How pharma companies can use digital tools like Salesforce to improve patient engagement and adherence
The healthcare system could work better for people. That’s a fact – across almost every geography and demographic. And pharmaceutical companies have a central role in reinventing the system to make it more efficient and effective for all.
In this post, I’ll explore the issues of patient awareness and adherence and how pharma companies can leverage digital technologies and tools to help create the health system of the future – one that benefits patients and the business.
Engagement: Boosting awareness and participation to improve outcomes
According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, four out of five leading causes of death caused by chronic diseases – heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke – are either entirely preventable or largely manageable with regular access to health care. This underscores the critical role of consistent care, early detection, and correct diagnosis in ensuring patients receive optimal therapies and interventions.
The problem is that many people do not understand the importance of preventative care, while others may not recognize symptoms requiring medical attention. Unfortunately, public health agencies, health systems, and other organizations often lack the time, budget, and expertise to create effective campaigns that increase public awareness and engagement.
Pharma has a role in helping the system work more effectively and efficiently. As providers of programs, services, and therapies that treat or manage many of these conditions, pharma companies should be at the forefront of patient awareness, helping people understand the value of being proactive about their health.
For example, most people are likely unaware that the American Heart Association recommends annual coronary artery disease (CAD) screening starting at age 20. Meanwhile, blood glucose screening should begin at age 45 or sooner if the patient is at risk for developing heart disease.
While government agencies and non-profits have campaigns about the importance of these screenings, pharma companies can also do their part to raise awareness through their outreach and amplify those messages already in the market.
For example, to help people understand the importance of early CAD screenings, pharma companies can leverage tools like Salesforce to create omnichannel awareness campaigns that target people in their early 20s with relevant and engaging content on the platforms they use, such as social media or gaming applications like TikTok or Twitch. This hyper-personalized, relevant content delivered on the correct channels will help boost awareness among the intended audience segment.
To be clear, heart disease screenings are relevant to many people outside the 20-25 age group – and the Salesforce strategy can be adapted and expanded to reach them too. By leveraging a combination of the data and insights available via Health Cloud and the communication tools in Marketing Cloud, pharma companies can better reach – and engage – a broad audience for any relevant health issue or condition and inspire them to take the desired action.
Adherence: Driving patient engagement at every stage for improved outcomes
Better awareness and quicker diagnosis are meaningful steps toward creating a more efficient and effective healthcare system. But it takes lasting engagement to ensure long-term results. One of the most apparent issues to be addressed on this front is patient adherence.
Managing a long-term treatment plan can be complex and time-consuming for people with serious health conditions. A tool like Salesforce is essential in automating scheduling and communication with patients enrolled in a treatment program. And the benefits are manifold, if not a bit obvious:
- Staff no longer needs to spend time scheduling appointments and managing to follow up.
- People are more likely to attend their appointments, which improves overall adherence and outcomes.
- Patients can take the tedious and potentially stressful task of scheduling off their list, giving them more time to focus on what matters most: their health.
Clinical trials are a relevant example for pharma companies. By using various components of the Salesforce ecosystem, such as Marketing Cloud, pharma companies can create and send personalized and engaging messages, helping them to recruit and retain more patients. Meanwhile, Health Cloud can unite clinical and non-clinical data sources and share insights with program managers, enabling them to improve decision-making and program operation.
While our example is specific to clinical trials, this model is relevant to virtually any health program or service. Salesforce could also automate communication with people diagnosed with prediabetes and help them enroll in value-added services, such as nutrition or fitness programs. Using the insights produced by the Salesforce platform, pharma companies can create, scale, and track therapy-specific support programs with personalized experiences and real-time analytics.
Over time, with these value-added services, patients can better manage their health, which not only improves their outcomes but also helps the health system operate more efficiently and seamlessly in many other aspects.
Taking the next step in patient experience with Salesforce and Globant
Digitizing the patient experience can be a manageable task. Technology and tools like Salesforce are custom-built to help pharma organizations develop the digital capabilities and services they need to optimize their processes. With the support of a partner like Globant, a transformation could be easier than you think.
To learn more about how your organization can leverage the latest digital technologies and tools to improve the patient experience and help your organization run more efficiently, please contact our healthcare and life sciences team to schedule a consultation.
