The piece you’re about to read is from Klick Health’s Life (Sciences) After COVID-19 series, a collection of expert perspectives designed to inform and inspire the life sciences community for the coming changes and opportunities we anticipate as a result of this global health crisis.
The Insight
For many years, we have seen the rise of consumerism in healthcare shifting us from being passive to active players in our own health. This has been driven by the desire for convenient, on-demand, accessible, and transparent care. Disruptive new players have offered us on-demand access to healthcare providers through mobile apps, online offerings, and convenient locations.
U.S. healthcare has been slow to adapt to these consumer desires due to a system that was built around face-to-face interactions, lack of a digital infrastructure, ingrained behaviors, misaligned incentives, and regulations that have made change difficult.
But the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many legacy barriers to be removed in order to limit the spread of the virus and to ensure resources are focused on those who need care the most. This has accelerated access to digital options that have opened up new ways and places to manage our own health.
This experience, together with the affordability of ongoing technological advancements and increasing numbers of direct-to-consumer (DTC) offerings, are enabling us to not only be active participants in our own care but to become “first responders” in managing our health.
We define a “first responder” as a person who provides their own medical care before more highly trained medical personnel are consulted. The current prerequisites for being a medical first responder, such as emergency medical technicians, include basic emergency knowledge, speed of service, access to needed diagnostics, and tools to stabilize. The gap between the citizen and medical first responder skills and access will need to be narrowed.
And as a collective of citizens, we have also been asked to be first responders in preventing the spread of COVID-19 by staying home, washing our hands, social distancing, getting tested, and allowing for contact tracing. The onus and responsibility is even greater now that restrictions have been lifted.
If citizens become first responders for their own health, what will be the implications for life sciences leaders?
What education and services are required to ensure citizens and patients get the tools and resources they need to be effective first responders to various types of acute issues or changes in their chronic conditions?
How do we ensure the health data that citizens collect and create is interpreted in the right way and is both easily understandable and actionable?
How will these radical evolutions in the healthcare space change the way we, as healthcare communicators, connect and support healthcare professionals, patients, and care partners?
Will we see more of a DTC model accelerate, somewhat disintermediating current physician interaction? How will this impact physicians financially, emotionally, and reputationally?
If such a shift were to occur, what are the unknown unknowns? Would it open up new opportunities and threats to our system?
Companies are providing apps with at-home exam kits that allow the patient to check their own heart, lungs, ears, temperature, and skin while being guided by a physician virtually.
The Evidence
We have observed three drivers that will accelerate our ability to become first responders.
1. Digitization of Health
Prior to the pandemic, we saw the increasing availability of digital health technologies, connected medical devices, and portable diagnostics for personal use. Companies are providing apps with at-home exam kits that allow the patient to check their own heart, lungs, ears, temperature, and skin while being guided by a physician virtually.
DTC genome testing, telehealth, prescription delivery, electrocardiogram measurement from home, and virtual assistants all have enabled citizens to move from being an active participant to a proactive participant in their own care.
We know that ambient home sensors, biometrics, and wearables will increase in availability and will measure our vitals, movement, and more. This data, together with other data sources, can and will be used for preventative self-care, as well as for continuous monitoring of chronic conditions, so we and others can intervene when necessary.
Citizen as First Responder
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Authors
Samantha Dolin
SVP, Executive Creative Director
Sam leads her team with a boundless passion; committed to effective, innovative, and purpose-led work. Sam believes that deep insight and strategic foundation are vital success factors to all creative endeavors because the power of communication and inspiration is the power to change people’s lives for the better. Prior to her role at Klick, Sam worked at a global network agency, where she was Chief Creative Officer (CCO). With a reputation for being a builder of communities, she is always looking to challenge her team to aspire toward greatness.
Leslie Jamison
EVP, Corporate Ventures (former)
As the EVP of Corporate Ventures, Leslie leverages her expertise in business, marketing, science, and human insights to identify and de-risk venture opportunities and grow them into successful businesses within life sciences that improve the lives of patients. Previously, Leslie built and led the Brand Strategy team at Klick Health, drawing upon a 25-year proven track record in building successful brands that create meaningful connections with customers. As part of her mandate, she established a center of excellence in brand development that helped fuel the agency's hypergrowth.
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