The benefits of a digital approach for healthcare communities is more important than ever. It is perhaps best viewed as an essential transition which requires a thoughtful and strategic approach to ensure best outcomes for everyone involved.
As patients gain access to information and with it more power, healthcare is becoming more patient-centred and outcomes based.
- Engage health care professionals on their own terms
Healthcare companies now have the opportunity to provide education to HCPs in a multi-channel format that is available at any time, specifically designed to help HCPs make key decisions or educate them in a rapidly changing disease area.
The HCP can choose which information is most pertinent to them, and access it at their convenience. Becoming a source of trusted, up-to-date information to help HCPs solve treatment challenges centralises the healthcare company in HCP decision making.
Data from digital tools such as websites, apps and e-detailing can, given appropriate permissions, be analysed to better understand HCP needs. Digital tools can even be used for disease screening and diagnosis.
- Build a stronger relationship with patients
Patients have never been faced with so much information on their disease and potential treatment options before.
They no longer rely on HCPs as their sole source of information. Joining the digital world allows healthcare companies to join the conversation, becoming part of a discussion that is already happening. By providing transparent information on clinical trials, the latest research into specific diseases, and the pros and cons of particular treatment options healthcare companies can become a trusted source of information.
Resources such as apps provide an opportunity to give a patient personalized treatment and round the clock care.
- Provide a complete treatment not just a drug or device
The integration of digital resources allows the healthcare company to integrate all aspects of the treatment journey, from research to screening to ensuring accurate real-world evidence to further improvements in care. Apps and sensors can educate a patient, help them with treatment timing all the while providing the company with valuable data. Apps also allow patient-HCP-healthcare company interactions to be integrated in a kind of digital ecosystem.
Using appropriate data visualizations and digital tools within apps and other digital content can help patients fully understand information that would otherwise be inaccessible.
- An integrated digital journey
While healthcare companies have been slow to engage with digital, many are now on track to engaging patients and HCPs in the full treatment journey. Digital channels need to be connected to form a network supporting all aspects of the healthcare company product; helping all stakeholders throughout the treatment process.
As new competitors move into the healthcare space using digital as their primary strength, it is important that healthcare companies get on board with the inevitable shift to a more digitally focused healthcare space.
Ultimately this change offers a wealth of opportunities to improve patient outcomes. Healthcare companies can deliver more personalized patient care, engage in a more helpful way with patients and HCPs while understanding more about all stakeholder needs through analysis of digital data. Overall this allows healthcare companies to be more responsive to stakeholder needs, becoming a trusted player in the healthcare journey.
As payers look more to real-world evidence to inform their decision making, digital strategies could be key to providing trusted evidence directly from patients and HCPs. This data could better inform the healthcare company in real-time how their treatments are performing in the real-world, allowing a shift in research or disease focus depending on patient need.
The key to managing the transition to digital is a key strategic approach, aligning all aspects of digital within a healthcare company to the same goal.
Digital can be the key player in a healthcare company’s strategy to ensure they provide value to their patients and help health care professionals fulfil their role.