Major vertical business relationships and ongoing mergers among the largest companies in the U.S. healthcare system continue to exert greater control over patient access, sites of care/dispensing and pricing. In 2022, approximately 80% of all prescription drug claims were processed by three pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)/group purchasing organization (GPOs): Express Scripts and Ascent Health, OptumRx and Emisar Pharmacy Solutions, and CVS Caremark and Zinc Health Services. This consolidation of GPOs, PBMs, insurers, specialty pharmacy and provider networks creates many challenges for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. One challenge is the coordination of communication efforts and the accurate and timely dissemination of information (both in-person and digital) across the corporate subsidiaries including various stakeholders with intertwined relationships, and in some cases, with competing priorities.
That’s not easy. Just take a look at CVS Health Corporation’s numerous subsidiaries!
But by leveraging the power of an omnichannel framework, companies can create a seamless, personalized and consistent flow of information to communicate to all subsidiaries and stakeholders, irrespective of their locations or preferred channels. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an accelerated reliance on electronic interactions and follow-up responses that link to a digital hub with easy to navigate resources. This digital-first approach helps facilitate more stakeholder interactions, optimize their engagement, and continuously track and refine communication. Another advantage of omnichannel is that it can help pharma and biotech companies comply with regulatory requirements, such as HIPAA, by providing secure channels for confidential information sharing.
In addition to using an omnichannel approach, communicating brand value to market access stakeholders can also be achieved through other digital channels – such as webinars, banners, digital benchmark reports, etc. Companies can use data analytics to track and analyze the effectiveness of their communication strategies across different channels. Analytics can provide insights into how stakeholders engage with different channels, which channels are more effective, and where the communication strategy needs improvement. Based on these insights, companies can fine-tune their communication strategies to optimize engagement and outcomes. The combined information and insights can also be used to enhance the effectiveness of business reviews (annual/quarterly) with corporate.
The consolidation of payers’ subsidiaries poses significant challenges for pharmaceutical and biotech companies in communicating and coordinating decisions with multiple stakeholders. However, by adopting an omnichannel approach, companies can overcome these challenges and engage stakeholders more effectively. By leveraging different channels and data analytics, companies can personalize their communication, optimize engagement, and comply with regulatory requirements. An omnichannel approach is essential for pharma and biotech companies to tackle today’s complex healthcare ecosystem.
EVERSANA INTOUCH is reimagining stakeholder engagement with our unique combination of market access expertise and omnichannel prowess. With our industry-recognized heritage in digital marketing and market access consulting, we can connect personal and non-personal communications and enable Account Directors, Field Reimbursement Managers, and Medical Science Liaisons, with the right tools to engage customers via a much more targeted approach…omnichannel.