Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs): Maximizing Your Pharma Brand's Impact

As a brand manager, your success depends on your ability to reach the right patients with the right treatments at the right time. But with so many stakeholders involved in the healthcare ecosystem, from providers and payers to patients and regulators, it can be challenging to navigate the landscape and achieve your goals.

This is where integrated delivery networks (IDNs) come in!!

Maximizing Your Pharma Brand's Impact: Leveraging Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs)

So, how can you maximize your pharma brand's impact by leveraging IDNs?

Here are a few key strategies:

1) Tailored value propositions: IDNs provide insights into patients and providers, allowing you to create customized value propositions that differentiate your brand. Novartis partnered with an IDN to improve medication adherence for heart failure patients.

2) Patient support and services: IDNs can offer patient support and services that improve adherence and outcomes, such as medication delivery and monitoring programs. For example, AstraZeneca partnered with an IDN to provide a medication adherence program for patients with diabetes.

3) Data analytics: IDNs generate data on patient outcomes, allowing you to identify areas for improvement and demonstrate value to payers and providers. Pfizer partnered with an IDN to improve COPD disease management.

4) Stakeholder engagement: IDNs offer a unique platform for engaging with stakeholders to build relationships and gain feedback. Roche conducted focus groups with an IDN to improve the patient experience in oncology care.

How AstraZeneca's partnership with an IDN provides a medication adherence program for patients with diabetes:

AstraZeneca partnered with Advocate Aurora Health, an IDN in the Midwest, to launch a medication adherence program called "Affordability and Adherence in Diabetes" (AA-D). The program was designed to help patients with type 2 diabetes who were prescribed AstraZeneca's diabetes medications to better manage their condition and adhere to their treatment plans.

The AA-D program included several components:

1) Medication delivery: Patients received their medications by mail, eliminating the need for in-person pharmacy visits.

2) Personalized support: Patients were assigned a dedicated patient navigator who provided personalized support, including education on diabetes management and medication adherence, and address any barriers to adherence.

3) Remote monitoring: Patients used Bluetooth-enabled glucose meters that automatically sent their blood sugar readings to their care team, allowing for remote monitoring and timely interventions.

4) Financial assistance: The program offered financial assistance to eligible patients who faced challenges affording their medications.

The results of the AA-D program were promising. Patients who enrolled in the program had higher rates of medication adherence and fewer hospitalizations compared to the control group. AstraZeneca and Advocate Aurora Health have since expanded the program to additional patient populations and are exploring ways to further improve patient outcomes and reduce costs.

Bristol Myers Squibb's partnership with an IDN for clinical trials

Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) partnered with the Johns Hopkins Health System (JHHS) in 2018 to launch the Immuno-Oncology Rare Population Analysis (IOPRA) program, a collaboration aimed at accelerating clinical trial enrollment and improving patient outcomes.

The IOPRA program was designed to address the challenges of enrolling patients with rare cancers in clinical trials. By leveraging JHHS's expertise in precision medicine and BMS's expertise in immuno-oncology, the program aimed to identify potential clinical trial participants, improve patient access to cutting-edge therapies, and advance research in the field of immuno-oncology.

The program included several components:

1. Patient identification: JHHS used data analytics and machine learning to identify patients with rare cancers who might be eligible for BMS's clinical trials.
2. Clinical trial enrollment: JHHS and BMS worked together to streamline the clinical trial enrollment process, reducing barriers to participation and improving the patient experience.
3. Patient care coordination: JHHS provided coordinated care for patients participating in the clinical trials, including access to specialized medical services and support.
4. Research collaboration: JHHS and BMS collaborated on research to advance the field of immuno-oncology, including biomarker discovery and precision medicine initiatives.

The IOPRA program was successful in accelerating clinical trial enrollment and improving patient outcomes. By partnering with an IDN like JHHS, BMS was able to leverage its expertise and resources to address a significant challenge in oncology research and bring new treatments to patients who might not have had access otherwise.

Here are some third-party vendors that can help with the establishment of an integrated delivery network (IDN) for your brand

1. Premier Inc: A healthcare performance improvement alliance that helps healthcare providers establish IDN networks through supply chain management, data analytics, and clinical integration services.
2. Vizient Inc: A healthcare performance improvement company that offers a range of services, including IDN network development and management, data analytics, and supply chain management.
3. Provista LLC: A healthcare performance improvement company that provides a range of services, including IDN network development, data analytics, and clinical integration services.
4. Broadlane: A healthcare performance improvement company that provides a range of services, including IDN network development, supply chain management, and data analytics.
5. HealthTrust: A healthcare performance improvement company that provides a range of services, including IDN network development, supply chain management, and clinical integration services.

It's important to research and compare the services offered by each of these vendors to determine which one is the best fit for your needs and budget. Additionally, you may want to consider seeking the advice of a healthcare consultant to ensure that the IDN network you establish aligns with your brand strategy and meets all necessary regulatory requirements.