New Study Uses Six-Step Patient Journey as Framework for Consumer-Focused Marketing Opportunities

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., July 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Patient engagement has become a critical component of pharmaceutical marketing and, consequently, organizations are turning to an assortment of marketing activities designed specifically for patients.

As part of this evolving approach to patient engagement, marketers have learned it's important to educate, communicate and engage patients throughout their experiences with a disease - from disease awareness to patient empowerment. By mapping the patient journey and employing a consumer marketing program that follows this path, marketing groups can more effectively engage with patients.

To better understand this strategic shift in patient marketing, Best Practices, LLC conducted a study to investigate how companies are adopting a "Patient Journey" framework to acquire, convert, support, and retain patients for their medical products. The resulting report, "Patient-Focused Marketing: Engagement Milestones along the Patient Journey," produced reliable industry metrics on current spending levels and investment allocation patterns for marketing to and communicating with patients.

The study employed a six-step framework to trace the patient journey and to identify what patient-focused initiatives, marketing activities, and investment levels are most effective for engaging patients during each phase of their journey.  On average, companies spend more than half their patient engagement funds during the first three stages of the patient journey - awareness, diagnosis and treatment consideration, according to the study. With the exception of the U.S. company segment, study participants focus their spend on the treatment consideration stage; diabetes companies place the highest emphasis here.

Marketing leaders can use this study to evaluate how their patient engagement programs compare with industry averages and trends.

Key topics addressed in this report include:

• Investment in Patient-Focused Activities & Programs
• Future Investment Levels in the Patient Journey
• Investment within Patient Marketing, Foundation & Leadership Categories
• Deployment of Patient-Focused Activities & Programs
• Activities Timing Across the Patient Journey
• Best Practices Shared by Benchmark Participants
• Effective Patient Loyalty Programs
• Pitfalls for Patient Marketers to Avoid

The research is based on a benchmarking survey instrument that engaged 22 leaders at 19 companies. Qualitative data came from in-depth interviews with seven participants. To learn more about this report, download a complimentary report excerpt at http://www3.best-in-class.com/rr1298.htm.

For more information on other recent primary research studies, contact us at 919.403.0251. For related research, visit our Best Practices, LLC Web site at http://www.best-in-class.com/.

ABOUT BEST PRACTICES, LLC

Best Practices, LLC is a leading benchmarking, consulting and advisory services firm serving biopharmaceutical and medical device companies worldwide. Best Practices, LLC's clients include all the top 10 and 48 of the top 50 global healthcare companies. The firm conducts primary research and consulting using its comprehensive proprietary benchmarking tools and analysis. The operational insights, findings and analysis form the basis for our Benchmarking Reports, databases and advisory services to support executives in commercial and R&D operations.

SOURCE Best Practices, LLC

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