In today’s highly competitive pharmaceutical and med-tech landscape, understanding how to navigate intricate healthcare dynamics is essential for business growth. Eye4Health specialises in delivering targeted market insights, strategic sales analysis, and data-driven solutions that empower our clients to optimise their performance and improve patient outcomes. One area where Eye4Health has made a significant impact is stroke prevention for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients—a focus that has resulted in improved healthcare delivery and substantial sales growth for our clients.
Case Study: Stroke Prevention in AF – Unlocking the Power of Data to Drive Business Growth
Atrial fibrillation is a leading risk factor for stroke, particularly in older adults. Anticoagulant therapy is crucial in preventing AF-related strokes, but under-treatment or mismanagement of AF remains a significant problem across the UK. Our client, a pharmaceutical company marketing a Direct Oral Anticoagulant (DOAC), wanted to boost the adoption of their product while also enhancing patient care. They approached Eye4Health to help them utilise open data sets and create actionable insights that would improve local pathways, increase DOAC use, and, ultimately, reduce the incidence of AF-related strokes.
Key Data Sources: HES, QOF, and Open Prescribing
Eye4Health’s strategy was built around three critical data sources that provided a holistic view of the patient journey in AF management:
HES (Hospital Episode Statistics): We analysed HES data to track AF patients who suffered strokes. This data was instrumental in identifying where treatment pathways were breaking down, such as patients not receiving appropriate anticoagulation therapy before their stroke.
QOF (Quality and Outcomes Framework): The QOF database was invaluable for pinpointing AF patients in the community who had been diagnosed but were not receiving treatment. This data revealed significant gaps in care, presenting a substantial opportunity for our client to advocate for better anticoagulation management.
Open Prescribing Data: By analysing open-source prescribing data, we evaluated the use of anticoagulants such as Warfarin and the NICE-approved DOACs, including our client’s product. This allowed us to compare prescription patterns at the local and national levels and identify regions that could potentially improve DOAC uptake.
Analytical Approach and Market Guidance Strategy
Using this comprehensive data, Eye4Health developed a tailored solution for the client. Our goal was to increase the adoption of their DOAC and demonstrate how better anticoagulation management could reduce AF-related strokes. We delivered insights through two essential methods:
Sales and Medical Team Dashboards: We created interactive Tableau dashboards that provided visual insights into AF patient management and prescribing trends. These dashboards enabled sales and medical teams to hold data-driven discussions with healthcare providers and local commissioners about the benefits of optimising anticoagulation therapy. The sales teams used these tools to highlight regional gaps in DOAC prescribing. In contrast, medical teams engaged clinicians on improving patient outcomes by switching from outdated Warfarin therapies to more effective DOAC treatments.
Pathway Redesign: With detailed analysis, we worked with local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and healthcare providers to redesign AF management pathways. The focus was on identifying regions where AF patients were under-treated and working with healthcare systems to improve the utilisation of DOACs, which have been shown to reduce stroke risk more effectively than traditional anticoagulants like Warfarin.
The Results: Improved Patient Outcomes and Increased Sales
By aligning their sales strategy with robust clinical data, our client was able to drive significant improvements in the uptake of their DOAC across multiple regions. The insights provided by our analysis and dashboards highlighted the clinical benefits of using DOACs over Warfarin. They showcased the cost-effectiveness of preventing strokes, which helped convince local decision-makers.
Key outcomes included:
Increased DOAC Prescriptions: For the project, DOAC prescriptions rose significantly in regions where the sales team engaged with healthcare providers using the data-driven insights provided by Eye4Health.
Reduced AF-Related Strokes: Through pathway redesign and better treatment practices, several regions reported declining AF patients experiencing strokes, validating the clinical impact of improved anticoagulation management.
Business Growth: The client substantially increased sales of their DOAC, driven by better-informed healthcare providers and more effective local prescribing patterns. This was achieved while also supporting the NHS in its goal to reduce preventable strokes and improve the quality of care for AF patients.
Eye4Health’s Unique Approach: The Power of Data-Driven Insights
This case study exemplifies Eye4Health’s approach to market guidance: using deep data analysis and health economics to boost business performance and align commercial strategies with public health objectives. Our work with the HES, QOF, and prescribing data allowed our clients to create compelling, evidence-based narratives that resonated with healthcare professionals and decision-makers alike.
Our solution went beyond simple sales analytics—by facilitating discussions on improving care pathways and preventing life-altering strokes, we helped our client become a trusted partner in the healthcare community. This holistic approach ensured that the sales strategy was aligned with the broader goal of improving patient outcomes. This approach ultimately led to commercial success and a significant public health impact.
Conclusion
At Eye4Health, we understand that pharmaceutical and med-tech companies operate in an increasingly complex landscape, where success is often defined by the ability to integrate clinical data with commercial strategy. Our proven market guidance strategies, as demonstrated in the case of stroke prevention in AF, show how leveraging data sources like HES, QOF, and prescribing data can drive business growth and improve patient outcomes.
By working with us, clients gain access to bespoke analytics, strategic insights, and tools that empower their teams to make informed, impactful decisions. In the highly competitive world of pharma and med-tech, Eye4Health is your trusted partner in navigating the path to success.
Interested in learning more about how Eye4Health can help your business thrive through data-driven insights and strategic market guidance? Contact us today to discuss how we can tailor our solutions to your needs.
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