronic conditions often experience a deeper, more personal level of brand engagement. If a treatment will continue for years — perhaps even to the end of a patient’s life — that patient is more likely to be receptive to branded compliance programs. They see a partner in a pharmaceutical company that takes a holistic look at the patient and offers them a better quality of life, rather than solely focusing on increasing sales.
Great compliance tools must fit into a patient’s everyday life, and must be integrated into their routine. So much of our lives now exists on a digital plane, it’s important to understand how to connect online and offline retention tools…while maintaining appropriate regulatory compliance. There are a few elements critical to increasing patient compliance in the digital era. While many of these basic components reflect common-sense strategies, the execution behind them can mean the difference between a branded tool that just looks “cool" and one that actually impacts compliance and the patient’s overall quality of life. Build for Mobility As mobile devices become more advanced, consumers are finding new and interesting ways to integrate them into their lifestyles. The rise of a new generation of smartphones, including the iPhone, has made it possible for relatively nontechnical people to use their devices in ways that were previously relegated to the home computer. In the healthcare arena, we can leverage the power of mobility to integrate the idea of compliance into patients’ everyday lives, even while they’re on the go. A medication calendar or symptom tracker can be an ideal tool for chronic conditions, since many conditions require compliance with daily medications with (almost) all of these drugs needing to be reordered. But think beyond the calendar. These devices can be used as a new rich media communication channel with the ability to deliver messaging directly to patients in an engaging, nonthreatening way. Brand It Part of Their Lifestyle For years marketers have walked a fine line, balancing between branded and unbranded communications. Compliance and adherence tools are no exception. It’s not just about providing a tool and slapping a logo onto it. It’s about changing the treatment paradigm to focus on more than just the chemical compound. Patient support programs and compliance tools can be a way to better align the brand with a patient’s personal goals. Patients today are often highly engaged in their own treatment, especially in chronic categories. If you are offering a tool or program that will help them become and remain more compliant, then your brand will be viewed as a partner on their road to recovery. Once this relationship is established, the branded nature of your communication is no longer an issue. As technology has become more user-friendly and lifestyle-oriented, computers and mobile devices have become extensions of people’s daily lives. Before you begin an electronically based compliance program, start first by researching the patients’ needs and habits, and you’ll have the right foundation to begin building appropriate compliance resources. Compliance tools for use on patients’ computers and mobile devices can be key in helping to differentiate your brand from other competing brands in the same category, especially generic drugs. Strong compliance tools will position your brand’s benefits and reshape the treatment model. As more generics enter your space, this will ultimately allow you to leverage your patient support and compliance programs as a value-based differentiator. n Qi, part of CommonHealth Qi is CommonHealth’s full-service digital agency, specializing in digital interactive solutions for pharmaceutical brands. For more information, visit commonhealth.com/qi.
