Innovative partnership to develop unique prescribing behaviour tool

Aston University has partnered with Alpharmaxim Healthcare Communications to apply psychology research to develop a unique prescribing behaviour tool for healthcare professionals.

The Healthcare Belief-Barrier Identification Tool (H-BIT) will identify beliefs and barriers in the prescribing behaviour of EU healthcare professionals in specific disease areas. This is in order to target communication strategies and maximise the reach of treatments.

The partnership says there is a growing recognition that measuring belief change and/or intent to change behaviour can determine the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

Combining Alphamaxim’s specialist healthcare marketing knowledge, in particular, its Belief Continuum® (BC) model, with Aston University’s expertise in Nominal Group Technique (NGT), a method of group brainstorming that facilitates quick agreement on the relative importance of issues, will evaluate the beliefs and behaviours that underpin behavioural change in a disease area.

This has created a knowledge transfer partnership (KTP) which is a three-way collaboration between a business, an academic partner and a highly qualified graduate known as a KTP associate.

Dr Carl Senior from Aston University will lead the academic team. With 20 years of experience in working at the connection between social psychology and organisational behaviour, he developed a framework for applying NGT to understanding behavioural change.

Dr Senior said: “We are delighted to have this opportunity to work with Alpharmaxim in this strategic relationship to lead change that is both focused and relevant to modern-day health care.”

Dr Senior will be joined by Dr Jason Thomas, a senior lecturer in psychology at Aston University. Dr Thomas has worked with companies such as Direct Line and Starbucks, investigating approaches to encourage behavioural change.

William Hind, founder, controlling director and agency principal at Alpharmaxim, said: “We hope the partnership will change the face of healthcare communications, ultimately improving the lives of patients with hard-to-treat diseases.”

Close