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Introduction
Patient marketing represents a huge opportunity for pharma companies, yet it’s quite misunderstood, and subsequently often undervalidated. While marketing budgets continue to increase for pharma companies—to the tune of an average yearly spend increase of 19.7% in 2023, patient marketing often takes up a very small portion of that budget. Patient marketing is simply more complex and nuanced than marketing to physicians and most companies struggle to get it right. Why?
There are quite a few reasons why B2C marketing is more challenging in the world of biopharma:
- HIPAA, GDPR, and data privacy regulations make it infinitely more complicated to reach the right patients, at the right time, with the right message.
- Variability in health literacy makes it difficult to communicate with broad patient segments effectively.
- Pharma brands have to combat a lack of trust that patients often have. To combat this, a sophisticated level of personalization is required.
- Unlike consumer brands, the decision-making process in pharma is very complex, thanks to factors like out-of-pocket costs, insurance costs, and side effects.
In this complicated landscape, it’s no wonder that myths abound. Here are some of the most common myths we hear about marketing in pharma—and what the truth really is.
Myth #1: Patients are not the primary decision makers in their care
There’s a persistent myth that providers call all the shots in patient care planning, especially when treating serious diseases like cancer. Here’s why it’s not true.
While healthcare providers offer expertise, guidance, and treatment options, the final choice is always the patient’s. On a policy level, this is due to informed consent. Providers have a legal and ethical obligation to make sure patients and their caregivers understand the benefits, risks, and alternatives to treatments that are proposed. To expand on this point using cancer care as an example, leading cancer care organizations place high value in tailoring treatment plans to patients’ individual values, goals, preferences, and lifestyles, giving patients a more empowered role in choosing their care pathway.
In today’s online world, patients also benefit from having a wealth of credible medical information online. Many patients become students of their own conditions, which adds to feelings of empowerment when it comes to participating in the decision-making process.
It’s not just a few patients who take an active role in their care planning. A 2022 survey showed that almost 45% of patients wanted more involvement in their healthcare decisions—the highest proportion since the question was first asked in 2018. Shared decision-making empowers individuals to take control of their health, whether that means choosing an aggressive course of treatment, opting for palliative care, pursuing a clinical trial, or selecting other care pathways.
Myth #2: Physicians don’t want patients to suggest treatment option
Another myth within the industry? Providers dislike patient-driven treatment discussions. As the trained professionals navigating care options for patients, it wouldn’t be surprising if providers wanted patients to “stay in their lane” when it comes to care decisions. But that’s simply not the way it works.
Many healthcare providers appreciate when patients come to appointments prepared with questions and treatment preferences. Why? Because engaged patients can lead to more productive conversations, and better adherence. And, as the clinical experts in the room, providers value patient input in situations where multiple treatment pathways exist. Best of all, this kind of collaborative relationship builds trust between providers and patients. A 2020 JAMA article showed that greater patient participation in medical decisions improves both patient satisfaction and health outcomes. And, a 2021 study published in the Journal of Patient Experience showed a direct tie between shared decision-making and treatment compliance.
Myth #3: Patients 65+ aren’t tech savvy
There’s a persistent myth that older patients aren’t tech savvy. This can seem like a limiting factor for pharma companies looking to reach older patients with digital marketing, from digital ads to companion apps and far beyond.
Simply put, this myth has worn out its welcome. While it may have been accurate 10 or 20 years ago, today’s seniors are increasingly tech savvy. US adults 65 and over continue to increase their use of all kinds of digital technology, including regular use of the Internet and smartphone adoption. In addition to everyday consumer electronics, older patients are also adopting health-related tech like telemedicine, health apps, and cloud-connected medical devices that help them manage chronic conditions. According to a 2024 AARP study, 61% of adults 65+ own a smartphone. A similar study found that 88% of adults 65+ use the Internet. Perhaps most importantly, the AARP study reported that 54% of respondents 70+ agreed or strongly agreed that technology enables a healthy life. And, 19-25% of those 65+ have embraced wearable technology.
Myth #4: Patients are primarily motivated by clinical data
Clinical data is undoubtedly an important factor in patient decision-making, especially in patients who are pursuing novel treatments through clinical trials. However, it’s not the only factor. In order to bust this myth, here are other factors that patients consider when making treatment decisions.
First, lifestyle factors play a sizable role. When faced with a treatment decision, patients and caregivers consider factors like quality of life, impact on daily activities, ability to work, long-term well-being, and personal goals. Practical factors like the cost of treatment and insurance coverage also play a role.
Additionally, patients make care decisions based on social proof, like real-world patient experiences, testimonials, or content provided by support programs.
Finally, the trust patients have with their care team is paramount. According to a 2017 study in the Journal of Patient Experience, trust with doctors is one of the strongest influences in care decisions. An article in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine showed that non-clinical influences like the physician’s professional interaction, personal characteristics, and even the type of practice play a role in patient decision-making.
Break free of the misconceptions
For pharma companies who want to use marketing to create meaningful connections with patients, recognizing patients as key decision-makers is a great first step. From there, it’s important to find ways to connect with patients on a highly personalized level.
At Unite Genomics, we’re using the power of AI to create patient-level engagement that drives meaningful brand growth for pharma companies. Learn more at unitegenomics.com.
About
Unite is a health analytics and personalized engagement platform developed by pioneers in Artificial Intelligence (AI) from the University of California, Berkeley. It uses data from electronic medical records (EMR), a direct relationship with patients, and world class AI systems to understand where each patient is in their journey and unlock optimal care pathways. Unite’s platform connects to over 19,000 health systems in the U.S., giving it the unique ability to leverage real-time data flows for over 95% of patients across the country.
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