The future of healthcare is here: AI-powered HCP relationships
How to build strong relationships with HCPs – 3-part series
Part 3: The future of healthcare is here: AI-powered HCP relationships
According to recent stats, nearly 50% of global healthcare companies will implement artificial intelligence strategies by 2025 and some experts believe it is crucial for how businesses operate down the line.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the pharma industry, and the way pharma and biotech companies build relationships with healthcare professionals (HCPs) is no exception. AI has the potential to revolutionise the way pharmaceutical companies engage with HCPs.
Here are six approaches that can help in building relationships with HCPs using AI:
Personalisation:
AI can be used to personalise interactions and communications with HCPs. By analysing data and leveraging machine learning algorithms, AI can provide personalised recommendations, content, and resources tailored to the specific needs and interests of HCPs.
Targeted Engagement:
AI can help identify and target HCPs who are most likely to be interested in specific products, services, or educational resources. AI can identify patterns and preferences of HCPs, enabling more targeted and relevant engagement.
Enhanced Communication:
AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can be used to provide real-time support and information to HCPs. These AI systems can answer frequently asked questions, provide product information, and assist with administrative tasks, freeing up time for HCPs and improving their overall experience.
Data Analysis:
AI can analyse large volumes of data, including electronic health records, clinical trial data, and medical literature, to provide valuable insights and recommendations to HCPs. By leveraging AI algorithms, HCPs can access relevant and up-to-date information to support their decision-making process.
Predictive Analytics:
AI can be used to predict healthcare trends, disease outbreaks, and patient outcomes. By providing HCPs with predictive analytics, AI can help them make more informed decisions and take proactive measures to improve patient care.
Continuous Learning: AI can facilitate continuous learning and professional development for HCPs. By recommending relevant educational resources, research articles, and training programs, AI can help HCPs stay updated with the latest advancements in their field.
It’s important to note that while AI can enhance engagement and relationship-building with HCPs, it should be used in conjunction with human-expert interactions and personalised approaches. AI should be seen as a tool to support and augment the relationship-building process, rather than a replacement for human connection and communication.
Finding the right AI tools…
There are already many tools that are enterprise-ready AI and Machine Learning platforms that can be customised to your needs and trained with your own pharma company’s data to accelerate generative AI workloads. Some of these tools are IBM Watson , Google Cloud AI, Amazon Personalize, among others. The best tool for your needs will depend on the specific requirements of your business.
One of the strengths these AI tools have in common is their vast flexibility. You can customise for anything that your business ecosystem might need. From data analysis to streamlining work procedures. Therefore, they can help you create personalised experiences for HCPs in a variety of ways. For example, they can create personalised experiences, such as segmentation, personalisation, and recommendations for specific HCPs.
But…What about privacy concerns and the use of AI?
Remember that while AI tools can provide valuable insights and personalisation, it’s crucial to balance the benefits with privacy considerations.
The privacy policies of specific tools can vary, and it’s very important to review the privacy policies and terms of service of each tool to understand how they handle data privacy and security. Here are some general considerations regarding privacy when using AI tools:
Data Handling:
AI tools may require access to HCP data to analyse preferences and interests. It’s important to ensure that the tool handles data securely and follows privacy best practices. Review the tool’s privacy policy to understand how it handles data storage, encryption, and access controls.
Data Usage:
AI tools may use HCP data to create personalised content. Ensure that the tool’s privacy policy clearly states how the data will be used and whether it will be shared with third parties. Look for transparency and clarity in how the tool handles data usage.
Compliance:
Check if the AI tool complies with relevant data protection regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union. Compliance with these regulations ensures that the tool follows strict privacy standards and provides individuals with rights over their personal data.
Anonymisation and Aggregation:
Consider whether the AI tool anonymises or aggregates data to protect individual privacy. Anonymisation removes personally identifiable information, while aggregation combines data to prevent the identification of specific individuals.
Data Retention:
Understand how long the AI tool retains HCP data. It’s important to ensure that data is not stored longer than necessary and is securely deleted when no longer needed.
Consent and Opt-Out:
Check if the AI tool provides mechanisms for obtaining consent from HCPs and allows them to opt out of data collection or personalised content. Transparency and user control are essential for privacy protection.
In a nutshell…
While AI tools can provide valuable insights and personalisation, they should not be relied upon solely for HCP engagement. The secrets to excellence lie – in adding to the mix the expert human intervention and then a layer of finessing and editing to make sure that your content and your strategy really stands out and it is compliant. AI platforms though remarkable, thrive under the stewardship of expert human intervention.
A health communications PR agency like Curious Health can provide the human expertise and the level of expertise you need, always with an eye on the complex regulatory environment to ensure your engagement efforts comply with regulations and data protection.
Here’s how Curious Health can help you…
Embrace digital engagement:
It is clear that the healthcare landscape is evolving, and now more than ever establishing meaningful connections with HCPs requires a strategic approach that spans the digital realm. With our expertise in digital marketing, digital PR and offsite SEO, we’ll develop comprehensive integrated strategies that will help you reach and connect with HCPs where they are.
It is important to note that the integration of AI is also impacting the search engines such as Google and Bing which are already revolutionising the way people find information online. Matt Lowe, CEO of our partner agency, Performance-io says ’ With search engines being such a dominant source of information, we are expecting to see a number of changes across search engines results pages (SERPs). As the search generative experience (SGE) rolls out, Both Google and Bing have said they will be cautious about publishing AI generated content related to health queries, and as we see the changes roll out, our job will be to ensure accuracy and compliance and to integrate new solutions to pass on savings and training to client’.
Medical writing:
One of our partners is TW1, specialists in medical communications and education, help us provide healthcare professionals (HCPs) with valuable insights and knowledge through informative content such as articles, whitepapers, and webinars. By offering these unbiased, non-promotional resources that address genuine knowledge gaps, we not only enhance HCPs’ understanding of pharmaceutical products but also position our clients as industry thought leaders.
Connect with key opinion leaders:
We can help you identify influential HCPs who have credibility, expertise, and influence within the medical community, and can help facilitate meaningful connections between your company and key opinion leaders.
Foster collaborative initiatives:
We’re all about collaboration and nurturing long-term relationships. Through speaker and training programmes, and research partnerships, we facilitate meaningful interactions between pharma and biotech companies and HCPs. These initiatives create a platform for shared learning, idea exchange, and building strong connections.
Ensure compliance and regulatory support:
We understand the importance of adhering to industry guidelines and regulations. We ensure that all your communication programmes and strategies comply with the necessary standards.
If you are interested in discussing this further, drop us a line at [email protected]
If you missed parts 1 and 2 of our blog series ‘How to build strong partnerships with Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) – A three-part series’ click below:
Part 1: “Understanding HCP behaviours, challenges, and motivations”
Part 2: “Common pitfalls when engaging with Healthcare practitioners”