There’s power in collaboration
October 20, 2022 |
Over the past few years we have seen the world go through a period of rapid change, facing unexpected challenges and unpredicted turmoil.
These challenges have had a lasting and ongoing impact on the healthcare system, including here in the UK. From budget cuts to resource shortfalls, and talent shortages to long treatment waiting times, it can feel as though the pressure is relentless.
One noticeable phenomenon sparked by this period of global ‘storming’, is an increased concern within healthcare companies about how to do better than competitors, how to ‘one up’ them and stay ahead. However, the majority of complaints coming from customers are not really about what individual companies are doing at all, but about a much bigger issue sparked by the uncertain times and faced by almost every healthcare company out there… the scourge of supply chain issues, amplified by factors such as the need to keep drugs at certain temperatures, storage issues for smaller hospitals, and the other moving parts within the supply chain which can add up to a heavy impact on the healthcare industry. So prevalent are these issues, that one Deloitte industry study found that more than 57% of surveyed healthcare professionals could recall a time when a physician didn’t have the product required for a patient’s procedure1.
So why is it, that in a time where we are facing industry-wide challenges, healthcare and pharmaceutical companies spend such a large portion of time competing with one another rather than taking on the bigger picture as a unified force? Perhaps, it’s time to put the ‘us and them’ aside, to think about how all the players within the industry can come together to solve the biggest problems and to remember who we are ultimately here to help. It’s time to set sail for a green ocean strategy, to create a sustainable space for ourselves and our competitors in the market, to come together to support the NHS and government bodies, and to ensure everyone benefits in the long run – especially the people waiting for treatment with products their care providers currently can’t access. Because ultimately, what we’re all here for is to provide the best standard of care to all patients… isn’t it?
We’re already seeing the beginnings of what the industry can do when we put competition aside and work together. We’ve seen healthcare agencies changing how they conduct pitching with the ‘Pitch Positive Pledge’ – where competing agencies came together to discuss how they wanted to see the pitch process become a more positive one. The competitive nature of pitching was temporarily set aside so the industry could work in harmony to improve things.
And this isn’t just a theory. We have seen what can happen when industry players collaborate during times of uncertainty. Just look at the success of the Covid-19 vaccine development… from the collaboration between AstraZeneca, Oxford University and it’s Vaccitech company to the partnership between BioNTech, Fosun Pharma and Pfizer, the fastest development of a vaccine in history is evidence that when we come together, we can make magic happen.
This is about changing a mindset – to adopt a partnership-centric approach; to be brave and start the conversation. Of course, competition is healthy, and we can all benefit from it, but we must also think laterally to identify where opportunities lie beyond the competition. Healthcare companies should be looking for relationships that understand the wider impact of health and the broader role pharma can play, because together, we can create a more unified industry that ensures better patient outcomes. It’s time to talk about the issues we all face and to discuss how we can come together to overcome the challenges of an evolving world. It’s time to imagine new solutions and to put the patient back into the centre of the picture.
By Asma Shirazi, Page & Page and Partners
- https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/insights/industry/health-care/healthcare-supply-chain.html
This content was provided by Page & Page Health
Company Details
Latest Content from Page & Page Health
Rediscovering the human touch in healthcare
The landscape of our healthcare system is ever evolving. But it is under threat from the diminishing time allowances our healthcare professionals have to spend with each patient. With little...
Remote Patient Monitoring
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the need to harness and leverage digital tools and technology for remote patient monitoring (RPM). With the onset of lockdown, and a...
The power of communication: Engaging diverse groups in healthcare
Humans are diverse and communications to engage us need to be inclusive. It’s no longer about talking to a group, a cohort or an imagined section of society - especially...
How a design mindset can lead to better medical outcomes
By adopting a design philosophy, healthcare companies can develop communications that allow healthcare professionals (HCPs) to better meet the needs of their patients. Imaginatively designed content combined with patient insights...
How to design better medical outcomes: Combining patient insights and empathetic design
By adopting a design-led, solutions-based approach to communications, companies can help healthcare professionals (HCPs) to better meet the needs of their patients through their communications. While now may not feel...
Is communication killing the COVID-19 vaccine’s chance at success?
Against the challenging backdrop of of misinformation, communications specialists are working to educate the public, change the minds of millions and fight to return to some sense of normality in...
Healthcare agency Page & Page and Partners welcomes wave of new talent
Page & Page and Partners has welcomed six new joiners across its Creative and Client Services teams.
Good design saves lives
Good design and creative thinking are essential if we are to improve on existing problems in new ways, which is why design and creativity within healthcare is vital. Health is...
Creative med affairs and bridging the healthcare gap
Within the healthcare industry, any patient-facing activity has traditionally been the domain of marketing teams – be that brand marketing or marketing individual products. Recently, however, a trend has emerged...
Senior team at Page & Page become Partners
Page & Page and Partners are announcing the appointment of their senior management team to partners in the agency. The new partners will be actively involved in shaping the future...