Kevin Lennon
Kevin works in Business Development at Star OUTiCO
Local systems knowledge
Market Access needs to be considered during early development product launch plans – up to 2 years before the launch. However, it requires a methodical strategy and a solid understanding of diverse local healthcare systems.
Market Access has evolved and now involves collaboration with numerous local stakeholders, each with different pathways, and their own interpretations of national guidelines.
Engaging with these various stakeholders requires vast experience and knowledge of local healthcare systems to fully appreciate how a brand can add value in each area.
Gaining access – think digital
It’s well known that the payer customer group are under ever-increasing time pressure and are juggling multiple priorities.
How can you reach Healthcare Professionals if they haven’t the time to see you? Diminishing budgets and more time restraints means that accessing NHS customers in the traditional way is more of a challenge.
In our own 2019 survey, (Attitudes to Remote Selling), 37% of HCPs who had never engaged in remote selling said they would consider it in the future. And over 85% of respondents agreed that it was important to have a choice of digital channels when engaging with pharma/healthcare organisations.
A multi-channel approach lends itself well to accessing the right customers, to make change happen. This model supplements traditional face-to-face interactions, with the effective use of telephone, email and screen-sharing to increase access with customers.
Preferred channels
With a complex group of stakeholders, it really pays to understand how customers want to communicate with you – resulting in more successful interactions and results.
The most effective communication develops when people’s preferences are taken into account – so the channel of choice should be backed up by data and insights. We have over 9000 Payer customer interactions recorded, across a range of therapy areas, and have captured their preferred channel for engagement, whether it’s phone, email, video conference, or face-to-face.
HCPs respond really positively to the multi-channel method, and welcome a flexible approach which considers their time and preference.
Our approach to Market Access
At Star OUTiCO we provide end to end Market Access support from pre-launch through to launch activities.
Pre-launch
Preparation is the key to mastering Market Access. Understanding customers’ needs, taking time to identify who the right stakeholders are, and engaging with them from the start, will ultimately influence the positioning of your brand at launch.
Local insights gained early on will also help form a better understand the value of your brand to the NHS and what is required for a successful launch. It’s critical to fully understand the processes at a local and regional level as, although there are common elements across all local areas, they do differ.
Our Market Access team:
- Advise and assist with delivering Advance Budget Notifications in a code compliant way
- Capture valuable local insight through the process
- Reach customers utilising all channels that enable meaningful engagement
Launch
Making your brands value proposition relevant locally across multiple NHS stakeholders is essential. Our Market Access team can remove barriers to prescribing, providing the knowledge, insight and strategic solutions:
- Delivering appropriate formulary positioning
- Agreeing timelines to implement medicines optimisation with local payer customers
- Creating a positive environment for brands to be commercialised, enabling local commercial pull through
Trusted Advisors
If you want to be seen as a credible advisor to the NHS, it takes high quality, experienced professionals to build relationships.
Our market access team have an average of 17 years’ experience each in the industry. This means we have confidence in positioning our team as trusted advisors with an exemplary record of results under their belt. They can navigate the complex landscape of the NHS and provide real value and knowledge. We have relationships with all customer types, including Prescribing Advisors, Heads of Meds Management, Chief Pharmacists, Hospital Business Managers, and Specialist Commissioning Pharmacists.
The businesses that are winning at Market Access are the ones who listen to the latest commercial intelligence, embrace innovation and adapt to their environment. We have successfully delivered numerous pre and post launch projects, and offer flexible, high quality sales teams.
