Digital Literacy in a Pharmaceutical Company: A Global E-Learning Programme
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Abstract
Background
Social media and web 2.0 technologies alter the relationship between patients, physicians and the pharmaceutical industry transforming the way these key stakeholders interact and source information. However, although the pharmaceutical industry clearly would like to increase the ways it can communicate digitally with patients for better outcomes of care, the industry has found participation in digital channels to be a challenge in the absence of firm guidelines from the governing authorities -- notably in the discipline of social media. Janssen Pharmaceuticals prepared an 8-module e-learning programme to educate employees about the digital opportunities for better and appropriate engagement with stakeholders in preferred channels.
Methods
Modules of the programme included how to use digital channels to gain insights, to segment, to complete multichannel communication and how to measure the success of communications with stakeholders. Each module included a mix of integrated questions with video presentations, fast-facts referencing and end-of-module interactive questions. Participants had to complete all modules and achieve a minimal scoring to pass the course. The e-learning programme was a precursor to residential training programmes to review the strategic concepts in a practical, case-study led application.
Results
Almost 1000 people completed the course within an 8 month period. Based on the results, students' understanding of all medicine 2.0 and web 2.0 definitions improved. Participants' attitudes towards the importance and challenges of engaging with HCPs and patients changed dramatically as a result of completing the course. Furthermore, all students’ enhanced their knowledge about how to determine the likely success of a multichannel campaign.
Conclusions
Pharmaceutical companies are part of the changing dynamic and key stakeholders in the era of participatory medicine. E-Learning courses as part of comprehensive digital training academies are essential to ensure that companies contribute to the growing complexity and accuracy of multichannel engagement and appropriate digital behaviours and communication. Such programmes are a key component of the medicine 2.0 movement and should be replicated in industry to enhance the quality of digital engagement in medicine.
Social media and web 2.0 technologies alter the relationship between patients, physicians and the pharmaceutical industry transforming the way these key stakeholders interact and source information. However, although the pharmaceutical industry clearly would like to increase the ways it can communicate digitally with patients for better outcomes of care, the industry has found participation in digital channels to be a challenge in the absence of firm guidelines from the governing authorities -- notably in the discipline of social media. Janssen Pharmaceuticals prepared an 8-module e-learning programme to educate employees about the digital opportunities for better and appropriate engagement with stakeholders in preferred channels.
Methods
Modules of the programme included how to use digital channels to gain insights, to segment, to complete multichannel communication and how to measure the success of communications with stakeholders. Each module included a mix of integrated questions with video presentations, fast-facts referencing and end-of-module interactive questions. Participants had to complete all modules and achieve a minimal scoring to pass the course. The e-learning programme was a precursor to residential training programmes to review the strategic concepts in a practical, case-study led application.
Results
Almost 1000 people completed the course within an 8 month period. Based on the results, students' understanding of all medicine 2.0 and web 2.0 definitions improved. Participants' attitudes towards the importance and challenges of engaging with HCPs and patients changed dramatically as a result of completing the course. Furthermore, all students’ enhanced their knowledge about how to determine the likely success of a multichannel campaign.
Conclusions
Pharmaceutical companies are part of the changing dynamic and key stakeholders in the era of participatory medicine. E-Learning courses as part of comprehensive digital training academies are essential to ensure that companies contribute to the growing complexity and accuracy of multichannel engagement and appropriate digital behaviours and communication. Such programmes are a key component of the medicine 2.0 movement and should be replicated in industry to enhance the quality of digital engagement in medicine.
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