Tapping Into Provider-Patient Bonds: Effective Messaging Through Existing Healthcare Channels

Originally published in PM360 magazine's Expert on Call series with Laura Blair, ConnectiveRx, SVP, Business Development and Sales Operations.

As I've shared previously, improving our collective understanding of the patient’s overall healthcare experience is necessary to effectively deliver prescription support. 

How can we ensure that vital prescription information reaches patients when they need it? The answer lies not in shouting louder, but in speaking at the right moment, through the right channels, and with the relevant message.

Imagine a world where every patient leaves their provider's office not just with a prescription, but with a clear understanding of their medication, its benefits, and how to access it affordably. This isn't a far-off dream. It's an achievable reality through strategic use of existing healthcare channels that have been negotiated for pharma access—inside the electronic health record (EHR).

Emerging data paints a compelling picture of the opportunity:

• 81% of patients trust their doctor (not surprisingly), and this trust has grown steadily over the past year.¹
• 75% of patients report feeling worried about their share of prescription costs and copay responsibilities.²
• 57% of healthcare providers (HCPs) report being either completely unwilling or only moderately willing to consult resources outside their EHR system to find drug affordability programs.³
• 62% of HCPs had zero direct contact with a pharmaceutical representative in the past year—due to either personal choice or institutional policy. ⁴

These statistics tell a story of trust, concern, and changing dynamics in healthcare communication. They also point to an unmissable opportunity for pharmaceutical manufacturers and their media partners to make a significant impact where it matters most—at the time of prescribing. Where and how you message HCPs and patients must synchronize with when they are listening and engaged. The information you share should be crafted to align with where they are in the journey. New patients get one message and existing patients another, for example.

By integrating pharmaceutical messaging into the EHR system, we can leverage the trusted provider-patient relationship, address cost concerns head-on, and overcome the growing challenge pharma has reaching HCPs directly.

These strategies also reduce the burden on the HCP to look for patient support information outside of the main software they rely on daily. HCP messaging inside the EHR is automated and in-workflow so the right sponsored content is triggered from the ICD-10 code, prescribed drug, age of patient, fill status, etc. No incremental effort or system change is required by the HCP to provide an additional level of prescription support to the patient.

1. Develop a Strong Messaging Content Strategy

The ability to leverage historical patient prescription behavior information can serve as a roadmap for delivering the right content at the right time. The best messaging is triggered by EHR actions that understand where a patient is along their medication journey. For example, if a patient moves to a new medication dose, they may receive a message about the benefits of the change, or if the patient hasn’t moved up to a new dose, the HCP may receive a message reminding them that the patient could be titrated.

Building drug brand messaging campaigns to align with the patient-provider roadmap is a must. Refreshing message content regularly, so all audiences get the most current and relevant information for their timely needs, engenders positivity, and is relationship building for the brand.

2. Leverage EHRs for Personalized Care

Because drug brand communications (such as drug information updates, patient savings offers, other prescription support opportunities) are integrated within the EHR display workflow through a series of smart triggers, HCPs receive brand information while they are prescribing and present relevant information to patients in real time.

Messages can be targeted to the patient's specific needs, based on historical data. For example, the HCP for a patient receiving their first fill may get a message about enrolling the patient in a support program, while an HCP for a patient who is there for their third fill may receive a titration eligibility prompt. If a patient has a history of missed or delayed refills, the HCP can initiate a conversation to uncover barriers such as cost concerns and offer solutions like simplifying the medication regimen or recommending savings programs.

3. Take Advantage of All the EHR Tools to Support Prescribers

Because EHR tools are not limited to patient information, features designed to communicate directly to prescribers are valuable.

The ability to send longer messages via an email-like format is great for explanations of new programs, guideline changes, new studies, etc., and is also ideal to communicate drug info like newly approved indications, indication-specific dosing, or availability of a patient savings program.

Another area of support for prescribers includes renewal notifications to alert providers that patients are due for a renewal of their prescription.

The theme of having the right message at the right time means you use triggers to understand where the patient is in the journey. It is impossible to track and synchronize with this journey using any messaging tactics outside of EHR and pharmacy.

4. Take Advantage of Patient Messaging

Often linked to EHR systems, direct patient messaging is another powerful tool for enhancing patient engagement and adherence. Online platforms allow HCPs to deliver branded drug-specific support information to patients following appointments while embedded e-prescription tools send copay offer details directly to the patient’s pharmacy. Other connected opportunities like mobile text messaging can encourage patients to fill and refill their prescriptions or stay educated about their prescribed therapies.

Using these channels to integrate financial support and savings programs or share links to drug branded support sites will alleviate some of the burden patients feel about having to manage everything themselves. Helping them access relevant prescription support materials, thereby building a direct relationship between them and the brand, will influence adherence and reduce patient stress.

Seize the Opportunity

In the not-too-distant past, manufacturers wouldn’t dream of launching a new drug without a team of field representatives to market and sell it. As a former pharma rep and district manager, I would value any tool that echoed my brand’s message throughout an HCP’s day. Reps spend the majority of their time identifying patient type and efficacy. EHR messaging offers “surround sound” to echo all other marketing and patient support tactics.

As rep access opportunity continues to be reduced, the data is clear:

• Patients trust their doctors.
• HCPs are increasingly reliant on their EHR systems.
• And, both groups are concerned about medication costs and adherence.

By strategically leveraging EHRs, manufacturers of all sizes and their media partners have an unprecedented opportunity to enhance the power of integrated, targeted, timely, and relevant drug information for improved marketing ROI and increased prescription adherence and awareness.

References:

1. https://patientpoint.com/blog/understanding-patient-perspectives-insights-from-patientpoints-2024-patient-confidence-index/
2. https://www.kff.org/health-costs/issue-brief/americans-challenges-with-health-care-costs/
3. PDR 2024 Member Survey, Phase I
4. PDR 2024 Member Survey, Phase I