Simplifying Digital HCP Engagement: The Seamless Solution for Authentication, Consent and Data Collection

By Olivier Cadou, Global Head of Omnichannel, IQVIA

In many areas, and particularly those governed by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules, life sciences companies are obligated to capture and retain the consent of each healthcare professional (HCP) with whom they interact digitally and confirm HCP identity upon each instance of access to their digital channels. The consent collection and authentication/identity verification enable pharmaceutical, MedTech, consumer health and other life sciences companies to deliver targeted content to their HCPs in accordance with laws around advertising of medical products in various regions.

These rules have been around for a while and consent collection is now standard practice in healthcare marketing, so the industry has clearly adjusted to these mandates. Users of life sciences companies’ digital channels, however (including website visitors, webinar participants, all manner of virtual attendees, and recipients of emails and smart mailings, users of mobile apps, etc.), remain frustrated by the incessant requests to first provide requisite identifying data and second, their consents. As a result, the friction of having to register and provide personal information again and again discourages some HCPs from interacting digitally.

IQVIA OneKey HealthCare Authenticator (HCA) to the rescue

With HealthCare Authenticator, IQVIA is eliminating authentication friction where possible and radically overhauling consent collection. HealthCare Authenticator doesn’t remove the need to validate identities and request consents, but it greatly simplifies the user experience. And from the HCP’s perspective, it works like magic.

• The HCP receives an invitation to connect (via email, smart mail, SMS, etc.) that contains an HCA magic link or QR code.
• They can click on the link or scan the QR code to be automatically redirected to a page where consents are easily given with a single click (only for those not previously provided).
• The HCP is then automatically registered and connected, allowing them to navigate and use any digital channel or webpage associated with that company while remaining signed in. They can do this without the need to fill out a sign-up form or enter any credentials. The only requirement is to provide new consents as needed.
• At the same time, an HCA Global SSO (single-sign-on) session is activated on the HCP’s web browser, allowing them to navigate easily on any web site or applications using HCA. The HCP won’t have to fill out a sign-up form or to use his credentials, just provide new consents as needed.

Then, HCP’s personal details and consents are available in real time via HCA APIs to be integrated into the CRM, MDM, preference center or marketing automation tool.

This process looks simple to the HCP because all the complexity remains behind the scenes. HealthCare Authenticator works alongside OneKey HCP Reference Data to match users, regardless of whether the life sciences’ company is a OneKey subscriber or not.

More than 25 million HCPs are listed in the OneKey data set and integrated into most companies’ marketing programs through a wide range of CRM, marketing automation, email, advertising management and preferences tools.

The key to this innovative solution is HealthCare Authenticator’s ability to provide customers and third-party providers running marketing campaigns on their behalf with a magic link API that they will be able to use directly or integrate into their marketing automation tool or CRM. This API will allow them to generate a unique URL for each recipient and deliver it via email campaigns, QR codes or even banner ads—any media that has the ability to target its recipients. This enables the targeted user to click a single link, provide consent with one click, and skip the tedious step of entering name, address, occupation, etc., all over again.

A better user experience is just the beginning

The use of HCA APIs enables life sciences companies to automatically integrate the nominative data of each HCP interacting with their digital channels into their own ecosystem. As the HCP visitor enjoys friction-free, registered access to branded websites, medical publishers, online events, newsletters and surveys, the company’s CRM/MDM data is updated to reflect the visitor’s activity and preferences.

For organizations engaging with HCPs, HealthCare Authenticator offers transformative benefits:

• Driving website engagement to increase your digital footprint by seamlessly integrating HCP-specific links or QR codes, designed to draw healthcare professionals directly to your digital channels.
• Optimizing user interactions to elevate HCP engagement by utilizing strategic marketing tools that remove tedious barriers for users, and not only identify but also track user activity, ensuring every interaction is meaningful.
• Deepen customer insights and gain a competitive edge with in-depth analytics on HCP interactions, allowing for customized experiences and data-driven business strategies.
• Expand your HCP network by strengthening your HCP community and encouraging active involvement, which in turn supports more targeted and impactful marketing initiatives.

To learn more about how IQVIA HealthCare Authenticator eases access for your HCPs, please watch our recent webinar, Create a One-Click Community of HCPs with Your Digital Platforms, now available on-demand.