Beyond Traditional Marketing: The Go-To-Patient Strategy for Brand Success
A Go-To-Patient (GTP) Strategy in pharmaceutical marketing prioritizes building connections with the end users of your prescription medication.
For example, imagine a prescription drug named Brandex.
A GTP strategy would target patients who us Brandex after getting a doctor’s prescription. This approach involves direct communication with patients while simultaneously supporting healthcare professionals in better explaining the medication. The ultimate goal is to address patient needs and concerns, acting as a supplement, not a replacement, to physician interaction.
This approach considers how healthcare works in places like India and Bangladesh. Traditionally, pharmaceutical companies mainly marketed their products to doctors and other healthcare professionals. These professionals would then prescribe or recommend medications to patients.
A Go-To-Patient Strategy shifts some of this focus directly to the patients themselves. It aims to:
1. Educate patients about specific health conditions
2. Raise awareness about treatment options
3. Provide information about specific medications
4. Offer support and resources to patients
This strategy might involve:
– Creating easy-to-understand educational materials
– Developing patient support programs
– Using social media and other digital platforms to reach patients
– Sponsoring patient advocacy groups or events. Where patient advocacy groups aren’t there, you many initiate one.
– Offering tools to help patients track their health or medication use for better adherence to treatment
The goal is to empower patients to be more involved in their healthcare decisions and to build brand awareness and loyalty directly with the end-users of pharmaceutical products.
The key components of GTP
1. Patient Population Definition
– Identify the specific patient groups who would benefit from your Brandex
– Consider demographics, disease states, and treatment history
2. Drug-Patient Fit
– Ensure Brandex addresses unmet medical needs
– Consider patient-centric factors like ease of use and side effect profile
3. Pricing and Reimbursement Strategy
– Develop pricing models that balance patient access with profitability
– Work on reimbursement strategies with insurance companies and banks like SBI, HDFC Bank, some rural banks or for Bangladesh, Grameen Bank
4. Distribution Channels
– Plan how Brandex will move through the supply chain to reach patients
– Consider specialty pharmacies, hospital formularies, and retail pharmacies
5. Healthcare Provider (HCP) Engagement
– Develop strategies to educate and engage physicians, nurses, and pharmacists
– Plan for medical science liaison teams to provide in-depth scientific information to doctors and KOLs
6. Patient Education and Support
– Create programs to educate patients about their condition and treatment options
– Develop patient support programs (e.g., adherence programs, financial assistance)
7. Patient Acquisition and Adherence
– Develop strategies to help patients start and stay on the medication
– Consider patient assistance programs.
8. Patient-Centric Messaging
– Craft key messages for Brandex that resonate with patients and address their concerns
– Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements for patient communication
9. Competitive Landscape Analysis
– Understand other treatment options available to patients
– Identify unique benefits of your drug from a patient perspective
10. Patient Support Services
– Plan for ongoing patient education, side effect management, and adherence support
– Consider developing a patient app or other digital tools
11. Patient-Focused Metrics:
– Define KPIs like patient satisfaction, quality of life improvements, and adherence rates
– Track real-world evidence of drug effectiveness and safety
More Considerations
– Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all strategies comply with local and international pharmaceutical regulations
– Clinical Trial Engagement: Develop strategies to engage patients in clinical trials
– Patient Advocacy Groups: Build relationships with relevant patient advocacy organizations
– Digital Health Integration: Consider how digital health tools can support patient care and drug effectiveness
This “Go-To-Patient Strategy” puts the patient at the center of the pharmaceutical company’s approach, focusing on improving health outcomes while navigating the complex healthcare landscape. It requires close collaboration between various departments including R&D, medical affairs, marketing, sales, and regulatory affairs.