There are countless examples of how we have faced moments of great opportunity to make progress but failed to seize that moment. Just a few years into the global Covid-19 pandemic, the rapid development of life-saving vaccines faced several unresolved challenges, such as a growing shortage of healthcare providers, a mental health epidemic, hospital closures and overcrowded emergency rooms.
We are now at one of those crossroads. Last month, President Biden signed an executive order aimed at advancing research into women’s health. This is an initiative that is widely seen as long overdue. However, given our questionable track record in driving continued progress, it is important that we as a nation and industry create a roadmap to optimize success for this exciting moment.
Inclusion is a priority
When it comes to researching the issues affecting women, we need to take a comprehensive look at all populations. In the past, certain groups have been excluded from research, meaning we don’t always have enough data to get an accurate picture. For example, in clinical trials, almost 75% of participants are white. With nearly 40% of the U.S. population belonging to a racial or ethnic minority, this statistic shows that clinical trial participation – a small part of the system-wide problem – is not at all representative.
But it’s not just participants or patients. The people who provide care, run clinical trial centers and make decisions are also not representative. Research shows that physician ethnicity influences the race of participants in clinical trials and that leadership of trials by minority physicians is far below that observed among white physicians, particularly in FDA-regulated, industry-funded clinical trials become. It is nearly impossible to ensure that all clinical research is diverse, equitable, and inclusive if these characteristics are not prioritized in the leadership roles that conduct the trials themselves.
To eliminate racial disparities among clinical researchers, major changes must be both implemented and monitored. This is not just limited to strategies, policies, incentives and reforms. We know that trust is essential to the success of population health and that minority patients benefit from care from minority physicians.
As we look forward to this exciting opportunity that lies ahead, we must ensure that future research takes this into account all affected groups so that we can determine needs accordingly.
Intentional design should take precedence
Healthcare is complex. So many times we have witnessed the development of a new, exciting tool with the goal of solving one of the many problems of the larger system, only to see it fail. This results in a waste of time, money, resources and productivity. This is why it is so important to develop solutions based on clearly identified needs and target groups and ensure that a system is in place to support them.
We don’t have to start from scratch; There are already outstanding examples of companies questioning whose voices are missing from the design process and showing how they can be more consciously inclusive. In 2021, for example, a global medical technology company launched a unique project aimed to gain more insight into the experiences of people of color to identify ways the company can better support communities that are not relevant due to distrust, social determinants of care, inconsistent access to health insurance, bias, lower income, etc Other factors receive care. They will use these insights to develop tools that support Philips’ goal of improving access to healthcare for 400 million people per year in underserved communities by 2030.
A strong foundation to support strategic innovation must now be created
The president’s executive order promises billions of dollars in new funding for women’s health research. The results of this research will help identify needs and gaps in women’s health care, and solutions to address these gaps will inevitably emerge. But without a solid foundation that ensures these solutions work across the system – e.g. B. taken over by doctors – they will not be able to drive change. We need to start strengthening this foundation now to ensure that inclusion and conscious design are a natural part of any future development and that there is a clear path to getting these developments into the hands of the women who need them.
First, we need to ensure we can support women innovators. It’s well-documented that much of the innovation in healthcare by women has been driven by female founders, but these entrepreneurs face significant hurdles – from raising venture capital to navigating a predominantly male-dominated business ecosystem.
Second, companies focused on developing solutions must prioritize the infrastructure needed to get those solutions into the hands of the people who need them. More than 30% of all drugs brought to market in recent years have failed to meet market expectations. This shocking data point shows how important it is for companies and organizations dealing with solving a healthcare problem to have a solid plan to get that solution into the hands of the people who need it.
For example, a focused and integrative approach to market research can significantly increase the effectiveness of marketing strategies and ensure successful launch and long-term success of a drug, digital tool or therapy in a competitive market. If companies rely solely on their own networks to gather insights into a perceived problem and fail to solicit feedback from a broader community of healthcare professionals, when it comes time for those professionals to prescribe this new therapy, they will , perhaps learning – too late – that they already have an effective solution. Building a strong foundation begins long before a solution is designed, but is critical to future success.
Third, we must redefine the patient experience and address the challenges of access and diversity in healthcare. Innovations – e.g. E.g. medications, digital health solutions – may elicit different reactions from different ethnic groups. Therefore, it is important to create structures to ensure that the right people are involved in the design and testing processes. Without collecting this data and input from all populations, this innovation may not even pass regulations.
Looking ahead, there are many reasons to be optimistic and hopeful about our ability to close the gaps in healthcare. President Biden’s Executive Order is one of them. The real proof will lie in our ability to take the right steps – and be involved all the right stakeholders – on the way there.
Photo: Malte Mueller, Getty Images
Shelli Pavone is President and Co-Founder of Inlightened. She has over 20 years of commercial experience in healthcare and is committed to collaborating with clinicians and innovators to shape the future of the industry. Shelli was named to Forbes’ Next 1000 and is a graduate of Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.