Case Study
Inertia in Mental Health
The client had developed the only FDA-approved treatment for a distressing side effect of antipsychotics.
Despite professed buy-in from the medical community - neurologists and psychiatrists - sales did not reflect this enthusiasm around the treatment.
What causes this inertia? Is there a difference between specialties that requires different approaches? What is the role of patients in this dynamic?
3 rounds of HD interviews were carried out:
First, with neurologists and psychiatrists.
Then with patients experiencing these side effects.
And finally, bringing both together to develop a targeted execution for the brand.
As knowledge built up over time, the questions were refined and extended. What started as a question of inertia evolved into the problem of how to translate strategy into action.
The research identified the point of inertia in the communication between healthcare providers and patients. A plan of action was developed to address both audiences. This resulted in a joint communication strategy that facilitated conversation and exchange between patients and their doctors.