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The application of existing and new theories, translating theory into real-world solutions, is key to sustainable HCP behaviour change.
Six of the top 25 largest global pharmaceutical companies announced the formation of Align Biopharma, a new group dedicated to setting technology standards that will make it faster and easier for healthcare professionals (HCPs) to connect with the life sciences industry. Founding members, with input from across the industry, will develop open standards and solutions for companies to streamline how HCPs get the drug and treatment information they need to deliver improved care to patients.
In ophthalmology, Allergan and Novartis, the parent company of Alcon, are members of the group.
“Common industry standards can make it more effective and efficient for life sciences companies and healthcare professionals to connect,” Patrick Retif, VP IT, Global Commercial at Allergan, said in a news release. “Working together can help harmonize digital engagement and information access across the industry and create a better experience for our shared customers.”
The rise of specialty drugs to treat complex diseases is creating a greater need for HCPs to have more timely and tailored information. As the number of new drugs increases so does the amount of information healthcare professionals require to facilitate patient engagement. There is significant potential for biopharmaceutical companies to use digital technology to inform HCPs on new or more complex treatments.
Initially, Align Biopharma will focus on developing two new standards to facilitate seamless digital engagement and simplify the HCP experience:
Identity management – definition of an identification and authentication standard to enable a single sign-on for HCPs to access online content – including websites, portals, virtual events, or webinars – across all companies.
Consent and communication preferences – definition of standards for consent and preference management so that there is consistency in how HCPs specify communication preferences with each company.
“Digital is transforming how life sciences companies and HCPs collaborate and interact,” said Paul Shawah, vice president of commercial cloud strategy at Veeva Systems. “With the proliferation of advanced treatments and digital channels, adhering to industry standards will simplify the challenges doctors face in getting the right information quickly.”
With the ability to reach billions of followers around the world each day, businesses are using social media to promote specials, attract followers, and expand the reach of their product. Right now, the up and coming new social media platform is Snapchat.
Created in 2011, Snapchat is a mobile messaging app where users send photos and videos to each other that self-destruct after a few seconds. Within the last year, Snapchat’s daily video views grew from 2 billion to 10 billion, according to Bloomberg Technology News.
Despite the growing popularity of this social media platform, it seems the healthcare industry is slow to utilize Snapchat as a marketing strategy. Of course HIPAA laws must be taken into consideration when using social media in regards to healthcare, but there are multiple, creative ways for the healthcare industry to use Snapchat.
For instance, healthcare professionals can create Snapchat stories, a feature which allows the user to string together multiple snaps and create a video narrative that is available for users to view for 24 hours. This feature could be used to highlight a “Day in the Life of [insert medical professional here].”
The reason Snapchat works so well in marketing is its simplicity and ability to create a sense of intimacy in a short amount of time. In a world where understanding healthcare is becoming more complicated and the digital world is making us feel more connected yet disconnected at the same time, Snapchat offers the ability to send quick, simple messages that still feel heartfelt.
Given that healthcare is now looked at by the general population as a consumer market, Snapchat may be underestimated as one of the best tools available for healthcare providers to create trust and comfort in patients and convey health information to the public.
[Instagram may be better for pharma. For more on that read: “Now May Be the Time for Pharma to Get Serious About Instagram”; http://sco.lt/79K5JZ]
Related stories:
Infographic: What About Social Media Do Healthcare Professionals Find Useful?; http://sco.lt/6rGmTB
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