Patient Education and Direct-to-Patient Communication: Making the Consumer Connection

Abstract

Explore benchmark data from 20 patient education programs.

Reach consumers and gain the trust of physicians with direct-to-patient (DTP) communications that feature user-friendly, unbiased patient education content Use this report to explore benchmark data from 20 brand-based education programs as you fund, develop and manage your own DTP initiatives. In the process, you' ll uncover information from across the industry to help you address key challenges :

• Identify patient education program goals and objectives
• Learn the cost and duration of development for web-based, print and in-person tools used in patient education, including the following components:
  • Program websites
  • Brochures for doctors' offices and pharmacies
  • Patient resource kits
  • Magazine articles
  • Online FAQs, message boards and webinars
  • Online video and audio content
  • Posters and wallboards
  • Direct mail
  • ...And more
• Target key intervention points for DTP communication in the patient lifecycle
• Secure patient education budgets in absolute dollars and as a percentage of brand marketing spending
• Align functional involvement in DTP program development and leadership

Patient Education Background

For an industry whose products improve the daily lives of its end users - some of whom suffer from otherwise life-threatening conditions - the pharmaceutical sector often struggles with a perceived inability to communicate effectively with patients.

There is a demand for patient education content that delivers informative, unbiased content. As consumers take more responsibility for managing their health, drug companies have an opportunity to deliver real value and form lasting relationships via well-designed, coordinated educational campaigns.

The problem is that much of what passes for patient education these days is often part of the problem, not the solution. Content proves either overly promotional or inaccessible to individuals unfamiliar with medical language and healthcare jargon. One of the best places to reach patients with educational content is the doctor' s office - but medical professionals, though generally eager to provide patients with useful content, hesitate when brochures, handouts and other so-called educational material looks like marketing in disguise. When patients do access educational content, it often glosses over topics of greatest concern, such as side effects and drug interactions - or it is written in such thick “medicalese” that everyday patients, no matter what their intelligence or education level, simply cannot understand it

Sound programs integrate multiple channels and media to reach patients on their terms with information they can use. Effective patient education motivates patients to consult with doctors, pursue appropriate treatment and comply with treatment regimens. It improves consumers' health literacy by educating them about their conditions and options. By using a range of tools, including the Internet, print media, partnerships with advocacy groups and more, brand teams can strike the right balance with user-friendly, unbiased content - and form lasting relationships with both physicians and patients more effectively