Generate Data and Shape the Market for Product Success
Generating data to support a pharmaceutical /MedTech product’s value proposition is a continual challenge, from ensuring pre-launch ‘must-haves’ (e.g., for regulatory or HTA requirements) to building the communication platform that helps differentiate and support the product during the course of its life cycle.
For leaders considering the data requirements of any pharmaceutical or medical technology product there are several questions that exist but among the most important are:
- What are we aiming to achieve, and which approach is best suited to this?
- What impact do we want to have and how can this be maximised?
Identifying the Right Approach
Data may be needed to:
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Define, describe or illustrate the ‘unmet needs’ a product addresses
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Support claims about the clinical or wider utility of the product
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Develop support for changes to clinical practice that improve outcomes seen when using the product
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Create stimulus or impetus to raise or shape debate that informs healthcare policies or guidelines
Choosing the best approach to generate data required will be influenced by a range of factors including budget, timescale, existing data, market setting and stakeholder support.
Randomised controlled trials and other traditional studies of this nature remain critical in providing the initial data backbone. They provide a robust output which is recognised accordingly within the evidence grading hierarchy. However, these approaches are usually slow, resource-intensive and can be difficult to apply across multiple geographies with nuanced data requirements.
Other, more flexible solutions are needed to fill key gaps more rapidly or to provide greater localisation and market-specific focus, especially as time on the market evolves.
Achieving Intended Impact of New Data
Generating good data to define unmet need, support changes to clinical practice or to help stimulate debate is just the first step. The impact of that effort is really only realised when desired action or change is experienced in the market target audience. Adoption can be slow and uncertain, highly dependent upon 2 key factors, awareness and advocacy.
Awareness can often be generated by investment in communication or promotional activities, employing various online or offline channels to reach the audience effectively. Discover how Triducive use the Delphi Method for medical and healthcare market access.
Advocacy can be somewhat harder to achieve, particularly when data is new and maybe presenting a challenge to the ‘status quo’. The reality is however, that without the advocacy and support of peers within the market, new data will take much longer to gain the sort of traction that has the potential to influence current clinical or health system practice. Selection of the approach to generate data and the stakeholders involved in this are important aspects that should be carefully considered at the outset if potential for advocacy and ultimate impact are to be achieved.
How Triducive Use Delphi to Build Consensus and Close Evidence Gaps
Triducive are experts in facilitating the Delphi consensus method to focus and consolidate expert opinion around clinical or healthcare management questions and build a powerful voice behind recommendations for change. With a strong background in the global pharmaceutical industry and expertise in facilitating structured communication techniques, Triducive can design and deliver Delphi programs tailored to the needs of your product proposition, with the impact you seek at the fore.
Triducive are the leaders in facilitating healthcare Delphi consensus and in the last five years we have achieved more than 50 peer-reviewed journal outputs on behalf of clients across the pharmaceutical, surgical, and medical technology industry. Triducive are also proud to work directly for NHS organisations and health charities, supporting their policy activity and guideline development. Find out more about how we use Delphi Method to drive change from our case studies.
Additionally, our in-house capability extends to developing tailored follow-on communications that are designed to build on the opportunity for change that a strong consensus can provide. Triducive help plan for implementation beyond the study completion right from the start because we know that real change needs coordinated campaigns.
What Makes Delphi an Effective Tool for Generating Data and Shaping Advocacy
A highly credible and adaptable way of generating data to support evidence generation, decisions and action can be developed using the Delphi consensus method. The systematic and iterative approach to communication seeks to aggregate opinions from a diverse set of experts to generate clarity and support (evidence) based on collective wisdom. It can be used to help forecast future impact, consolidate a position, or to define policy. The Delphi method is widely adopted and established as a credible research approach that is recognised in the evidence hierarchy. Many treatments or management guidelines have been developed using a version of the Delphi method.
The outcomes of a Delphi consensus approach can offer solutions to a range of challenges such as:
Closing critical evidence gaps
Delphi methodology can be used where there is a current lack of evidence. The experience and opinion of experts can be consolidated, validated, and amplified through testing with peers. When facilitated by an expert and delivered according to the need for structured communication flow, the output of a Delphi consensus serves as Level 4 evidence that can be published, cited and disseminated. This approach is well-recognised by many HTA bodies and relevant policymakers.
Building definition and focus behind unmet needs
Modified Delphi can be highly successful when seeking to establish clinical or patient needs that are as-yet poorly defined or under-recognised. With input from a multi-disciplinary group who have the clearest perspective on this (e.g. specialists, patient groups etc.), credible support can be developed to support new healthcare approaches. Outcomes could range from better defining patient cohorts and their needs, recommendations to adopt new treatment standards, to support for adjusting patient management approaches.
Supporting/defining new policy
With the pace of technology advancing and the healthcare environment continually evolving the policies and guidelines of today are rarely completely reflective of evidence, practice or needs. Where inconsistencies or limitations may exist across local, national or international guidelines Delphi consensus can bring to bear validated expert opinion on changes needed for future policy or practice. A credible voice from an aligned and relevant coalition calling for the changes that patients and the health system needs.
The added benefit: advocacy ‘built-in’
Because the very nature of Delphi consensus is to align healthcare market stakeholders behind a common issue, problem or opportunity, and galvanises messages to support new thinking and practices, it enlists advocacy by design. The stakeholders at the heart of the work are equipped with clear, confident messages that they own, and the potential and desire to share with others.
Additionally, because the modified Delphi method that Triducive have developed builds-in wider representation from a much larger group of peers this makes the confidence of advocates much greater and becomes a powerful call to action that really cannot be ignored.
Triducive’s 5 Step Guide to the Delphi Method
Triducive provide support and advice to help shape Delphi studies from start to market implementation. Engaging with steering groups of experts and facilitating their input towards the established goals is helped by our track record, methodological process and significant experience in delivering consensus studies.
A secure project portal supports the delivery of these steps, optimises transparent communication and ensures that the cross-functional team have the information required to feel confident in the process and the outputs intended, throughout the project.
Typically possible to deliver within 5-6 months, there are 5 key steps to delivering a successful Delphi study. They outline the broad process and how Triducive can help effective implementation in practice.
Revision of statements (further rounds of testing, if required)
Clearly define the problem/goal
It’s important to ensure the rationale for the work is strongly grounded within the client organisation first of all, and that the team supporting it are well aligned on the objectives and approach. This helps create the basis for the whole approach to run smoothly and for the effort behind closing evidence/knowledge gaps or defining new approaches to be successful. Additionally, it’s a good time to begin to consider what activities and materials may be required to engage the target audience once the core consensus output is delivered. Triducive are experienced to support and challenge teams to create this strong foundation from the outset.
Engage experts, align on the goal & develop statements
Through recruitment of relevant, credible steering group members and structured facilitation their alignment with the goal can be achieved through discussion. Pertinent statements are developed that help illustrate current gaps and to offer expert opinion that aims to close them. The secret is to create statements informed by the right balance of currently available evidence and expert opinion that ‘moves the needle’ in relation to the goal that is established.
Test & amplify with peers of the experts (responders)
Reaching out to the experts’ professional networks the statements can be tested to build further understanding, to validate initial opinion (gain consensus) and, with greater numbers to amplify the impact of this further. Studies run by Triducive will employ responder groups ranging in size from 20-+1,000; dependant on objectives, area of specialty and scope of geography.
Support experts to analyse responses and provide recommendations
At this stage the expert steering group review the responses received, the level of consensus achieved, and decide if any adjustments to statements and a further round of testing is required. Typically after 1 (and occasionally, 2) rounds of testing the group can confidently develop recommendations to help meet the goal of and plan activities that will engage target audiences. This step requires strong facilitation to support the steering group to structure their outputs capable of being written-up effectively.
Communicate and support target audiences to drive change
This approach culminates with the development of a draft manuscript, authored by thought leaders and which can be published and cited in further communications and activities. Triducive provide the writing capability to achieve this and also the support to revisit the original implementation objectives to design and develop wider campaign activities.
Clearly define the problem/goal
It’s important to ensure the rationale for the work is strongly grounded within the client organisation first of all, and that the team supporting it are well aligned on the objectives and approach. This helps create the basis for the whole approach to run smoothly and for the effort behind closing evidence/knowledge gaps or defining new approaches to be successful. Additionally, it’s a good time to begin to consider what activities and materials may be required to engage the target audience once the core consensus output is delivered. Triducive are experienced to support and challenge teams to create this strong foundation from the outset.
Engage experts, align on the goal & develop statements
Through recruitment of relevant, credible steering group members and structured facilitation their alignment with the goal can be achieved through discussion. Pertinent statements are developed that help illustrate current gaps and to offer expert opinion that aims to close them. The secret is to create statements informed by the right balance of currently available evidence and expert opinion that ‘moves the needle’ in relation to the goal that is established.
Test & amplify with peers of the experts (responders)
Reaching out to the experts’ professional networks the statements can be tested to build further understanding, to validate initial opinion (gain consensus) and, with greater numbers to amplify the impact of this further. Studies run by Triducive will employ responder groups ranging in size from 20-+1,000; dependant on objectives, area of specialty and scope of geography.
Support experts to analyse responses and provide recommendations
At this stage the expert steering group review the responses received, the level of consensus achieved, and decide if any adjustments to statements and a further round of testing is required. Typically after 1 (and occasionally, 2) rounds of testing the group can confidently develop recommendations to help meet the goal of and plan activities that will engage target audiences. This step requires strong facilitation to support the steering group to structure their outputs capable of being written-up effectively.
Communicate and support target audiences to drive change
This approach culminates with the development of a draft manuscript, authored by thought leaders and which can be published and cited in further communications and activities. Triducive provide the writing capability to achieve this and also the support to revisit the original implementation objectives to design and develop wider campaign activities.
Find Out How Triducive’s Amplified Delphi Process Can Help Your Organisation Generate Data & Deliver Advocacy
Triducive are experts at matching healthcare challenges to the application of a modified Delphi consensus approach to address these challenges in a way that creates a strong expert voice, amplified by peers for a powerful call to action. Communication and advocacy campaigns are designed to build on this and to achieve the change that helps shape the market positively.
Find out how Triducive’s amplified Delphi process can help your organisation generate data and mobilise advocacy to see better decisions actioned by getting in touch with a member of the Triducive team or schedule a meeting directly with the team today.
