The MedTech Detective: Part 1. Where are the patients?

Imagine this. After months of hard work, you secured full product reimbursement. This breakthrough means that a major access hurdle is now removed and patients can begin to benefit. However, as time ticks by, you notice that the expected surge in treatment uptake isn’t materialising.

If you find yourself in a situation similar to the one above, it becomes apparent reimbursement does not guarantee adoption. Yes, it opens doors, however, there are other factors determining whether a treatment becomes standard care.

Welcome to the first instalment of 'The MedTech Detective'. Here, we'll dive into the often-overlooked factors hindering treatment adoption. So, grab your magnifying glass and let's start the investigation...

Potential culprit #1: Lack of awareness

Changes in healthcare practices are not always well-communicated. Healthcare professionals, let alone patients, may not be aware the treatment is available, resulting in a low number of referrals.

Whether or not this applies to your treatment, it's good to start your investigation with engaging professionals and patients (or patient groups). They can provide insights into issues they're facing that might not be immediately obvious, such as implementation hurdles.

#2: Delays to implementation

Despite having all the necessary elements in place - reimbursement, evidence, and a compelling value proposition - you may still encounter hurdles. These can include completing a business case for hospital approval or difficulty in scheduling training dates.

When looking into implementation delays, it's worthwhile considering if there's something else driving the delay. Perhaps, customers are not ready to change.

#3: Resistance to change

Altering established routines in healthcare requires considerable effort, and often encounters resistance from professionals or hospital management teams.

If you experience resistance to change, it's crucial to identify and address the underlying concern or issue from the stakeholder(s). I've previously written on applying change management strategies to support product adoption and you can find out more here .

While resistance to change commonly occurs, it's important to distinguish it from another challenge: customers aren't convinced.

#4: Decision makers are not convinced

Patients and healthcare professionals might not 'buy' the product. They could favour a competitor product or perceive yours as less effective, influencing their decisions. A deeper understanding of your customers' perceptions and expectations is vital before ramping up your marketing efforts.

Now, let's broaden our investigation...

#5: Bottlenecks in the patient pathway

Patients can spend a lot of time waiting. This isn't limited to waiting for treatment; delays can occur at any stage of their journey.

Mapping the patient pathway will help you identify whether bottlenecks exist that are delaying treatment. During this process, refer to clinical guidelines for additional insights.. if they exist.

#6: Absent clinical guidelines

Clinical guidelines serve as a roadmap for healthcare professionals, providing evidence-based recommendations for new treatments. Their absence can create uncertainty and hesitation in adopting new treatments, even with full reimbursement.

If guidelines are not already being updated or developed, its essential to collaborate with healthcare professionals and decision makers to develop them. Guidelines can be a game-changer in increasing treatment acceptance and also confidence among both providers and patients.

Wrapping up the Investigation

Low treatment uptake rarely has a single cause. Typically, it's a mix of factors, some more obvious than others. Untangling these complexities allows you to identify the levers for more effective treatment adoption and also improve your approach to market introduction. Hopefully this article provides a framework to investigate potential causes and their solutions in a systematic way.

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Stay tuned for the next instalment of 'The MedTech Detective': 'What's the Value?', where we'll delve into uncovering a value proposition in products appearing to lack one.