Multichannel measurement is not all about ROI, according to an article in PharmaVoice’s January 2012 edition. We couldn’t agree more. Understanding the softer, qualitative metrics, such as patient engagement, brand awareness, and intent to ask, can yield valuable information about how to optimize campaigns.
So, we asked ourselves, how can we measure the why? The answer was to develop a unique measurement approach, called ROETM (Return on Education), to help us understand how education and brand promotion drive business and health outcomes. In essence, how do these programs effectively change patient behaviors?
The ROE framework starts with an assessment of educational impact opportunities—a baseline of patients’ attitudes, behaviors, knowledge, and skills related to their condition and its treatment—that reveals diverse patient segments at various points along their disease and treatment journeys.
We then evaluate how shifts in patients’ knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and skills achieve the desired actions. Do patients intend to speak with their healthcare providers about the brand? Are they actively requesting it? Are they given prescriptions, and if so, do they fill them and adhere to treatment over time?
But recording desired actions alone is not enough—you need to understand the “WHY behind ROI.” Only when we connect patients’ attitudinal drivers and barriers to a desired action can we truly know what motivated patients to act in the first place. This is the key to maximizing business and health outcomes through all phases of the patient journey—from awareness to consideration, to initiation, to adherence/attrition, and, finally, to advocacy or reinitiation.
How can you measure health outcomes, you ask? ROE incorporates outcome surveys (eg, those of HEDIS and the National Committee for Quality Assurance [NCQA]) to determine if an educational effort directly resulted in positive health outcomes.
The ROE framework now serves as the basis of all our measurement planning and informs optimization of relationship marketing and digital initiatives so maximal success is achieved for both patient and brand.
Barbara Haimowitz, PhD
Vice President,
Marketing Analytics
HealthEd
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