The complexities associated with market access today are evolving at a pace commensurate with the emerging tools with which payers are managing cost and utilization. How manufacturers communicate with payers and all involved stakeholders must keep pace with the increasingly complex healthcare market to support informed and timely discussions and decisions.

Marketers today have an obligation to be clear, consistent, and considerate, what we will call the “Three C’s”, in their communications across all channels and to all stakeholders.  

1. Clear. What is the value of the product to a particular stakeholder? Is it efficacy, safety, administration, or cost? This must be communicated in terms that the stakeholder appreciates and resonates with them as far as what they are looking for from that therapy.
2. Consistent. The language used in the communication should be tailored to each specific audience, but the spirit of the message must remain consistent. This is essential so that when two informed stakeholders engage in a dialogue around the benefit of the therapy, they will be speaking on common ground and have the same information.
3. Considerate. The goal should not be to overwhelm stakeholders to an extent where the outreach or information is perceived to be white noise. Professionals, be it payers or providers, take their responsibility very seriously in their desire to “own the patient relationship.” An overwhelming amount of information through one channel will eventually be tuned out, thus it is imperative that marketers deliver it with a frequency that will be appreciated by the audience while having the desired impact.

By keeping our eye on the “Three C’s” of impactful communication, we are facilitating an effective dialogue instead of creating a confusing data-rich dialogue that fails to yield informed decisions. To achieve this high level of communication (marketing), a clear and robust understanding of each stakeholder’s value proposition must be at the front and center when developing messages. When we know the specific information that each party requires to make informed recommendations or decisions, we are then able to serve that up in a timely manner through a preferred channel. The best way to ensure this happens in the healthcare market is to keep this communication approach top of mind as strategy, messaging, and resources are being developed.

The foundation of all communications typically starts with the creation of a Scientific Platform. The Scientific Platform helps inform the Brand Promise, which then in turn yields messages for patients and providers alike. The Payer Value Proposition is the third leg of this approach and will combine the Scientific Platform with epidemiologic data to portray the size and shape of the patient population the brand will serve. Data beget actionable information that evolves into messages tailored for the various audiences involved in making healthcare decisions. When this communication platform is constructed effectively, the dialogue between patients, providers, and payers is informed, efficient, and timely.

Payers are often painted with a broad brush, and at times, in a negative light; however, their goal is to provide the best care in a cost-effective manner. Their inability to deliver on that mission can lie in the overwhelming amount of data they receive and the often unorganized way they are receiving that information. Thus, our communications to the payer community should not stop with a Payer Value Proposition but should also include the inherent value our brands have on the providers and patients we serve. This cross-functional approach allows the payer to be part of the process instead of a parallel workflow.