Environics Analytics uses community health indicators to identify where future demand for care exists.
For Pharmaceutical companies in Canada, connecting patients with the right healthcare providers has never been more complicated. Shifting provincial rules, shrinking primary-care access and system strain make it essential to pinpoint where patients are and how they move through care. Kevin Lacey, SVP, sales for pharma and CPG at Environics Analytics, helps pharma organizations navigate these obstacles. He says that what’s most important isn’t just measuring market size or tracking prescriptions, but uncovering what he calls “patient potential.”
“When we talk about patient potential, we mean understanding the prevalence of health conditions,” says Lacey. “Using community health indicators from our data, we can identify which which postal codes have the individuals that are most likely to have those conditions, and therefore may need treatment. In other words, we see where future demand for care exists, even before it shows up in prescriptions or diagnoses.” These patient insights are then linked to healthcare practitioners (HCP) to uncover opportunities for growth.
Environics Analytics then layers on demographic data, access to doctors, specialists or pharmacists and even attitudes toward care – whether a patient is more inclined toward holistic treatments, likely to seek specialist advice or in a position to pay out of pocket. This will drive optimal HCP engagement strategies within growth opportunity areas. When executing DTC campaigns, we use insights about their age, household makeup and media habits to understand how they prefer to be communicated with, whether that’s through social channels, digital
platforms or in person.
The patient journey uncovers where needs emerge, how care is accessed, and what helps patients stay on therapy.
“Then, once a patient is on treatment, the question becomes how to support adherence and engagement,” says Lacey. “We use insights into their needs and preferences to understand how they prefer to be supported whether that’s through financial assistance, nurse support, education to name a few. That intelligence not only informs targeting and engagement but also makes outcomes measurable. Because the data is tied to geography, Lacey and his team can work with collaborators such as global healthcare data, analytics and technology company IQVIA to connect patient potential with prescribing behaviour. “We’re not just focused on reaching patients and HCPs efficiently, but we can also measure what happens next,” says Lacey. “Did we fulfill the potential we identified? Did awareness increase? Did adherence improve? Those are the outcomes pharma companies really need to see.”
The approach applies to many categories, including discretionary areas like dermatology and competitive areas such as GLP-1 therapies. Lacey points to campaigns that revealed populations being left behind, either because patients weren’t aware or providers hadn’t prioritized the condition. “There are often awareness gaps in certain conditions,” he says. “We work with pharma companies to identify those populations and prioritize physicians to provide them with the insights they need to address them. The result is more efficient marketing spend and better alignment between patient needs and healthcare delivery.”
One of the most persistent blind spots, he notes, comes from the assumption that the doctors writing the most prescriptions must represent the highest potential. “It really only takes into account their current prescription behaviours,” Lacey says. “Just because a doctor is prescribing a lot doesn’t mean there isn’t more demand in an area that’s not being tapped into. And the alternative, a doctor who is not writing high prescription volumes, doesn’t mean there isn’t a large demand in their practice. This should alter the engagement approach with the particular doctor, with more focus, attention and support. Without understanding patient potential, you risk missing sizable opportunities,” says Lacey.
Combining data provides insights and actions for pharma, HCPs and Canadians with care today and tomorrow.
Underlying all of this is a rigorous approach to data privacy, something Lacey describes as non-negotiable. Environics Analytics was among the first globally to achieve the ISO31700 Privacy by Design designation, a framework that governs every stage of data handling.
Looking ahead, Lacey sees patients taking a more active role in shaping healthcare decisions, which raises the stakes for companies that can provide the right insights at the right time. “Canadians are becoming more informed about their own healthcare, and in many ways, required to become more involved,” he says. “That opens the opportunity for those who can support with insights. Whether it’s pharma companies, healthcare providers or pharmacists, it’s going to be critical to provide resources that help patients understand how to access care, what their options are, and how t0 ensure they adhere to treatment.”
For Environics Analytics, the mandate is to anticipate future challenges while addressing today’s barriers. “We want to help Canadians and Canadian providers identify where health services are constrained, find alternative pathways to care, and think about what diagnosis and treatment will look like in five or ten years,” says Lacey.
CONTACT:
Kevin Lacey
SVP, sales team leader for pharma and CPG
kevin.lacey@environicsanalytics.com
