Thoughts on the European Adherence conference
This week I attended the 6th Annual Patient Relationship Marketing & Adherence Conference which was held in London. What I found interesting about the conference was that even though there were many different faces from last year the overall conversations and the prepared topics had progressed considerably. In 2008 the main conference conversation was around what is adherence or non-adherence and how it was qualified, this year the talk was much more around patients as individuals and why beliefs and behaviors are so important when designing and implementing a support program.
There were speakers from all different avenues of the Healthcare industry, including representatives from advocacy groups, Pharmacy Associations, Nursing bodies, Public Sector representatives, Healthcare Professors and Pharmaceutical companies, what became apparent from the various speakers is the growing need for more industry cooperation and collaboration to build on disease state initiatives as well as the branded product programmes.
Like last year there was a good presentation from a Pharmaceutical Product Manager who was in the process of launching a program across Europe, I sincerely hope that he is invited back next year to update everyone on how the program has gone. Start up strategy is one thing, real life program results and improved outcomes is where the rubber really hits the road.
Carol de Monchy
General Manager Atlantis Healthcare New Zealand
