Integrating Telemedicine Into Your Pharmaceutical Brand’s DTC Strategy
The popularity of direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels across industries has fueled patients’ expectations for convenience, cost savings, and improved access to healthcare services. While the COVID-19 pandemic cemented the idea that telemedicine can be a critical part of a pharmaceutical brand’s go-to-market strategy, it’s essential to recognize that it is just one piece of the puzzle. To truly transform the patient experience and improve brand outcomes, pharmaceutical brand teams need to integrate a telemedicine channel within a broader DTC strategy.
The Role of Telemedicine in DTC
Telemedicine has gained significant traction, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and furthered in the recent rise of DTC programs in big pharma. For pharmaceutical manufacturers of all sizes, integrating telemedicine into their DTC models can help:
Improve access to therapy: With a telemedicine channel, patients can meet with a provider within a day or two, and have their prescribed treatment in hand soon after.
Meet the preferences of modern consumers: A telemedicine channel that is integrated with a digital hub platform offers the modern experience consumers want and expect – as close as they can get to an e-commerce-like access experience.
Reach more potential patients: Telemedicine can improve treatment access for those with mobility challenges, personal conflicts, and/or who live in rural areas.
Why Pharma Brands Need a Comprehensive DTC Approach
A comprehensive DTC model enables pharmaceutical manufacturers to boost brand adoption by enhancing access and engaging patients across the prescription journey. A disjointed access experience that requires patients to pick up prescriptions at their local pharmacy or prevents them from applying their insurance benefits, can fragment the patient experience and negatively impact gross-to-net.
Your telemedicine channel should be seamlessly integrated into a broader DTC program that encompasses multiple touchpoints and services:
Multiple access channels: Offering flexible options for patients to connect with providers through in-person visits and telemedicine consultations enables pharmaceutical brands to expand their reach to underserved or remote populations, enhance convenience, and improve access to timely care.
Digital prescription platform: A digital platform can streamline the prescription process for patients and providers by streamlining medication management, refill processes, and communication between patients, providers, and pharmacies. By simplifying these processes, brands can break through access barriers and drive speed to therapy.
Simplified prior authorization (PA) process: Automating and simplifying the PA process can help alleviate the administrative burden on time-constrained HCPs while accelerating treatment initiation, improving patient satisfaction, and boosting treatment adherence.
Awareness, education, and support: Addressing barriers to program adoption is vital for increasing treatment awareness and adherence. Providing patients and providers with educational resources, support services, and clear information about the medication can enhance the treatment journey and mitigate potential concerns and misconceptions.
Real-time data and insights: Leveraging real-time data and insights down to a territory level enables pharmaceutical brands to rapidly identify trends and issues and equip their field teams to drive brand success.
How to Leverage a Seamless DTC Experience that Drives Brand Growth
A well-executed DTC model offers a highly responsive way to meet patients where they are - online and on their phones. Telemedicine alone is not enough – patients seeking treatment via this channel expect the entire process to be convenient, transparent, and affordable. Brand teams considering integrating a telemedicine channel into their go-to-market strategy should prioritize creating seamless, end-to-end experience that patients find in other, more digitally transformed industries.
If your pharmaceutical brand team wants to initiate or improve a DTC approach, download our eBook, Building a Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Program that Works, to get a strategic roadmap for effectively navigating this paradigm shift.
Ready to go DTC? The PhilRx Digital Hub seamlessly integrates with telemedicine to create a modern patient and provider experience that maximizes prescription coverage and gross-to-net. Get in touch today to learn how we can support your growth.
