Patient Power and Pharma The Role of Patient Advocates in Pharma MarketingClick Here for Additional Resources
A conversation with Andrew Schorr, Founder and Host of PatientPower.info (see Bio) about “web-savvy” patients and the role of patient advocates in pharmaceutical marketing and communications.
Aired LIVE on:
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
You can visit this Pharma Marketing Talk Segment Page and listen to the live show or the archived audio podcast afterward. This show and ALL Pharma Marketing Talk shows are available as podcasts via PMT on iTunes (FREE!). Background
In his book “The Web-Savvy Patient,” Schorr instructs readers to take advantage of the breadth, immediacy and utility of the Web to:
- Provide updates on your situation to concerned family, friends and colleagues
- Educate people on your condition to help them better understand your situation
- Clarify the ways in which people can assist you and your household
- Delegate specific logistical tasks
- Communicate your preferences with regard to visits, phone calls, etc
- Deal with critical situations by distributing important information to help family members make important decisions
- Broadcast your research needs to get outside input on treatment options
Some results of a survey of Patient Power site visitors:
- 73% look for online information (primarily updates from experts) at least weekly
- 49% discuss what they learn from Patient Power with their doctor
- 36% say Patient Power added new options to the discussion with their doctor
- 51% say Patient Power has improved their healthcare
- Patient Power, by these visitors, is ranked far above other sources of information – 4.42 (out of 5.0), patient advocacy groups like LLS are rated 3.95, pharma resources 1.98
- 95% of survey responders have or would recommend Patient Power to others
- 68% gave permission to be contacted by Patient Power to provide more feedback
Questions/Topics Discussed
- Supporting patient advocates in a regulated environment
- Becoming a member of an existing independent patient community rather than hosting your own proprietary community
- Patients want information from a variety of sources and in a timely fashion. Can pharma deliver?
- Identifying and working with “new players” – Patient Opinion Leaders
- Be careful of using agencies to engage with patients
- The value of a long-term commitment and internal patient advocates
Guest Bio
Patient Activists author of the acclaimed book “The Web-Savvy Patient,” is a pioneer in online education and support for patients with serious illnesses. He is also a two-time cancer survivor who says he is alive today because of guidance received from other patients he met online in 1996. Since then, as founder and primary interviewer on PatientPower.info and Patient Power.eu, he has “given back” by helping literally millions of patients worldwide. He has produced more than 3,000 programs connecting patients with leading KOLs, expert information, and other patients who can inspire them. Andrew has strong feelings about the “right way” for how pharma can help empower patients online today.
Additional Resources
- TBD
