June 20, 2017 CPM-M04-17-NI-001
In no other industry does the latest technology have the ability to impact lives more directly than in pharma.
As companies across the board hone in on a more personalized approach to healthcare, the trend of “patient-centricity,” or making the patient and their health outcomes the central focus throughout the supply chain, is fully expressed in wearable health monitoring devices — with results tracked in real-time with absolutely no lag. Wearable health tools make goals more pragmatic, which can be translated to accessibility for the patient, leading, ultimately, to stronger engagement and the hope of increased efficacy in clinical trials. The contract research organization (CRO) that is able to harness this m-Health (mobile Health) technology to their advantage will no doubt come out on top.
The definition of m-health can be cited as early as 2004 as “mobile computing, medical sensor, and communications technologies for health-care” and even prior to that as the self-explanatory “Unwired e-med.”1 This more than 13 years-old prediction on wireless tracking accurately stated that health monitoring would be taken outside of a stationed, physical locale — bound by the desktop — and onto the new frontier of mobility. No longer is a patient taxed with being hooked up to a plethora of devices, an unpleasant experience for most, when they can be reliant on technology that travels with them anywhere. This happens namely in the form of sensors, which are constantly screening everything from steps taken to heart rate, to do the job.
In a seminal paper on this technology entitled, “Introduction to the Special Section on M-Health: Beyond Seamless Mobility and Global Wireless Health-Care Connectivity,” the challenges perceived of m-Health turned out to be highly perceptive. For instance, one of the reasons cited for the industry’s slow progression of m-Health included the lax adaptation of the tools by healthcare organizations, which are often dependent on internal organizational changes before integrating new technology into their systems; this would be seen as an overhaul. The other definite challenge posed by m-Health and healthcare is the integration of the real-time results from the m-Health platform with the patient’s medical records and data collection methods in general, including the pertinence of the data.1
In the general public, m-Health has already reached a saturation phase. According to results from the “Ketchum mHealth Monitor” there are five types of distinct users of mobile health technologies.2 The study chronicles user opinions on m-Health and reveals potential roadblocks and strengths of the technology. Each of the five personas establishes insights that are useful in understanding shortcomings or applications of m-Health earlier on. This is looking towards the ultimate target for m-Health as the successful and routine integration into clinical trials.
The most translatable evidence gleaned from monitoring the perception of the everyday user of m-Health is an overall willingness to share their personal findings with a medical professional. Out of 10 respondents, six would not only share their results but have already done so. Again, in keeping in line with the modes of the tech, this comes in user-friendly forms of communication such as “going on the Internet on their smartphone, mobile app or wearable device.”2 It should be noted that there is no mention of a visit to a clinician’s office, or even a call. It’s as though the user has become part of the tech itself, transmitting their personal data, which merges across a wireless, interconnected network. Of course, this is not possible in most clinical trials, but it does indicate that the user is more inclined to share when the task is easier, and therefore more likely to create a desired result.
That one in four users have texted or emailed a photo of a perceived medical issue2 for increased clarification to their medical practitioner is also worthy of mention—though this behavior is not as far-reaching as simply sharing with the doctor, it also reveals the inquisitiveness of patients when dealing with their issues—they want clarification and want it fast, and would likely prefer to send an image as opposed to spending time in an office. This points to the wireless nature of the future of medicine—as we become less bound to the physical act of visiting the doctor.
Hurdles to clinical trials are not few and far between. Robert Califf, vice chancellor for clinical research and director of the Duke Translational Medicine Institute, outlined the particular issues he faces in cardiovascular medicine, which are demonstrative of issues across the board. He noted the following problems or pressures in his dealing with trials:
Most of these challenges are in no way limited to the cardiovascular field and are just as relevant when researching any other major health category. Other concerns include challenges to patients. Patients may not know where a trial is located, have trouble enrolling in a trial, or not understand the full context of their enrollment and view the added paperwork and need to leave their ordinary physician, as not only confusing, but also anxiety-producing. This can create an air of distrust which is obviously not ideal in a trial environment. For the patient as well, cost and time are major pressing factors, which no doubt often blocks many from enrolling.
Mr. Walker is the founder and managing director of That’s Nice LLC, a research-driven marketing agency with 20 years dedicated to life sciences. Nigel harnesses the strategic capabilities of Nice Insight, the research arm of That’s Nice, to help companies communicate science-based visions to grow their businesses. Mr. Walker earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic design with honors from London College of Communication, University of the Arts London, England.