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Hypertargeting brings pharma marketers closer to the defined patient populations we all want to reach at the moments that matter for consumers and patients. It’s making it easier for us to address health interests, concerns, and questions with specific guidance and timely insights. We can speak to patients at actionable decision points rather than spending money on awareness campaigns and casting a wide net in an ever-growing sea of marketing messages. Ultimately, the spread of hypertargeting will build higher quality connections and lead to superior patient outcomes.

All of this is good news. But hypertargeting is more than just a messaging or delivery strategy. To make the most of the new techniques that hypertargeting enables, and ultimately invest marketing dollars where they will provide the most benefit, make sure you understand these five things about the new discipline.

Hypertargeting helps you educate

We all understand that in today’s data-driven market, there’s little reason and even less reward to simply blast a brand message far and wide in the hopes of catching a few good candidates. Hypertargeting makes it easier to refine your message and your reach so that more of the recipients are actively looking for answers. It dilutes a brand’s image and trustworthiness when it spends so much time and energy reaching people when they are uninterested and unmotivated, or otherwise consider the message irrelevant to their needs.

Now that hypertargeting can communicate more directly with the people most likely to benefit from a specific medication, it’s time to rethink the way messages are structured. Instead of awareness, brands can embrace the opportunity to start a one-to-one conversation at a deep level in a way that feels serendipitous to the patient. We’re just in the beginning stages of seeing how these new educational messages can be structured, and it’s an exciting time for strategists to experiment.

Hypertargeting unlocks the right locations

Hypertargeting’s strengths are best realized when we can reach patients in a timely manner. That includes delivering messages that reflect an understanding of where patients (and prospective patients) are on their individual treatment continuum. But it also means opening up to the idea of meeting patients in different ways and in all the locations where care decisions will be timely and relevant to their interests. This includes doctor’s offices and pharmacies, the most common places people seek remedies and pursue treatment. And as a result of the COVID pandemic, telemedicine has become an increasingly relevant touchpoint option in the care path. A hypertargeting strategy that focuses narrowly on a single channel could be just as limiting as one which relies too much on wide-net broadcast.

Hypertargeting needs credibility and transparency

The importance of industry standards for sensible, respectful practices and measurable, auditable processes will only be amplified by hypertargeting. As we gain greater ability to reach patients in new locations and with extraordinarily focused and relevant messaging, we will all collectively have to take responsibility for reaching patients with messages that do not feel invasive and are tonally matched to the environment they’re in.

And with the emergence of new targeting strategies, the need for transparent, verifiable deliveries and results will also grow. Industry players should hold each other accountable to timely deliveries of credible data, and ideally involve a third-party analyst in the validation of performance and results.

Hypertargeting requires robust data and robust strategy

To properly execute a hypertargeting strategy, pharma marketers need more data than ever before. This can include taking deeper dives into sources like retail pharmacy data and demographic insights. To optimize both physical and digital deliveries through hypertargeting, go deeper into connecting data sources including medical claims and Rx claims when possible. These data sources can help identify audiences with the greatest likely need for specific treatments and incrementally improve the focus of your hypertargeting campaigns.

Marketing strategists will also need to think about new ways to act on these deeper data pools, including integrating insights when allowed to reach potential patients at a moment of heightened need or awareness. The most coherent targeting strategy of tomorrow will be based on relationships in the data that marketers haven’t been able or motivated to discover in the past.

Hypertargeting should be measured and held accountable for results

When new strategies come to the fore, it can be tempting to rush to implementation and focus on details like tangible performance metrics later. Pharma marketers interested in hypertargeting should hold this complex strategy just as accountable to rigorous measurement and tangible impact as any other campaign or strategy. And if you are not already moving past soft impact measures like site visits or brand engagement, hypertargeting offers a new opportunity to dig for more.

Tie hypertargeted messages directly to measurement of changes in patient care and outcomes. Just as hypertargeting allows us to be more specific about our intentions and communications, it should be seen as opening a door to more specific understanding of success as seen through treatment and adherence.

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Soon enough, we’ll be able to drop the “hyper-” prefix and simply see hypertargeting as the natural evolution of communication strategies that have gone from broad to narrow at an accelerating pace. And like so many of our shared priorities in pharma marketing, hypertargeting is just another way to keep the individual at the center of everything we do.

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Pharmacists are getting increased recognition as they continue to serve on the front lines of the COVID-19 epidemic. They are innovating quickly to offer accessible healthcare, counseling, and COVID-19 resources to their local communities. Local pharmacists see more patients on a daily basis than any other healthcare provider, and that’s particularly true in the wake of COVID-19 [4]. Pharmacies play a critical role in providing patients and customers with access to care, products and services they need [3].  TV screens and other point of care tactics installed within the pharmacy educate consumers and encourage them to speak with their pharmacist, a reliable source of counseling and information for general health and wellness concerns, as well as COVID-19 [3].

Amidst the current COVID-19 crisis, we’ve witnessed the pharmacist role evolve dramatically, administering COVID-19 testing onsite, filling and extending an influx of prescriptions, and continuing to provide expert care for regular patients and customers. As consumers rushed to pharmacies to stock up on medications and purchase essential household items as other retailers were ordered to close, pharmacists worked around the clock to increase availability of supplies and ensure their patients had what they needed when they needed it. As hospitals and doctors’ offices became overwhelmed with patients, insurance companies urged patients to turn to their pharmacist as a resource [6]. Pharmacies are working hard to remain accessible, implementing CDC standards of cleanliness and social distancing within the store, while also expanding drive-through, curbside pickup and home delivery services where possible [3].

Upon issuing new guidance under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, authorizing licensed pharmacists to order and administer FDA-authorized COVID-19 tests, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar stated: “Pharmacists play a vital role in delivering convenient access to important public health services and information [2].” With nearly 90% of Americans living within five miles of a pharmacy, the local pharmacist remains appealing to healthcare consumerism beyond COVID-19 [7]. Many pharmacies offer specialty services such as blood pressure screenings, counseling on specific disease states, and medication management services [5]. Most pharmacists are also licensed to administer a wide range of vaccines and immunizations to protect against HPV, Hepatitis, Flu, and more, offering healthcare marketers a valuable opportunity to raise brand awareness at the point of care. As soon as the COVID-19 vaccine is ready, NCPA (National Community Pharmacists Association) President, Brian Caswell, expects pharmacists to be the “first in line willing to immunize their patents and help the country get back to work [4].”

References

[1] Bruce, Debra Fulghum. “What You Need to Know About Getting Vaccinated at a Pharmacy: Everyday Health.” EverydayHealth.com, 7 Oct. 2019, www.everydayhealth.com/flu/what-you-need-know-about-getting-vaccinated-pharmacy/.

[2] “HHS Statements on Authorizing Licensed Pharmacists to Order and Administer COVID-19 Tests.” HHS.gov, US Department of Health and Human Services, 8 Apr. 2020, www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/04/08/hhs-statements-on-authorizing-licensed-pharmacists-to-order-and-administer-covid-19-tests.html.

[3] Kofman, Ava. “Pharmacy Workers Are Coming Down With COVID-19. But They Can't Afford to Stop Working.” ProPublica, 9 Apr. 2020, www.propublica.org/article/pharmacy-workers-are-coming-down-with-covid-19-but-they-cant-afford-to-stop-working.

[4] Levy, Sandra. “NCPA Campaign Highlights Independents' Commitment to Patients.” Drug Store News, 29 Apr. 2020, drugstorenews.com/ncpa-campaign-highlights-independents-commitment-patients.

[5] Longo, Kathleen Gannon. “Top Ways Pharmacists' Roles Are Changing.” Drug Topics, 22 May 2018, www.drugtopics.com/article/top-ways-pharmacists-roles-are-changing.

[6] McCook, Alison. “COVID-19: Stockpiling Refills May Strain the System.” Infectious Disease Special Edition, 11 Mar. 2020, www.idse.net/Policy–Public-Health/Article/03-20/COVID-19-Stockpiling-Refills-May-Strain-the-System/57583.

[7] “Pharmacies: A Vital Partner in Reopening America.” National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), NACDS, May 2020, www.nacds.org/pdfs/government/2020/Pharmacies-Reopening-America-COVID-19-NACDS-May2020.pdf.

When choosing a theme for this critique, I first thought about discussing the Cannes Health winners of 2020. But then, we all know what happened this year. This is the year we were all forced to rethink the role of creativity. More to the point, this unprecedented pandemic has shined a light on a long-time controversial subject—vaccines and the way we talk about them in the United States. And with so much expectation, hope, and concern swirling around an anti-Sars-Cov2 approval, people are talking about vaccines now more than ever.

I, too, decided to talk about them. I looked at the following creative examples through the lens of the experience they offer me.

After all, science's role is to be practical and exact, but our role as creatives is to make people experience something unique.

So, do I believe in it? Do I engage with it? Do I feel something?

Creative critique one

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Glaxo's Meningitis B campaigns appeal to both parents and teens, driving home critical points. The first spot shows how much can be missed if a teen is unprotected against meningitis B. The second stresses how severe the symptoms can be.

I chose these spots because they aim to hold parents or guardians accountable for what can happen if they decide not to vaccinate their children. Another reason I chose these campaigns is because I kept thinking about what I would have done differently. The tone in each spot is a bit too sad, and although I understand they are intended as a provocation, they might help unintentionally instill a fear against vaccines. If the styles were more vibrant, I think the message would come across just as well, but in a more positive manner.

Creative critique two

I like the approach for this one because of its optimistic take on what to do with risk information. Knowing what is at stake doesn't necessarily mean being afraid—that's what this spot highlights. You know what can happen, so take action to avoid it.

I also like the single-story point of view. Instead of showing the multiple “slices of life” typical in pharma, they portrayed a real young woman living her life with authenticity. The piece is also an excellent example of how cinematography, art direction, acting, and soundtrack work in harmony to deliver a smooth experience to the viewer. As a mother, I feel hopeful. As a creative director, I feel inspired.

Creative critique three

I am so close to absolutely loving this one. An HIV vaccine should be celebrated, and it feels like this is what this spot is trying to do. I appreciate the tenderness, the production value, the talent choices, the location, the light. I admire how such a short film tells such a long, poignant story.

I fall just shy of complete adoration because I would have had the couple share a gentle kiss on the mouth rather than the hand kiss at the end, just as any loving couple would do at a romantic dinner.

Creative critique four

Everything in this spot inspires hope. It's timely and timeless.

By reminding us that we turn to knowledge, research, and hard work in uncertain times, this spot instills the belief in a better future.

The production value aligns with the new normal in the world of production. Simple still shots or stock imagery tell the story. The intended message comes across with the appropriate gravitas through the thoughtful choice of the voice over.

All in, a beautiful film.

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In this interview, DTC Perspectives’ Chairman, Bob Ehrlich, and Phreesia’s SVP of Life Sciences, David Linetsky, discuss how the patient experience has evolved rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as providers leverage digital patient intake solutions to enable safer contactless workflows. They will also explore the importance of aligning with platforms that are flexible, adaptive, and meet patients where they are, given that these changes are likely here to stay.

Bob Ehrlich: As many are aware, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in steep declines in office visit volumes in the Spring. Phreesia has since published multiple studies on outpatient visit volumes with Harvard University and the Commonwealth Fund, using Phreesia’s network data. Can you provide some insight into where these visit trends now stand?  

David Linetsky: Bob, I am happy to report that overall, patients have returned to seeking care. Most practices within the Phreesia network appear to have adapted to the pandemic and stabilized their operations. Visit volumes have remained relatively stable since June and in many cases have returned to pre-pandemic levels. In some cases, visit volumes have even exceeded their pre-pandemic levels, as many practices do active outreach to their patient populations to bring them in to catch up on deferred care.

Phreesia continues to publish this data in partnership with researchers from Harvard and the Commonwealth Fund. Our reports are released monthly and can be found on the Commonwealth Fund’s website.

Bob: I am glad to hear that levels are approaching normal. Phreesia has released several applications as a response to the pandemic across its provider network. As medical offices adjust to the “new normal”, how have these digital intake solutions helped practices get their visit volumes back to pre-pandemic levels?

David: Practices are implementing contactless workflows that help minimize exposure between patients and staff. Phreesia’s Zero-Contact Intake offering allows practices to set up alternative workflows, such as patients checking in from their cars or drive-through testing sites. In addition, practices are removing unnecessary shared spaces and assigning many of their non-provider staff members to remote work. Our COVID-19 Screening Module also automatically screens patients for self-reported COVID-19 risk factors before their visits and is continually updated based on evolving CDC guidance.

Telehealth visits have been proven to be an essential solution for patients, allowing those who don’t need to be seen in person to continue to receive care. Phreesia’s Intake for Telehealth workflow captures important intake information ahead of the visit and facilitates the start of the virtual session.

We recognized the urgent need for intake products that could support telehealth visits, screen for COVID-19 risks and minimize contact during in-person visits, and we shifted our efforts to help medical groups stay safe, stay open and continue to see patients.

Bob: Telemedicine seems to have been breaking new ground in providing a safe and efficient alternative for patients. How do you view this solution long-term?

David: We’ve heard from many of our practices that their priority is to adapt to COVID-19 by putting the safety of providers, medical staff and patients first. Prior to COVID-19, the telehealth market was dominated by specialty services offered through employee benefits plans. With the expansion of visit types qualifying for telehealth reimbursement and Medicare copays waived for telehealth visits, many of the barriers that have traditionally prevented practices from embracing virtual visits have been removed.

Data from our most recent Commonwealth Fund report show that while telehealth adoption varies significantly depending on the specialty, telehealth utilization has been relatively stable since June, at a level many times higher than pre-pandemic.

While the future of reimbursement changes—and therefore of telehealth—remains uncertain, many providers are looking towards telehealth as a creative, long-term solution to deliver patient care. From portable EKG machines to at-home ultrasounds to cancer screenings, physicians are looking for effective alternatives to traditional in-person services.

Bob: Do you see COVID-19 as the initial cause of these changes to the patient experience, or do you think some of these changes were already underway prior to the pandemic?

David: That’s a great question. While the COVID-19 outbreak accelerated the adoption of these tools among providers, it was not the initial catalyst. Prior to the pandemic, many healthcare providers had already begun to adopt digital engagement tools to manage operational, clinical and financial processes. This is a change that has been happening for many years in other industries, with consumers having come to expect the convenience of digital solutions broadly. So, safety concerns have greatly accelerated these changes in healthcare, but those changes were already underway and they will persist because consumers expect effective and convenient options.

Phreesia’s patient intake platform was designed to support these trends, which has allowed us to thrive in the current industry environment and to deliver valuable applications to our provider network and the broader market. As we navigate a new normal in a post-COVID-19 world, we believe digital engagement tools will become even more critical to ensuring that the POC stays relevant to Life Sciences manufacturers and healthcare marketers. 

Bob: With all these changes in the patient experience rapidly occurring, do you think Point of Care is still an effective channel to engage with patients?

David: Absolutely. Point of care remains a critical and incredibly valuable channel. However, to be successful, healthcare marketers must adapt to the long-term changes to the patient experience. They must understand that the point of care continues to become more ephemeral and less tied to physical locations; it’s now wherever patients choose to engage with their providers and seek care. In addition, one-to-one engagement tactics are increasingly more valuable as in-person visit volumes fluctuate because of COVID-19. Marketers should not have to worry about audience volume or quality. They should focus on tactics that ensure both of those important factors.

Some traditional tactics are quickly becoming obsolete due to providers’ concerns about shared surfaces. As technology enables patients to take an even more active role in their care, patients are increasingly receptive to personalized content tailored to their individual health needs, that can be accessed on their own devices.

Lastly, COVID-19 has caused a tremendous disruption to patients’ access to care, creating a greater need for support programs. The point of care has moved beyond the walls of the physician’s office, and I believe that the POC marketing industry must adapt.

Bob: Are there specific strategies you suggest for the Point of Care marketing industry to adapt to the increasingly digital environment?

David: I believe it is critical for healthcare marketers and life sciences manufacturers to have strategic insight into how the POC can become an integral part of their digital and mobile strategy. Patient utilization data demonstrate the value of mobile and how it enables providers to deliver care safely through contactless and virtual workflows. Personalized content and directed, one-to-one engagements cut through the noise and influx of health information and address patients’ specific needs and priorities.

Finally, incorporating disease education and patient support programs into digital engagement campaigns to ultimately improve health outcomes for target patient populations will be critical for long-term success in the changing healthcare landscape. As the patient experience becomes increasingly mediated by the converging forces of digital adaptation, patient centricity and pandemic response, we must find a way to align our digital engagement strategies at the point of care to every patient’s needs.

About David Linetsky
SVP, Life Sciences, Phreesia

David Linetsky is responsible for cultivating Phreesia’s partnerships with Life Sciences companies, supporting them in the development of healthcare products that deliver value and engage patients in their care. He has worked at Phreesia for more than a decade and held key leadership roles, including Vice President of Analytics and Insights, and Vice President of Finance.

Prior to joining Phreesia, David worked in academia as a researcher and instructor in the fields of biotechnology, mathematics and philosophy. David holds a BS in mathematics from the University of Alberta. He also earned a master’s degree and was a PhD candidate in mathematics and logic at the City University of New York.

To learn more about Phreesia, please click here or visit them on:

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After consistently seeing an underrepresentation of non-white patients in clinical research, Genentech decided to dig deeper as to why there is such enrollment inequity. According to an announcement from their website, the pharmaceutical manufacturer “undertook a landmark study to elevate the perspectives of these medically disenfranchised individuals and reveal how this long-standing inequity impacts their relationships with the healthcare system as a whole.”

Interviews with 2,207 patients were conducted to learn about their direct experiences with the healthcare system. Of the research participants, “1,001 [were] from the general population and 1,206 [were those] who qualified as ‘medically disenfranchised' from four communities: Black, Latinx, LGBTQ+, and low socioeconomic status (Low SES).” Research findings unveiled a significant lack of trust, with patients often feeling that they had been treated unequally and unfairly – or worse yet, that the system was working against them.

Genentech revealed that approximately just one-quarter to one-third of medically disenfranchised patients agree that all patients are treated fairly and equally (27% Black, 27% Latinx, 34% LGBTQ+, 23% low SES). Meanwhile, nearly half (49%) of the general population agree with that statement. Furthermore, “52% of medically disenfranchised patients believe that the healthcare system is rigged against them.”

As a result of these experiences, medically disenfranchised populations often delay, interrupt, or discontinue seeking care – often “for fear that they were not understood.” Additionally, the lack of trust has also translated to as many as one-in-three medically disenfranchised patients opting to not participate in clinical trials, vaccinations, and testing for medical conditions.

Genentech plans to continue investigating this situation further and progress their program efforts to help combat this issue. The study's announcement concluded with an inspirational message for the healthcare industry's growth and improvement by stating:

“[T]o address healthcare disparity, we must address issues of trust in the healthcare system. We must build bridges to medically disenfranchised patients to make them feel valued, respected, and understood. We must give them reasons to believe in the healthcare system.

“We know we cannot do this alone. Only through a broad coalition of industry, government, NGO, and community stakeholders will we make the changes necessary to ensure the healthcare system works for everyone. This research is the latest step in our efforts toward that goal, and we hope it serves as a call-to-action for candid discussion, proactive collaboration, and meaningful action.”

Her current work has her continuing to lead the New York medical team, managing the EU medical strategists, and also “developing solutions to address the disparity in recruitment of people of color into clinical trials.” The medical team supports both DTC and HCP new business opportunities.

“I'm thrilled to take on this new role, as this is an opportunity to elevate our diverse, best-in-class medical talent even further,” Dr. Bazuro said in the news announcement. “I look forward to ensuring best practices are uniformly implemented across all of our offices in support of our amazing clients, as they continue to bring life-changing therapies to patients in desperate need.”

Dr. Bazuro “holds a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, a BS-Research Intensive in Cell and Molecular Biology from Yale University, and she conducted her postdoctoral research fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.”