Increasing patient adherence with Bristol Myers Squibb & Pfizer

Co-Created tool to support vulnerable cardiology patients

Sometimes solving the problem is as simple as properly identifying it first. In this project, we used clinical observation and hand-held prototypes to help clinicians help their patients.

When cardiologists and other key opinion leaders (KOLs) realized three out of 10 patients struggled to continue taking their life-saving blood-thinning medication within a year of initial prescription, Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer teamed up with Daman to Co-Create a solution to increase medication adherence.

The problem
How can healthcare providers support the patients with the biggest need for treatment but the least bandwidth to engage in behaviors that lower health risks?

The first step was finding them. 

Through participant observation at clinics and a Co-Creation process with cardiologists and general practitioners, Daman discovered these patients were falling through the cracks during busy consultations. Short appointments and rushed conversations didn’t give the patient space to be honest about their adherence.

Conversations usually went like this:
Physician: “You are taking your blood thinners, right?” 
Patient: “Sure, of course.”
 
In reality, up to 30% of patients were not taking their blood thinners, which increased their risk of a stroke.

The innovation
Daman created a simple patient questionnaire for waiting rooms at cardiology departments and general practitioner clinics. This handheld, easy-to-implement tool was paired with conversational guides for healthcare professionals.

The outcome
The questionnaire and conversational guides helped healthcare professionals identify and support patients who were not taking their blood-thinner medication. With these tools, medication adherence rates improved and patients enjoyed better health outcomes.