Integrating all user perspectives into a ‘patient journey’ to aid a new treatment launch
Business situation
With a new Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment in development, our client needed a comprehensive, customer-focused strategy as part of their pre-launch plan. They engaged us to help them understand the HCV market by obtaining the perspectives of patients, nurses and physicians. This included issues and expectations, as well as potential patient numbers, so we could map the patient journey from diagnosis to treatment.
How we helped
Using a strategic mix of research panels, liver clinics, and advertising we recruited patients including current and former IV drug users, ensuring a cross-section of patients both within and outside the healthcare system to get the full picture. Our research included in-depth interviews with patients and medical professionals and online surveys of patients and physicians.
Results
We developed a treatment pathway model, quantifying numbers at each stage, along with a detailed patient journey model. This provided a framework of opportunities and challenges for building the launch strategy – such as finding a balance between bringing patients back into the medical system for treatment, versus overloading treatment centres with a flood of new patients.
“Shane was able to take a deep-dive into the complex world of HCV patients and treatments, and uncover insights to strengthen the launch plan for our new treatment.”