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In our previous article in this series we discussed the increasing use of advanced analytics across the pharma value chain, and the potential of advanced analytics to enhance the activity of the commercial function as well as market access and pricing strategies.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the way in which commercial teams interact with healthcare professionals (HCPs) leading to the wider adoption of digital solutions such as Consilium Health. Consilium Health, developed by PwC, is a platform for facilitating virtual communication with HCPs. Consilium Health utilises existing chat platforms such as WhatsApp and WeChat to digitally connect pharma companies and HCPs, and thus avoids the friction involved with installing yet another digital application. It provides a single interface for commercial team members, medical science liaisons (MSLs) and other relevant pharma colleagues to chat directly with HCPs. In the background, it connects with existing infrastructure including customer relationship management (CRM) and content management platforms. Solutions such as Consilium Health can facilitate a coordinated and monitored interaction between pharma companies and HCPs while supporting content sharing, adverse event reporting and survey data collection.
Beyond integrating customer interactions, such platforms can aid in more effective data collation and analytics. As discussed previously, digital interactions will spark a large amount of data providing an opportunity to drive personalised, engaging and value-based content. Data-driven interactions with HCPs can become more effective and personalised by creating a 360 degree view of a HCP and their interests, integrating multiple data sources, such as prescription behavior, digital-twin footprint on medical forums, research interests and publications, and inclination toward medical vs. commercial data. This 360 degree view and integrated outcome data from historical HCP interactions, can help pharma companies to better position products and personalise messaging. For example, vendors such as Veeva, through their CRM tools, are introducing intelligent engagement between field representatives and HCPs by providing real-time insights and identifying next-best actions.
Developing leading advanced analytics capabilities in the commercial function
Despite the potential of integrating advanced analytics into the commercial function, a number of challenges exist to ensure the successful adoption of these technologies. Such challenges range from the lack of robust structured data and infrastructure to functional silos within organisations and limited investment in adopting or developing advanced analytics capabilities. Challenges can, of course, be overcome; firstly, through commitment to adopting these technologies, and secondly, through the development of a robust strategy to develop advanced analytics capabilities.
Setting the strategy
The opportunities to utilise increasingly advanced analytics in the commercial function are vast and still exploratory. Pharma companies should identify areas in which advanced analytics would have the greatest impact, for example by analysing existing commercial challenges, and understand data access and availability to prioritise scenarios for which success in adopting or developing advanced analytics solutions would be most likely.
- Building analytics pipelines and the infrastructure: In many cases, existing projects in other parts of the organisation, such as RWD collection to support access or reimbursement activities. Advanced analytics is only as good as the data that enables it. With the increasing digitisation of healthcare, pharma companies have several new opportunities to use new sources of data. For example, by collaborating with various payers and provider systems, as well as engaging patients with wearable technologies in a compliant manner, companies can build an analytics pipeline that continuously collects various types of Real World Data (RWD). In many cases, existing projects in other parts of the organisation, such as RWD to support access or reimbursement activities, could be adapted for commercially focused applications, which in turn, would improve the return on investment (ROI) of advanced analytics projects. Boosting capabilities such as data management, computing, and data security are also key to ensuring the data is successfully harnessed with the appropriate security protocols.
- Integrating data sources: To improve the richness of the underlying data, companies may need to invest in integrating disparate data sources to ensure sufficient data is available to ‘develop’, ‘train’ and ‘feed’ advanced analytics algorithms. For example, as RWD is adopted for commercial application, integrating it with conventional datasets such as sales and marketing effectiveness data could significantly improve the predictability and success of the advanced analytics tools.
- Compliance: Compliance is a prerequisite at every step, whether it is for data collection and handling or for using the insights and disseminating the information. Pharma companies need to ensure adherence to evolving privacy and security requirements and guidance issued by local and national regulators.
- Upskilling: A digitally literate and enabled workforce is essential to compete in the evolving advanced analytics driven marketplace. Pharma companies should invest in an advanced analytics curriculum and upskill their workforce to ensure readiness to adopt or develop these transformative technologies.
The pharma marketplace is becoming increasingly technology driven and competitive. The full value of advanced analytics will be experienced by the pharma companies that increase focus and investment in developing these technologies now to enhance the capabilities of the commercial teams of the future.
The authors would like to thank Krishna Vallurupalli and Diven Sharma for their contribution.
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