The Custom On-Demand Education Experience

Rich Miller

Vice President, Creative Director

I love buying Apple products—more specifically, I enjoy buying iPods, iPhones, and iPads. But, then again, who doesn’t? 

Apple’s online store isn’t too dissimilar from other online shopping sites. You compare models, choose a size, and select colors (ooh, Space Gray!) Sure, it has Apple’s familiarly simple interface, but the real magic comes when the "personalize your product with free engraving" screen pops up.

These two little lines let the world know that this sleek little marvel is mine because it says so right there in the laser engraving.

The engraved name, so small, yet so personal, is a unique touch that allows an impersonal transaction to transform into a unique and lasting experience. This one step allows me to feel even more engaged with my product and the brand.

This dynamic is part of what makes our CODE™ (Custom On-Demand Education) program successful. CODE™ can take on several forms, but the beauty of it lies in the customization and experience it offers. Using an iPad (engraved, no doubt) app, CODE™ provides representatives an opportunity to start a truly engaging dialogue with physicians.

By walking through the simple drag-and-drop navigation, the representative and physician can build patient education materials that are relevant to a physician’s patient population. In 7 to 10 days, the finished material will arrive at the office with the physician’s name and information printed on it.

The personalization is a small touch, but it helps to keep communication open between the patient and physician.

The CODE™ program is just one of the many unique solutions that Artcraft Health offers for patient education. It’s through the small, customizable features such as name, practice information, and patient-specific information that we help bridge the dialogue gap and bring patients and physicians closer in creating an effective treatment plan that best meets the patients’ needs.

Looking for Accuracy: Helping Patients Navigate Online Health Resources

Lisa Calderwood, MA

Senior Medical Writer

Wikipedia? YouTube? Facebook? LinkedIn? Twitter? WebMD? How can patients navigate the crowded blogosphere of medical information, health tips, community forums, or “med ed” videos to find the most accurate resources? The truth is that they simply can’t be sure they’re getting the most reliable information.

Consider a couple of recent studies looking at accuracy in online health-related sources:

• In a study by the Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) reviewed in MedPage Today (YouTube Not Ideal for BP), the authors considered 33% of YouTube videos about hypertension to be “misleading” but deemed 63% to be more “useful” because they were aligned with recommendations from the Seventh Joint National Committee of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the American Heart Association 
• In a study published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA) (Caution Prescribed When Researching Medical Conditions on Wikipedia),  Dr. Robert Hasty and colleagues found that Wikipedia’s publicly edited medical articles are 90% inaccurate

Both of these studies are more striking when you consider that 72% of internet users say they look online for health information. That’s a lot of people looking for information about hypertension and other chronic illnesses who may be sidetracked by inaccurate or incomplete information.

The news isn’t all bad. The JAOA study notes that there is a push on Wikipedia to have statements backed by references and unverifiable statements being called out to readers.

In addition, in an exploratory study published in Nurse Education Today (Wikipedia as an evidence source for nursing and healthcare students) Dr. Carol Haigh evaluated more than 2500 references from more than 50 Wikipedia pages and found they were of “sufficiently sound quality to suggest that, for health related entries, Wikipedia is appropriate for use by nursing students.”

Online research guidelines for patients

So what is a patient to do when exploring thousands of online resources for treatment options for a chronic illness or disease? Or, where should someone who is trying to self-diagnose a suspicious rash or lingering pain start a search? No matter what the reason for turning to the Internet for information—convenience, immediacy, lack of information from or access to a healthcare professional—caution seems to be the operative word.

Dr. Hasty and his colleagues from the Wikipedia study suggest that “caution should be used when using Wikipedia to answer questions regarding patient care.” They also recommend that patients

• Consult with their physicians about treatment options and to discuss questions about prescriptions or over-the-counter medications 
• Use multiple medical resources to get different perspectives 
• Look for websites with medical advisory boards and peer-reviewed content

Dr. Nilay Kumar with CHA says that doctors need to do more to help educate their patients, as well. “Given the fact that so many patients with chronic diseases look at medical information online, the medical community must take a more proactive approach in prescribing medical information to patients,” he said.

Helping pharmaceutical companies educate patients

With today’s focus on patient-centered care and patients searching for and selecting their own health information resources, the need for accurate, reliable information is paramount. Pharmaceutical companies play an important role in the process by providing medical professionals with informative tools to help their patients make informed decisions about their treatment options.

Artcraft Health produces digital and print educational solutions for pharmaceutical companies that are grounded in research from public health organizations, federal agencies, and universities, such as the American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, and Harvard Medical School. We employ targeted, health literacy teaching strategies that reflect the most current guidelines and are carefully assessed for accuracy. 

We understand that online healthcare resources play an important role in supplementing patients’ educational needs. Importantly, though, when patients receive clear, actionable, relevant, and engaging educational tools from their doctor or nurse—such as the strategies Artcraft Health develops—they are more empowered to make optimal treatment decisions with their healthcare team and adhere to appropriate therapies.

Artcraft Health Hosts MM&M Roundtable Discussion

Last night, Artcraft Health had the honor of hosting, in partnership with MM&M, a leadership exchange roundtable that addressed the question of how pharma can improve their interaction and communication with patients.

Participants in the discussion included

• Jacob Agris, MD, PhD, director of global clinical development at Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals 
• James Chase, editor in chief of Medical Marketing and Media (MM&M) 
• Melva Covington, MPH, MBA, PhD, project leader in patient engagement at Sanofi-Aventis 
• Campbell Howard, senior clinical indication leader at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation 
• Todd Kolm, senior vice president of strategy and insights at WEGO Health 
• Fred Latasa, senior vice president of WebMD 
• Marc Sirockman, executive vice president and general manager at Artcraft Health 
• MarlaJan, author and patient advocate at luckfupus.com

The participants focused on the trend of growing empowerment among patients and how they are demanding more healthcare education that focuses on their individual patient journey.

The doctor–patient dynamic is changing as patients are actively participating in their healthcare. There is a need for clear, actionable, relevant, and engaging education that addresses not only patients’ needs but those of their caregivers, family, and loved ones who share the patient experience.

The discussion elicited an invigorating exchange of viewpoints and professional experiences from the panel.

Among the points covered were the individual meaning of patient “centricity,” why it’s important for the pharma industry to adopt the mindset of a patient, and recent changes in healthcare.

If you’re interested in reading excerpts from the discussion, log onto the MM&M website on August 1. The excerpts will also be published as a feature article in the August 2014 print issue of MM&M.