In the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry, where patient-centric care is increasingly emphasized, how to achieve this has become a key challenge for pharmaceutical companies. Amidst this, Dentsu Digital Inc. released " DDMEX (Dentsu Digital Medical Experience Transformation) " in May 2022. This comprehensive medical solution, developed and provided primarily for pharmaceutical companies, aims to build better relationships among physicians, healthcare professionals, patients, and pharmaceutical companies.
In the second part of our interview with Chihiro Maeda, who handles DDMEX's CX strategy at Dentsu Digital Inc., and Norihiko Tosaka, responsible for business production, we discussed the current status of DDMEX approximately one year after its release and the vision behind this solution.
One Year Since DDMEX Launch: The CX Perspective Gains Traction Among Pharmaceutical Companies
Q. It's been over a year since DDMEX launched in May 2022. What is the current status?
Tosaka: The most recent area where DDMEX is being adopted is the renewal of digital channels (physician-focused membership sites) provided by pharmaceutical companies. Efforts are focused on effectively utilizing this within an omnichannel marketing framework. Development is actively underway to create systems that link data such as membership information and efficiently deliver information to physicians via MRs.
Within this context, revisiting the physician journey is essential to support improvements in physician customer experience (CX). Pharmaceutical companies have long mapped physician personas and journeys, but as discussed in the previous part, the pandemic has significantly transformed the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry. Consequently, there is now a question: might the journeys currently being mapped differ from those previously envisioned?
The same applies to the patient side. To achieve patient-centric care and improve the CX of patient treatment and medical care, the support pharmaceutical companies should provide is expanding. Traditionally, pharmaceutical companies focused solely on providing medicines to patients as their core business. However, we have now entered an era where they must also consider how to ensure patients use these medicines efficiently and what support is needed to help patients adhere to their prescribed medications. While pharmaceutical companies are investing heavily in providing support tools, it appears necessary to re-examine the patient journey in this context as well.
Consequently, the term CX, previously unfamiliar in the medical and pharmaceutical industry, is gaining traction. Companies are adopting a CX mindset internally and initiating measures targeting physicians and patients. Leading the way, foreign-affiliated pharmaceutical companies are establishing dedicated CX teams within their organizations. We are increasingly supporting this talent development through training programs, workshops, and personnel dispatch.
Mr. Norihiko Tosaka, Dentsu Digital Inc.
The potential for digital technology to solve social issues within Japan's healthcare system
Q. What has been your motivation in advancing DDMEX?
Tosaka: The digital transformation (DX) and digital marketing in the medical and pharmaceutical industry have progressed more slowly compared to other industries due to factors like legal regulations. In my previous role, I was involved in marketing prescription drugs. Even as digital technology advanced globally, I often felt the scope of digital support we could offer pharmaceutical companies was limited, which was frustrating. I believed digital was essential for building engagement with doctors and patients. That's when I learned about the launch of DDMEX. After hearing its overview, I found it aligned with my thinking, so I decided to participate.
Currently, Japan has 2.6 physicians per 1,000 people, which is said to be lower than the average among OECD countries. On the other hand, the universal health insurance system allows patients to freely choose hospitals for treatment. Since most people only pay 30% of the medical costs, healthcare is very accessible and affordable. Consequently, the number of hospital visits per patient in Japan is twice the OECD average. In other words, while there are fewer doctors, patients visit hospitals very frequently. This leads to doctors being extremely busy, resulting in less time spent per patient. Consequently, patients often feel dissatisfied, perceiving that "the doctor's examination and guidance time is insufficient," and their understanding of prescribed medications is also low.
To address this, I believe one solution is for pharmaceutical companies to provide information directly to patients. This can be achieved by using tools that promote understanding of the purpose of taking medication and the nature of the illness, even if the time a doctor spends with each patient is limited. Collaborating with pharmaceutical companies to solve societal challenges and improve patients' treatment experiences is a major theme for DDMEX, and that's where I find the greatest sense of purpose.
Maeda: Digitalization in healthcare is still in its early stages, and while the pharmaceutical industry feels a strong sense of urgency, numerous legal and regulatory hurdles make progress challenging. Both physicians and pharmaceutical companies are currently exploring various approaches. I believe the Dentsu Group can make significant contributions to this digital transformation in healthcare.
On the other hand, I sense that clients like pharmaceutical companies feel they can't consult us unless they have a clear objective, like building a website. So, through DDMEX, I want them to understand we can actually assist much earlier, addressing fundamental challenges. There are still many areas where digital solutions can truly help improve treatment experiences and address the real struggles faced by pharmaceutical companies' MRs.
Dentsu Digital Inc. Chihiro Maeda
Q. Communication styles in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry have rapidly changed following the COVID-19 pandemic. What are the future challenges and outlook?
Tosaka: Starting April 2024, "Work Style Reform for Physicians" will begin. Long working hours and excessive workloads have long been accepted as normal for physicians, and while problems have been pointed out for some time, measures for improvement are finally starting. This will limit the time physicians can spend at their workplace, meaning that within that time, priorities will likely shift to patient consultations, research for patients, and administrative tasks. Consequently, the priority given to meeting times with MRs is expected to drop significantly.
Working alongside pharmaceutical companies within this context, there are many limitations due to industry regulations and national laws. Personally, I believe that truly solving societal and medical challenges is difficult relying solely on pharmaceutical companies. Moving forward, I want to think about "what healthcare truly is" and "what is needed to maintain health" within a much broader framework. I aim to develop approaches to health, medical care, and healthcare by consulting not only pharmaceutical companies but also diverse businesses, insurers, and local governments.
Maeda: We've now entered an era where apps are prescribed for treatment. As we move forward, aiming to enhance QOL (Quality of Life) through digital technology, the challenge for us at Dentsu Group will be how to transform a world where systems haven't kept pace with technology. I believe it would be ideal to develop such projects collaboratively with our client companies. So, even if something feels like an impossible challenge, I want to say, "Please consult with us first."
DDMEX supports pharmaceutical companies with digital technology to realize better treatment experiences for patients and doctors. Furthermore, it holds significant potential, including contributing to solving societal challenges.
The information published at this time is as follows.
Beginning in 2003, I started my career as a Planner/Director/Information Architect at a major digital agency. I supported marketing strategies, UI/UX improvements, and PDCA cycle design across various industries. Subsequently, at a business company, I was responsible for service design for new ventures, launching multiple services, and serving as the strategy and UX lead for OMO/CRM initiatives. I joined Dentsu Digital Inc. in 2017. Responsibilities span a broad range including CX strategy consulting, launching the integrated service "DDMEX" for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, B2B communications, and service design. This encompasses workshops, research/analysis, and strategy formulation.
Since 2013, part of the Dentsu Group. Supports life science companies in executing and embedding marketing strategies and activities centered on CX (Customer Experience). Dentsu Digital Inc. | Focuses on business production for the CX integrated solution service "DDMEX," support for building omnichannel customer engagement, strategic consulting for diseases/products utilizing Real-World Data (RWD), and support for CX talent development and organizational development.
