Our client turned to Inizio Engage Patient Solutions to develop a patient support program to improve adherence and persistence within the rare disease of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). PAH is a rare and fatal disease that can leave one feeling overwhelmed, isolated and struggling to cope with daily living. Our client was experiencing nearly 40% of patients dropping-off of their prescribed treatment in the first 12 months. The goal was to meet patients where they were during the key moments that matter and partner with them at every step of their journey. Putting patients at the center of our work, we launched a one-on-one patient support program which broke the mold for our client – one that truly understands the patient and tailors the experience to their educational needs.
Once the prescribing decision has been made and patients provide an opt-in, the program is a suite of patient support resources that includes personalized, one-on-one educational support to help patients start and stay on their prescribed PAH medications. Tools and resources are adapted to fit patients’ specific questions, needs, and interests.
“I’m glad there’s a program like this to help patients because things can be a bit overwhelming with the sudden onset of PAH. It’s nice to know there’s help for patients like me.” – Patient
For its launch, the team built the program directly with PAH patients and their care partners. The team used market research and co-creation techniques to get direct patient input on the value proposition, role of the companion, call cadence, call topics, program materials, and pillars of the one-on-one human relationship. The feedback was incorporated in real time through an Alpha Test, a simulated environment to run the program with real patients prior to launch.
To continue its success, the team has evolved the program with speed through agile methodologies, launching new optimizations every 90 days based on patient and customer feedback, crowdsourcing ideas with patient advocates and the Clinical Educators, and training to ensure the vision and key experience principles pull through. The cross disciplinary teams from our client and Inizio Engage continued to meet with every Clinical Educator joining the team, ensuring key understanding and engagement for the overall program vision, participating in empathy training and booster sessions, while leveling up call calibration scoring to include higher-level empathy traits key to ensuring every call delivers an exceptional educational experience.
“I never knew companies had such programs. [ it makes me feel heard].” – Patient.
The PAH Adherence program results speak for themselves:
“You have been a godsend. Because you have helped me through my fear, through my anger, through my Dx till I got out on the other side. You were the only person who has been there for me.”- Patient.
