Quintiles Unlocks Path for Digital Patient Engagement

Harnessing the power of the digitally connected patient can not only help produce savings in the health care system, but can also improve patient outcomes.

Companies that can successfully engage with the digital patient will distinguish themselves and increase their probability of success according to a new report from Quintiles, “Harnessing the Power of the Digital Patient.” The report explores a more modern approach to patient engagement to streamline product development, prove product value and accelerate product adoption and adherence.

Declaring this, “The Age of the Digital Patient,” Quintiles tracks the evolution of patient engagement models over time and argues that the patient is at the center of today’s model—a change from the more company-centric models of the past.

The report dismisses the value of “old-school” patient databases to find patients, and declares the 2.4 billion people with an internet connection as “today’s database.”

Quintiles digital patient experience extends back to its creation of Mediguard.org in 2007 and ClinicalResearch.com in 2009, and its completion of more than 350 custom patient programs on behalf of sponsors in its Digital Patient Unit. To date, Quintiles manages relationships with more than three million clinically profiled patients across nearly every therapeutic area.

First Patient Enrolled in Six Minutes

An example of the promise the digital patient holds can be found in an observational research study in which Quintiles recruited 425 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from its online patient community. The first digital patient was enrolled in the study in a mere six minutes with the last patient confirmed in only nine calendar days.

59% Increase in Retention Rates

A second example can be found in a 1,255-patient women’s health study in which Quintiles developed a custom communication plan for each patient in order to reduce the number of patients that become lost to follow up or drop out of the study entirely. The customized communication program kept patient engagement high and resulted in a 59% increase in the retention rate for the duration of the study.

The full Quintiles report, “Harnessing the Power of the Digital Patient,” can be accessed here.