![]() ![]() The Power of Instagramįacebook has long been the social platform of choice to connect with patients but Nancy Nolan, associate director of marketing communications at global biopharmaceutical company Merck, says Instagram is a powerful tool too. He says social media has provided a timeliness that traditional communication channels cannot, making the question-and-answer process between investigators or trial managers and interested parties more efficient. Spratt engages many physicians through social media to discuss trial operations, site eligibility, and inclusion criteria. Social media can act as a useful connection between physicians and clinical research professionals. A multichannel approach with a focus on the preferred channel of communication is best in order to avoid digital saturation. But it would be wrong to rush into a solely digital offering. There is a trend that shows primary care providers want their communication delivered digitally, explains management consultant Gareth Dabbs, who co-wrote a white paper at human data science company IQVIA. The four main categories detailing the type of communication best exchanged between pharma companies and primary care providers are those that create awareness, inform, build relationships and facilitates feedback. The former is synergized and connected network that all work together to maximize results and deliver personalized communication tailored to a chosen audience, explains the team at digital communication solutions provider Agnitio. Multichannel marketing should not be confused with multiple marketing channels. Mediums include e-detailing, on-demand content, mobile apps, webinars and emails. There’s value to be gained by trial managers using multichannel marketing to engage patients. After all, doctors provide familiarity and support, along with understanding of a patient’s eligibility to participate. Sponsors and research organizations should encourage physicians to be more communicative with patients about clinical research. In fact, they’re more likely to contact a pharma company or search online. Schultz cites research that shows that only 11 percent of the more than 2,000 people surveyed knew to ask their doctor about trials. For instance, patients don’t always know to ask their primary care provider for information about a clinical trial. Part of the problem lies in false assumptions about patients, healthcare providers and the referral process itself. There’s a lack of engagement between research organizations and healthcare providers, says April Schultz at Forte Research, which results in fewer patient referrals to clinical research. Unfortunately, having a primary care physician won’t necessarily improve a patient’s chances to be considered for participation in clinical trials. Researchers and Primary Care Physicians Must Communicate They are also generally more satisfied with their treatment. Referring to a Northwestern study, Linder says people with primary care tend to receive more high-value services such as cancer screenings, counselling and testing for conditions. Jeffrey Linder, chief of general internal medicine and geriatrics at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, explains. White people and those with medical insurance tend to have access to a primary care doctor too, Dr. Findings were very different between age groups: 45 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 did not have a primary care provider, while only 12 percent of the over-65s said the same.īut it’s not just age that matters. She points to a poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, which found 26 percent of the 1,200 respondents did not have a primary care provider. They travel a lot, work in different states and cities and use technological solutions such as telemedicine instead, explains medical reporter Sandra G. Young people tend to be less likely to have a primary care provider. Demographic Factors and Access to Primary Care Physicians We also examine how relationships between trial staff and healthcare providers can be enhanced to ensure patients receive maximum support on their clinical research journey. In this post, we explore what sponsors and trial managers can do to engage prospective patients that don’t have primary care physicians. And demographic factors such as age and socio-economic background tend to affect this. So sponsors should support them and provide tools and resources to access information about clinical trials.īut not all patients have access to a primary care doctor. Primary care physicians and other healthcare providers are valuable links between clinical researchers and patients.
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