To connect with consumers, you need to fit into their lives on their terms and empower them with information.
As a digital strategist and innovator with a history of building large-scale consumer health businesses, Dan Wilmer recognizes the importance of creating strategies, products, and tools that can result in a meaningful and measurable experience for patients at various touchpoints — in the pharmacy aisle, in their provider’s office, and everywhere in between.
“Everything that we’re doing in our pharmacy network and in doctors’ offices with our digital tools is to help patients be more prepared and more knowledgeable about their own health," Dan says. “We know digital tools can help support patients in reaching their health goals."
To realize the full impact of digital means having the right information, accessing the right places, and understanding the complete care experience. “We call this iX, or the individual experience, and it is the foundation of everything we do," Dan says. “We have programs that connect brands to consumers and HCPs at every step of the way — and measure the results. This is the power of iX.
“We use an abundance of resources to analyze our network of pharmacies, physician offices, and digital solutions, then combine this information with pertinent brand research to create the best campaign possible," Dan continues.
These data sets include retail chain prescription data, medical and prescription claims data, geolocation visitation data, and health-related purchase information. Through the application of data and analytics, InStep Health can create highly personalized messaging.
“With HIPAA-compliant digital targeting, we have gotten very good at matching patients with messaging that will benefit them the most," Dan says.
For example, InStep Health creates innovative in-aisle, waiting room, exam room, and digital assets to make brand messages the center of attention for a company’s target audience. “Consumers pay attention to our displays in the pharmacy because the resources they find there matter to them," Dan says. “We call it the Mindset Moment. Take-ones with prescription product details, prescription savings offers, and other high-impact educational materials drive the consumer to the pharmacist or physician to find out more."
The opportunities in this setting are immense, since 81% of consumers self-treat with over-the-counter medications. InStep Health analysis shows that there is a 24% average incremental lift in brand volume when digital and in-venue tactics are combined.
“I think we are still in the early stages of understanding just how profound the impact of digital will be in the healthcare ecosystem going forward," Dan says. “There is no doubt that it is having a huge effect on helping people stay on their medications, become more educated, get to the right practitioner, and not suffer because they have been undiagnosed or misdiagnosed." (PV)
