Get brand visibility with oncology EHR consulting services

As oncologists increasingly rely on the intelligent, automated features of their EHRs – particularly the order set function – to deliver care and make prescribing decisions, pharma field teams not only struggle to schedule time with them but also to find ways to promote their brand within a digitized clinical setting.

As challenging as the situation seems, EHR technology also opens opportunities for sales representatives who know how to “speak EHR” and influence oncologists’ electronic workflow. Recent research shows that HCPs spend an average of 5.3 out of every 8 hours of scheduled clinical time interacting with their EHR — which can equate to abundant opportunities for your drug therapy to appear as a recommended therapy.

But how do you accomplish this? Simple: Become a valued resource by demonstrating you understand the friction points for prescribing treatments and offer relevant solutions inside HCPs’ electronic workflow with smart, simple EHR consulting.

What is EHR consulting, and how does it add value to discussions with oncology HCPs?

EHR consulting leverages EHR functionality and alerts HCPs to inaccurate information in the software to drive positive experiences for oncology providers and increase patient safety while significantly boosting market share for pharma brands. It’s designed to address barriers to prescribing created by EHR algorithms, overcome HCPs’ objections using their own language, and position sales representatives as valued resources and knowledgeable problem solvers.

Adopting a consultative approach during sales conversations allows you to:

• Promote patient safety. Outdated protocols for oncology medications with multiple indications, dosing, etc., in the system have the potential to impact patient safety. Knowing how to update order sets and look up and confirm PI in the system demonstrates a commitment to patient safety and also ensures your oncolytic is featured for the appropriate patient, at the correct dose, duration, etc.
• Help HCPs stay ahead of recent changes in protocols. Recent research indicates that 30-40% of order sets contain errors, and some institutions can take up to nine months to update their protocols. Sales representatives who can guide HCPs through troubleshooting order sets help solve these problems.
• Drive prescriptions for your brand. Where ads and leave-behinds can be distracting to physicians, assisting them with their workflow issues leaves a lasting impression — and keeps your oncology drug brands top-of-mind when it’s time to make prescribing decisions.

EHR consulting is the result of training and resources provided as part of an EHR enablement strategy. Here are three targeted tactics EHR enablement training makes possible.

Creating patient lists to identify candidates for specific therapies

Even when sales representatives successfully present a therapy’s safety and efficacy, the oncologist isn’t always immediately aware of potential patient candidates for its use. Offering to share instructions for creating a list of patients who meet demographic or diagnostic criteria for the treatment in the EHR saves the HCP time and helps them identify appropriate patients at the moment of care.

Moreover, patient lists put prescribing information for your drug therapy at oncologists’ fingertips, making it easy for them to prescribe it. And sharing instructions for setting alerts will also ensure your HCPs receive notifications when new patients meet the criteria, increasing your drug’s chances of reaching patients who need it.

Adding your brand’s therapy to the appropriate order sets

HCPs generally won’t prescribe drugs if they aren’t listed in their protocols as a treatment option. As we discussed earlier, protocol updates often lag behind the latest guidelines, and your brand’s drug — although it might be a valid recommendation — might not be listed in the order set for a specific tumor.

Drawing on your knowledge of the oncologist’s EHR, you would consult with the physician to remedy the issue, sharing step-by-step instructions for updating order sets to include all the applicable information. Not only do you empower physicians to make needed changes to the EHR, but you provide a frictionless way for them to remember your drug therapy.

Further, you help ensure that patients get access to your brand’s treatment sooner than they might have if they’d had to wait for system updates to be made.

Promoting patient safety by keeping protocols and PI up to date

Ongoing clinical trial research is dynamic. Working with your HCPs to validate the PI information in the EHR demonstrates your commitment to patient safety and treatment efficacy. Physicians will not only be more comfortable prescribing your brand, but they’ll also see it (and you) as a partner in ensuring the information they have is accurate and up to date.

How can you and your sales team become EHR consultants?

Tactics like these require “insider” EHR knowledge wielded by only the most sophisticated oncology brands. We developed EHRconnect to enable field teams to leverage the systems and workflows their oncologists already use throughout their workdays.

EHRconnect combines training, resources, and tools to help you add value to your clinical conversations with your oncology HCPs while driving awareness and boosting prescriptions for your brand’s treatments and therapies.