DRG’s Ulcerative Colitis Patients Multichannel Analysis identifies key patient journey intervention points that provides insights on patients’ unmet needs, healthcare perceptions and prescription behaviors with layered analysis of actionable recommendations on how to support, connect, and influence decision-making.
The survey included the following segment: Ulcerative colitis patients within the US (n=55)
Key topics & research questions:
- Macro trends:
- Patient experience with healthcare: How has various aspects of health care (e.g., the quality of care, customer service) improved in the past 2 years?
- Health related challenges: Increase in health-related costs and financial support needs; Role and impact of copay accumulators; Impact on everyday life as a result of existing health condition; Need for emotional support
- Interest in personalized care (e.g., for prevention, diagnosis, treatments)
- Multichannel engagement:
- Channel impact: Resources patients are using to inform their health needs and decisions (e.g., mobile devices, search, social media, pharma websites, voice assistants, podcasts); Channel use/influence and content needs across the patient journey; Use of health and wellness influencers as a resource.
- Information needs: What type of health and prescription related topics are researched, and what’s the impact of such information on decision making; Content/Resource use and value (incl. content and information needs before and after receiving a treatment prescription)
- Emerging digital trends and needs: Use, interest, and perception of digital therapeutics (e.g., treatment apps, smart medication devices)
- Evolving patient point of care needs and impact due to COVID-19:
- Shifting physician and patient engagement: Methods used to communicate with physicians outside traditional point of care setting (e.g., virtual consultations/telehealth, phone); Use of telehealth for specific needs (e.g., consultations for new treatments, consultation for new symptoms); Drivers and barriers to adoption of telehealth resources
- Patient needs/pain-points due to COVID-19: Patients’ fears and experiences due to COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., economic impact, infection/risk, access to care); Impact on treatment regimen
- Patient empowerment and self-care:
- Patient empowerment at the point of care: Patient involvement in treatment decisions and decision–making drivers (e.g., patient reviews, side effects); Percentage of patients requesting specific products and HCPs’ reaction (% of time physicians prescribe these)
- Health management: How important is overall wellness? How are patients tracking their health measurements? What’s their adherence level, and what tools do they use or are interested in using to support with medication reminders? What’s the interest in online pharmacies?
- Pharma engagement and support opportunities:
- Pharma support resources: opportunity for pharma to support patients, likelihood to use pharma provided support resources (e.g., finding a doctor, scheduling appointments, adhering to medication), barriers to pharma support resources (e.g., lack of trust, too promotional); partnership opportunities through third-party resources (e.g., advocacy groups, social media influencers, third-party websites)
- Brand experience: Have patients encounter a positive experience with pharma brands online? Where online have they had a positive experience? What contributes to a positive experience (e.g., availability of patient support resources, sponsored event, personalized information)?
- Paid promotion: Changes in media consumption; Prescription drug ads recall and impact to seek further information