Market Access 101: 5 Tips for Beginners

Working on market access can feel daunting for beginners. This field is incredibly multifaceted, requiring you to navigate complex healthcare systems, champion patient access, and address intricate clinical and economic requirements. So, where should you begin?

In this article, I’ll share five tips to help you not only get started but also succeed in your market access journey. These tips are universally applicable, whether you find yourself in a multinational pharmaceutical or MedTech company, a consultancy, or at the helm of a startup.

1. Look at the Big?Picture

When you’re just starting, the temptation is to dive headfirst into building your knowledge, especially in areas such as health economics or reimbursement. However, resist that urge (temporarily) and instead, take a step back to view your work from these two crucial perspectives:

a. Business impact (internal focus)

Beyond reviewing your company’s strategy, collaborate with teams from different business functions to understand how patient access (or the lack thereof) affects sales, evidence generation, marketing messaging, and more.

b. Customer impact (external focus)

Macro trends play an important role in payer and provider decision making. Learn about the current priorities within the health system and any existing national policies related to the disease or condition your product addresses. Understand where your product fits into the broader landscape.

2. Build relationships?

While a wealth of information about treatment pathways, reimbursement, and health system dynamics is available online, the most valuable insights come from engaging with those directly impacted by these factors on a daily basis.

In addition to collaborating with internal teams (as mentioned in the point above), seek opportunities to build relationships with healthcare professionals, payers, and advocacy groups.

3. Communicate Value Effectively

Effectively conveying the value of your products, both to customers and within your organisation, is paramount to your success. Consider the following when communicating value:

• Assume no one is an expert. For example, payers or hospital finance teams may only have a high level understanding of a treatment area. Clearly explain the disease/condition, treatment, and the value your product brings
• Use language that resonates with your customers
• Make sure internal teams are on the same page. For example, do they know whom payers refer to?

4. Make a Persuasive Case

Market Access is sales. It entails persuading decision-makers to pay for and adopt products, which directly impacts the bottom line.

Crafting a persuasive case for your customers involves connecting the dots between their needs and your product, as well as setting your product apart from the competition. This is where one of the most critical roles of market access comes into play: articulating the value of your products. When assessing a product, ask yourself and consult with specialists on your team:

• How would the product deliver value to patients, healthcare professionals, providers, and payers??
• How could the value be substantiated?
• Would be a payer be willing to pay for the product’s value??
• What will drive product adoption??

5. Remember Reimbursement Isn’t the End?Goal

Securing product reimbursement can be a lengthy and challenging process. However, remember that reimbursement is just the first step and doesn’t guarantee adoption. Even with reimbursement, your product may encounter hurdles like inconsistent adoption among providers or have reimbursement contingent on quantifying the value delivered to the healthcare system. Anticipate these challenges and incorporate them into your access plan.

Final Thoughts

Achieving success in market access requires a versatile skill set that includes value selling, strategy development, and effective communication. Regardless of your background, I hope these tips both help you get started and also empower you to cultivate a lasting momentum for success.