Until a few years ago, pharma companies and patients had a very straightforward interaction. People would often visit a pharmacy or a doctor’s office to pick up prescription medicine and go home afterwards. Nowadays the pharma patient experience is gaining a new shape.
The Modern Pharma Patient Experience
The customer-centric model that pharma is heading to
Pharma companies are adjusting their way of work using the advantages of technology. This adaptation is vital to not risk losing market share. However, the modern pharma patient experience brings in other demands for pharmaceutical companies.
The modern patient for pharma is a lot more well-informed than past ones. Users expect that their interactions with a pharma company can mirror the experiences they have with their products.
In fact, the current pharma patient experience mirrors the customer-centric model that pharma companies are adopting. The patients of today want to have increased control of their health.
To keep up with the new market trends, it’s vital for pharma and healthcare companies to implement a customer-centric model. They need to recognize the patient as the main decision-maker.
Not only that but also understand experiences from their point of view. It’s vital for business purposes to have a full perception of what patients undergo. We mean from the first symptoms to the treatment that follows them.
Trust is also a weight factor that has affected the pharma sector for several years. Adopting a transparent style of communication will create trust, and increase brand recognition. Here are three of the main points that show why managing the modern patient experience is vital for pharma’s survival.
#1: A positive patient experience is vital for further engagement
The patient’s experience will be vital. It can determine whether patients are likely to continue to follow a company’s activity. It’s also vital to analyze if a person engages with a brand’s product or service.
In pharma’s context, one of the main points to consider is adherence to prescriptions. The lack of commitment to this can lead to drastic consequences for both the companies and the patients. For patients it’s the health issues, for pharma companies it’s the lost revenue.
There’s more than trying to reach new markets or increase the prices of medication. Improving the customer experience can have more benefits in the long term. By analyzing patients’ data in that regard, many companies will be aware of pending issues.
Reviewing experiences can help determine some of the main reasons for the non-adherence. In that sense, it can help to identify groups at higher risk.
This will provide pharma companies with a chance of adjusting treatment procedures. It’s an action that can better address the real needs and pain points of patients.
#2: Health outcomes are influenced by patient’s experiences
The patient’s experience throughout a procedure influences the final results. The path to healing is much more complex than identifying the symptoms. Or prescribing medication that leads to the cure.
In more complex cases and long-term medication, patients need ongoing support. In fact, some patients feel that pharma has an increasing role in making sure that patients make informed decisions. Through this, several organizations can help in educating the patient for better health outcomes.
Pharma companies can provide educational content that can clarify and tranquillize the patient. In the long run, from useful ebooks to explainer videos, there are a lot of formats that can educate and engage patients in their treatment.
#3: The patient’s point of view weights future marketing actions
The patients’ experience has an impact on the marketing decisions of a company. Addressing the main pain points of a target audience helps increase sales and the product or treatment development.
The truth is that many modern patients are willing to cooperate with big companies. That is, in exchange for “rewards” or free resources that can help them in health matters. Other tactics such as patient portals, personalized emails or mobile apps, can be useful in gathering vital data.
Pharma’s actions and decisions will change based on the public’s reactions to their products. Data analysis will be vital for the next steps by pharmaceutical companies.
A patient-centric model requires an effective management system
All things considered, to manage many of these procedures, pharma companies need to be wise in picking the right software tools. An ideal solution is through a patient case management system.
Through this, companies can have the full operations of their workforce gathered in one single platform. Of course, depending on the functions and goals of each worker in a pharma company, this decision must be flexible and adaptable to each case.
#1: Pick a platform that’s flexible and scalable
The first step in analyzing possible platforms is ensuring that they are easy to understand. Elements such as data integration, patient updates and care coordination must be simple to review by a pharma company’s team.
With the growing evolution of technology, another factor to consider is the scalability of the platforms. We mean elements such as automation, cloud capability, customizability and possible integrations with other platforms.
#2: Make sure that the staff has proper training to use it
There’s no point in having a potential platform to manage the work of pharma companies if the team doesn’t know how to use it. Staff training will be vital for the optimization of a variety of processes. Many software providers can include basic training in onboarding services.
In fact, many platform options can be very intuitive and easy to use, yet it depends on the goals at hand. Staff’s familiarity with technology can vary. It’s important to ensure general training for all team members or a specific one if the functions vary.
#3: Confirm the security measures and the useful resources
One of the factors that will help in the staff’s experience with a certain software is the resources. Especially on customer support. Help desk support is vital to help solve any predicaments that may come along the way.
Proper support will be vital to help a team adapt to a new workflow. Once the onboarding process starts, make sure that the workers get all the help they need on their tasks. The more they adapt to the platform, the less they will be needing a helpdesk.
Security measures are also a rule for the platform one picks. The good news is that modern cloud software takes this topic very seriously. In the past, these options had flaws in that regard. Nowadays they come off as more secure than the traditional on-site network infrastructures.
Conclusions
A proper patient-centric model requires smart maintenance. If the procedures are successful, the patient’s journey will have lasting benefits for the company.
It’s not only about focusing on the latest trend for platforms in this regard. Pharma companies need to take into account both the staff’s experience and the patient’s needs to succeed.
It’s one of the main steps into an omnichannel model. In essence, it’s a part of the new reality that will reign over healthcare organizations in the future.
In regards to the patient journey, the content that pharma companies provide them is vital. With a MedExplainer you can clarify many of your patient’s doubts.
In 90 seconds or less, using an explainer video, you can provide an engaging experience. One that will help your patients throughout their recovery journey. Book your call and discover how we can help you.
