The Business APAC Healthcare Elites of 2019​ Final File_Healthcare Elites | Page 32

FROM THE EXPERT’S DESK
centeredness, this shift neither happens in a vacuum nor it is
driven by traditional hierarchies in which providers or
clinicians are the lone authority. Everyone, from the parking
valet and environmental services staff to c-suite members,
is engaged in the process, which impacts hiring, training,
leadership style, and organisational culture.
customized, then medications as well. This has been
witnessed in beauty & wellness sector. A patient’s details of
genetics, metabolism, biomarkers, immune system, and
other “signatures” can now be connected in many disease
states — especially cancer& other life-threateningdiseases
— to create personalized medications and therapies. There
are various organizations who are developing companion
diagnostics that help clinicians better predict the best drug
for each patient.
To that end, many providers are implementing patient
satisfaction surveys, patient and family advisory councils,
and focus groups, and using the resulting information to
continuously improve the way healthcare facilities and
healthcare provider practices are designed, managed, and
maintained from both a physical and operational
perspective.
Building Patient-centric brands
Whilst every healthcare company – from drug manufacturer
to health insurer, pharmacy to hospital, GP to specialist -it
is vividly different from most of what happens today, the
industry has willingly accepted the idea of patient-
centricity. At least to start with at corporate level.
Patient-centred care in the Family Doctor Clinics
Patients have trusted, personal relationships with their
family doctors in patient-focused care models. This all-
inclusive look at the needs of the whole patient requires
providers to offer services or referral to services such as
peer support programs, social workers, financial
counsellors, mental and emotional health providers,
transportation and daily living assistance, and in some
communities, language and literacy education. Physician
may also employ a variety of technology-based tools to
help patients take ownership of their health care outside of
the doctor’s office e.g. Healthcare portals for appointment,
diagnostic facilities etc.
While no hard metrics exist that can track success of such
initiatives, annual patient-centricity ranking, and awards
published by industry organizations nevertheless attempt to
provide a degree of feedback to the industry. Pharma
companies are aligning with Companies providing care at
home. It is the approach that looks beyond disease, beyond
product, beyond treatment. It is human-centric and
integrated in its response.
Conclusion
From the prevailing sales &marketing practices, can Indian
Pharma companies transit into patient-centric marketing?
The traditional commercial model needs a paradigm shift to
keep pace with changing patient profile. Currently
pharmaceutical representatives are selling by discussing
product efficacy to doctors, which is being challenged.
Today, the doctors face knowledgeable, engaged and net
savvy patients who can confront them and challenge their
understanding. Indian Pharma companies must put right
efforts in development of genuine partnerships between
doctors and such knowledgeable patients. It should
encourage support groups that prioritize healthy patient
outcomes and eventually a satisfied patient. It is also crucial
that doctors should remain pivotal to these activities and
evolve a mutual win-win and trustworthy patient-centric
model. As the popularity of patient- and family-centred
health care increases, it is anticipated that patients will
become more involved and satisfied with the delivery of
their care, and evidence of its clinical efficacy should
continue to mount. This could also be referred to as on-
demand healthcare, a by-product of a healthcare revolution
wherein patient can obtain the services they need, at the
preferred time based on their affordability, feasibility and
availability.
Patient-centred care in the hospital
Traditionally hospitals have a mindset of Patient care in
silo. For them anyone other than Patient is a distraction,
burden or nuisance. However, a patient-centred care at
hospital encourages family collaboration through a home-
like environment that not only meets the needs of the
patient but also meets the needs of family members. e.g.
maternity hospitals are being redesigned with family-
friendly postpartum rooms, Family lounge for family
members of long duration treatment. Visiting hours and
visitor restrictions are a thing of the past in a patient-centred
care model. Patients should be given the authority to
identify who can visit and when. Family members are kept
informed of their loved one’s progress through direct and
timely updates. Newer set of corporate hospitals are
engaging IT companies to enable themselves to serve
Patients better.
Personalised medicine
The concept of patient-centred care extends to the
treatments and therapies clinicians provide not as
generalised therapies but customised. If care plans are
March 2019
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