The driver's seat

With the greatest growth opportunities existing outside the US and Western Europe, PR will play a pivotal role in ensuring that organizations are part of the public health policy debate. Education and in-depth understanding of the policy environment and decision-making process are crucial if pharma is to engage in successful dialogue.

Have a GPS navigational system in your car? Likely. Need one at work. Absolutely.

Healthcare delivery in the US has been in transition for some time, but the process has accelerated and a new landscape is taking shape. Changes are directly impacting the relatively predictable market dynamics that we once relied on in setting the course for communications, and with it, the very role of public relations is shifting from heavy marketing support to a role more balanced by governance, reputation, relevance and corporate engagement. And, that’s just a review of the US market.

In other regions, the healthcare terrain seems even less navigable, with uncharted obstacles and opportunities lining the road. Given all the attention to reform in our own system, it could be easy to miss the quickly changing dynamics in healthcare delivery in countries both rich and poor, established and emerging, socialized or without an access system in place. In fact, it is difficult to find a country that isn’t struggling with the same tough questions: how can a nation afford to provide its residents with access to today’s greatest medical advances? How do we continue to improve and extend lives without breaking the bank? The answers vary widely and are influenced not only by finances, but by culture, history, government and social mores.

Whatever the answer, it’s clear that much of the world is transforming when it comes to healthcare products, services and delivery, and much of the change is being driven by access and cost. While traditional product marketing communications won’t necessarily disappear, a major shift is destined to occur. For companies, marketers and practitioners who’ve seen public relations’ value primarily through a conventional lens, it must be unsettling.

Conversely, it’s a major opportunity for those willing to look – and go – a little bit deeper. It’s true that activities supporting the development and marketing of products are under increased scrutiny, tighter budgets and unrelenting pressure to prove RoI. Yet, even if that’s true, consider the quickly expanding areas where PR can – and already is – driving the industry forward. The answers to today’s most vexing issues come down primarily to improved relationships, increased dialogue and communicating value propositions. PR is ideally suited to deliver on all those fronts.

Let’s look at just two ways in which it can help firms and organizations maneuver the big issues surrounding growth or simply survival in this “new world geography.”

Tapping into the power of the patient
Since the early days of healthcare PR, patients have been a critical audience, in the US particularly. As such, campaigns have long tapped into third party groups as a credible and connected resource to raise awareness, spread the word about health needs and related options, and ultimately drive a call-to-action.

The role of the patient is as important today as ever. But the way that companies interact with them continues to evolve. Today, people who receive healthcare services are no longer “patients” in the literal sense. They are consumers with power to demand, to purchase, and if unhappy, speak from the digital mount.

Consumer empowerment has taken a long and windy path. A mere generation ago, the doctor prevailed and people simply took the ride. Interest in – and coverage of – healthcare topics, in time, educated consumers and gave them tools to become involved in healthcare choices. Then, of course, came the internet, which has helped shift the balance of power from the communicator to the audience.

If healthcare reform were initiated in the 60s or even the 70s, it would be far simpler. Choices would be made, and patients would simply accept them. Not today. American healthcare consumers are unlikely to accept diminishing access or what they believe may be suboptimal treatment. That’s where PR comes in.

Our industry’s role will be to do what we’ve done for years. First, we need to provide information that enables consumers to formulate educated opinions and a voice. Then, we need to manage online and one-to-one discussions that will occur based on those opinions. In short, dialogue offers the roadmap to the future and consumers have a more steady hand on the wheel.

Access to new markets and opportunities
Reform will continue to create many lively discussions in medical offices, hospitals and homes for some time. Americans have never taken kindly to the concept of “no,” and they’re not likely to now. While this will translate into continued sales for products, due to lower prices, the end result will be less profit. Therefore, marketers will need to find ways to increase sales, with the greatest opportunities for sales growth in untapped markets around the world.

So, the question is, do we accept changes, or do we find alternatives? Do we stop marketing to consumers and target those who will decide what is available and what’s not? And if the greatest growth opportunities are in markets outside the US and Western Europe, how can we influence policy decisions that will have wide-reaching ramifications?

They say that you can’t fight City Hall, and that may well be true. But companies can become part of the public health policy by getting involved in the diagnosis, the dialogue, and the debate.

The diagnosis: knowledge is power

• Education is perhaps the most important part of creating change in public health. Companies hoping to gain a fair shake at getting their product on the market should gain an in-depth understanding of the policy environment and decision-making process. This is especially true outside the US and most certainly in emerging markets, where even an advanced GPS system may offer little direction. Additionally, they need to understand and map the spheres of influence that affect policies, as well as ensure that the organization has the internal skills and capacity necessary to develop strategic policy plans, monitor progress, and evaluate outcomes.

The dialogue: influencing policy makers
In the US, decisions won’t be made on price alone. Therefore, it will be essential for companies to gather data to support their products’ benefit, not only on distinct clinical endpoints, but on outcomes and quality of life. Companies will also need, as they always have, to understand the competition’s policy agenda, and the arguments they will  bring to the discussion. The best conversation is planned well in advance.

Working outside the US will require customized approaches, smart market analysis and public policy training in order to make a case that’s relevant, resonant and financially justifiable.

PR practitioners will need to be at the table throughout, but particularly when “talk” turns to “tactic” and an arsenal of tools needs to be developed for use in outreach to policymakers and those who influence them. These include disease burden detail aids, fact sheets, health outcomes impact tools, budget and pricing fact sheets, testimonials, and ready-to-use presentations.

The debate: activating a groundswell

• The power of consumers cannot be overlooked in pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and as influenced by recent healthcare town hall meetings, in the highest levels of government. And it’s not only a US phenomenon. The public is shaping healthcare debates and demanding access to care in markets far and wide.
• PR will continue to play a vital role in creating broad disease or issue policy platforms that encompass awareness, call-to-action, implications and consequences directed towards policy-makers and influencers. While advertising may – or may not – continue to provide reach and frequency about distinct products and services, PR will continue to harness market power. It’s what we do, and will do for times to come.

All roads lead to...
It’s an exciting time to be in healthcare PR. Challenging, yes. But what road worth taking isn’t filled with peaks, valleys and terrific vistas. Turn on the communications GPS system. Grab the wheel firmly. PR is in the driver’s seat.