The HealthXL Sprint, 2-part meeting series, connects senior leaders across our community to solve the latest health challenges. In our most recent sprint, we discussed the pharma sales models for DTx-drug combination products. In this blog, we’ve pulled out the top takeaways from this series.

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5 Key Recommendations:

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#1 Consider a hybrid sales team approach:

‍Selling digital health products requires a different approach. To demonstrate the true value of digital health products it's important to focus on the underlying intervention in the software rather than just the software itself when explaining to HCPs. Using a hybrid team approach that includes a digital expert may be more beneficial. Leverage the sales rep's long-standing relationship with the HCP to get in the door and then hand it off to the digital expert to explain the technical benefits of the solution.
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#2 Target alternative stakeholders:

‍Often it’s hard to get face time with HCPs meaning conversion is low. Sales reps should identify other stakeholders that have a touchpoint with the patient which could be used to direct sales efforts. Health navigators, specialty pharmacy groups, and medical assistants all interact with the patient and may be a fruitful avenue to explore.

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#3 Sales reps must be incentivized:

‍There must be incentives for selling digital health products over drugs. Digital health companies need to think about the incentivization models sales reps are accustomed to and utilize a similar model to entice them to sell their products.

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#4 Storytelling in the sales approach:

It’s important to build a compelling story when selling to HCPs. Work out the value proposition of the solution for the HCP and how it will address certain pain points (e.g. reduce workload burden by decreasing patient requests which can be handled through the DTx), then build a storyline around this. It’s crucial to highlight the value the solution can deliver to HCPs which will increase the likelihood of them engaging with the solution.

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#5 Innovative training models:  

Sales reps require training to understand how to position and sell digital health products. Digital health companies should take a look at pharma companies that have the best training and emulate what they do. Additionally, Pharma usually has channels to different types of HCPs which they should utilize for training purposes. Spending time with routine HCPs will allow reps to understand how these products will fit into the HCPs everyday routine. This will enable them to position the combo-DTx product effectively to future customers.

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Experts included:

Ameya Phadke (Leader Non-pharmacological Solutions, Chiesi Farmaceutici), Ashley Pippin (Director Digital Product Delivery, Novartis Biome), Doug Burgener (Marketing Director, Biofourmis), Evgueni Ivanov (Digital Care Transformation, UCB Pharma), Gregoire Guillet (Chief Business and Value Officer, WeHealth Digital Medicine), Ivan Jurisic (Founder/Business Consultant Patients Influence), Jeff Wandzura (CEO, KEEP Labs), John Cairns (Head of Digital Oncology, Sanofi), Matt Norton (VP Marketing & Commercial Development, S3 Connected Health), Nick Mageras (Principal, IQVIA)

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*All opinions are the participants’ own and do not necessarily reflect the stance of their respective employers.

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