7 predictions for 2011

From colleagues peering into the healthcare crystal ball:

Clinical Trial Pogram Data versus EHR-Based Proprietary Research
It won't take long for large healthcare systems to gain the ability to mine data from their electronic health records to determine the outcomes related to--and cost-effectivness of-- pharmaceutical products. Look for one or more major pharmaceutical companies to begin exploratory talks with the FDA regarding the criteria that would allow data licensed from large healthcare organizations to be utilized within the marketing arena.

Doctor-iPad-Patient Communications
As use of the iPad within healthcare continues to expand, look for disease state education to quickly migrate to iPad-friendly (and similar-device compatible) platforms. These devices offer the benefits of mobile versatility and instant digital channel connectivity (in space and time) with a screen size suitable for integration into the doctor-patient dialogue.

Therapeutic Centers of Excellence: Moving Towards a 'Mitotic' Business Model
As we enter the era of personalized medicine - both in terms of treatment and customer service - pharmaceutical companies will need to make a critical business model decision in the coming year...either (1) merge, acquire, consolidate and grow, or (2) divide, specialize, replicate, and conquer. The former certainly meets the short term needs to enhance shareholder value, but does little to sustain long term growth and innovation for the organization. As such, I believe we will see a migration (albeit slow) of pharmaceutical companies carving out niche therapeutic centers of excellence (e.g. metabolic disorders, neurospsyhc, oncology, etc) that are streamlined, focused and independently operated to drive therapeutic dominance in pipeline R&D and customer service engagement.

Interoperability: There's a 'Platform' For That!
We often hear this term tossed around in the context of medical technology, but the same term also holds relevance to the areas of marketing and communciations. In recent years, new media channels have paved the path for a myriad of communication solutions to help better engage the customer (e.g. twitter, facebook, sermo, tivo, etc.). As a result, we are increasingly having difficulty separating the good from the bad, the useful from the useless, and so on. In the coming year, effective marketing solutions will look to optimize customer engagement by delivering a consolidated solution on a customizable (and measureable) communication and publishing platform.

Accountability & Partnerships: United We Stand, Divided We Fall
Healthcare reform is unquestionably driving greater accountability to the key stakeholders involved in patient care. This includes the 4 P's" physicians, payers, patients, and pharma. Introducing words like efficiency, benchmarks, and outcomes as part of our daily medicalese has created a healthcare delivery marketplace in which each stakeholder must work together to makes ends meet. Going forward, it will be critical to deliver solutions that don't just serve the needs of each individual stakeholder, but rather meet the needs of the group as a single accountable entity.

It's SERVICE stupid
In today's economic environment, I'm compelled to "borrow" from President Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign slogan "It's the economy stupid"... and transform it into a wake-up call for the pharma industry. They need to evolve their service model -- or at least provide a "self service" model if they can not handle the increase demands of patients, physicians and payers. Good, authentic, sincere and knowledgeable service can be a game changer and differentiator. Those companies who actively "listen" to their customers and develop service solutions based on that feedback can separate from the pack of mediocrity.

Tapping Into Your Human Capital
The fact that the pace of change is getting FASTER is not a new trend -- but the implications should scare the pants off of healthcare executives who haven't grown up in a culture of change. Recommendation -- hire some Change Agents and give them the authority, the budgets and the platform to ignite innovation in your company. Good news...there may be some change agents already in your organization -- but they are hiding. Find them and elevate their voice and authority. Another recommendation -- crowd source ideas for change. Your employees have lots of opinions and ideas -- but are you listening? Do you have a way to solicit and act on their input? For nearly a decade, leading global companies have been employing "predictive market" techniques to identify and invest behind ideas sourced from their valued employees. Figure it out....it leads to a pot of gold...and very satisfied employees.