Looking into Roche’s omnichannel solution for lung cancer patients

The company clinched the Thailand Technology Excellence Award for Digital - Pharmaceuticals.

Whilst it is known that lung cancer has the second-highest fatality rate out of all cancers in Thailand is projected to continue on an upward trajectory, incredibly crowded state hospitals add to the country’s challenge. When patients see their health care professionals (HCP), there is almost always not enough time.

HCPs spend time walking patients through detailed explanations and treatment options, with the consultations being both medical and emotional at times. These conversations revealed one common element: the need for preliminary knowledge, which will allow all stakeholders to focus on specific and meaningful discussions, such as adapting the patients’ lives and innovative treatments.

For Roche, patients are the centre of everything. They provide products and services that improve patients’ experience. With the continual collaboration with the Thai Lung Cancer Group (TLCG), Roche betters their understanding about common pain points that patients and HCPs experience along the patient journey. Subsequently, Roche is able to co-create valuable solutions.

As most of the healthcare industry is now undergoing digital transformation, Future Proofing’s Asia Pacific Personalised Heath Index revealed that personalised technologies are potential focus areas for Thailand. This signals the need to improve access to devices, applications, or platforms to further accommodate the growing demands for personalised healthcare. Roche continues to keep up and work with all stakeholders in determining and creating a variety of content that complement and support them. Thus, the omnichannel solution LungAndMe was launched.

Through the solution, patients would have digital lung cancer knowledge by HCP, be able to hear inspiring stories from other lung cancer patient advocacies, and have the platform to continuously consult and report their symptoms, as well as other outcomes.

Moreover, Roche has developed an “Electronic Symptom Tracker” to help patients to take note of their symptoms digitally. As patients progress through their journey, their diaries become crucial during the discussion with their HCPs. Apart from the digitisation process, the tracker also prevents patients from forgetting their physical diaries.

Since the launch of LungAndMe, Roche has had almost 2 million visitors and engaged with over 200,000 people. The company has also played an active role in the forming of a community for lung cancer patients in Thailand—establishing an advocacy group with the hopes of influencing healthcare policies in the country in support of lung cancer patients.[HK{2]

Over 96.3% of LungAndMe users also found the digital solutions to be extremely valuable, with them indicating that they would recommend it to others. Whilst, 64.8% of patients found LungAndMe contents to have equipped patients with a better understanding of lung cancer and treatment options, allowing for more informed decisions.

“It is unfortunate that we as clinicians do not have the time to fully educate patients on their disease. Therefore, the digital platform like LungAndMe helps them become more informed, and support HCPs in delivering an improved new experience of care. Above all, theThai health system became more ready to adopt the personalised solutions,” said Asst. Prof. Naiyarat

Prasongsook, MD, a representative from Thai Lung Cancer Group (TLCG). With the impact of the technology they have introduced, Roche has stood out amongst its competitors to win the Digital - Pharmaceuticals category at the Asian Technology Excellence Awards 2021, presented by Asian Business Review.

“Combining digital technologies with very real human needs, we have applied a multi-channel approach, gotten feedback from stakeholders and focused on what really mattered. This is an ongoing journey towards Roche’s purpose - doing what patients need next,” the company said.

Watch the interview below to know more about their winning project: