Global pharmaceutical leader found innovative solutions to help diabetes patients

The background:

Our client is a global pharmaceutical leader dedicated to improving the lives of diabetes patients by introducing innovative products to help them manage the disease. 

Understanding the patient’s journey, thoughts, fears, problems, and questions was crucial to developing new solutions to their needs. The client needed research to do that and asked for our help.

The essence of the project:

We started our research by focusing on five main points:

  • Exploring the daily experience of people diagnosed with diabetes who receive insulin therapy, including physical, emotional, and psychological aspects.
  • Understanding the patient’s experience in various stages of the disease.
  • Investigating the needs and expectations of patients, satisfaction with the current method of treatment, emerging problems, and inconveniences.
  • Assessing a new product’s attractiveness, uniqueness, and anticipated benefits, considering patients’ perceptions, expectations, motivations, and experience.
  • Identifying what information tools and content would best meet the needs of patients and provide tangible value in the overall context of the information field.

Given the sensitivity of the matter and the high level of detail in this study, we engaged diabetes patients in 1:1 discussions. Our approach was rooted in empathy, seeking to understand the emotional and practical aspects of living with diabetes.

To reveal their different stories, experiences and needs, we differentiated the TA by their diabetes type, treatment method, and illness duration.

In the end, our study uncovered profound insights into the diabetes patients’ experience, habits, satisfaction with available treatments, and journey from the disease diagnosis to management.

Services provided:

  • Developing the methodology of the project.
  • Recruiting participants for research.
  • Moderating interviews and discussions, analysing results and presenting them.
  • Preparing recommendations to the client to better formulate product and communication strategies reflecting patients’ experiences and needs.
  • Presenting patients’ insights at client events and engaging in discussions with medical professionals.

Project result:

Armed with the results of the research, our client was able to effectively lead discussions with doctors and the wider public to protect patients from ignorance, lack of knowledge, misuse of drugs and negative consequences. 

Collected information also empowered other patient-centric initiatives, including tailored educational resources to improve patient’s quality of life.

Partners:

Gintarė Kijauskaitė-Mosėnė

Associate Partner, Vilnius, Lithuania