Background
Axon TeleHealthCare’s system enables patients with one or more
chronic disease, to be monitored from their home using no more than
a standard PC and internet connection. The software is
web-based.
Axon TeleHealthCare developed, under a technology transfer
agreement with the University of Kent, an online remote patient
monitoring system. Axon’s T4NET system is currently being used, in
partnership with the Royal Bournemouth & Christchurch NHS
Foundation Trust Hospital Diabetes & Endocrine Centre, to
monitor Type 1 diabetes patients with insulin pumps. Axon provides
the technology and maintains the integrity of the network and the
security of the data, while the hospital monitors the patients.
The Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) system provides patients
with the tools to self manage their illness and peace of mind
knowing that a hospital-based specialist is frequently monitoring
their health and can provide advice when needed.
Axon wanted to focus the launch of its joint diabetes
monitoring service with the hospital, using online and public
relations activities.
The challenge
To raise awareness of diabetes monitoring in the UK and US while
building the credibility of the Axon TeleHealthCare brand.
Initially we were tasked with targeting individual diabetics,
followed by general practitioners and medical professionals.
The insight
2.35 million people in the UK suffer with diabetes, each having
to spend time visiting their GP and diabetes clinic, in addition to
logging their blood glucose levels and managing their insulin
in-take several times a day.
The most significant review of the NHS concluded in 2002 with
the publication of the Wanless Report. It demonstrated that in
order to meet people’s expectations and to deliver the highest
quality over the next 20 years, the UK would have to devote more
resources to healthcare and that this was to be batched by health
delivery reform.
Since then the Department of Health has started redirecting
resources from secondary to primary care, in order to reduce costs,
improve health outcomes and increase the focus on patient
self-management and motivations, as well as prevention
measures.
These government drivers support technologies that help patients
manage their disease, keep them in their home
and independent.
Diabetes
There is verifiable evidence to show that intensive monitoring
to maintain blood glucose levels to near normal levels decrease the
frequency and severity of complications.
Compliance with medical professional advice is very low and any
system that helps patients make the right choices is supported.
Frequently monitoring keeps individuals out of doctors surgeries
and A&E as well as improving social well-being.
The solution
We developed an integrated launch campaign focussed around the
story of Neil Hunter. Neil has Type 1 diabetes but in conjunction
with Diabetes UK and using the Axon system, he completed a 3,000
mile race rowing across the Atlantic in early 2008.
The initial launch campaign lasted for three months and included
PR, digital and design activity. This included:
- Development of artwork for printed advertising
- Press event to cover the Neil Hunter story
- Population and management of an Axon profile on social
networking websites (Facebook and diabetesfriends.net)
- Google Adwords Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign
- Online advertising on social networking websites
- Development of artwork for printed advertising
The results
By the end of the launch Axon TeleHealthCare had received press,
radio, TV and online coverage including Channel 4 news online,
Express and Star, BBC Radio Solent and BBC South Today. The media
coverage reached over 7 million people.
The specific PPC target, based on the allocated budget, was to
lead 400 unique visitors to the campaign website over the three
months. However, as a result of the PPC campaign and social network
seeding Axon saw over 2,000 unique visitors to the campaign site,
with the PPC target being met three times over.
The team at Axon have used social networking to build
relationships with their target audience and have established a
platform upon which to hold focus groups and circulate media
coverage.
Due to the success of the three month campaign Axon has
continued the brand awareness PPC campaign and has extended its
reach to include on and offline advertising. The corporate website
is now under review in order to accommodate the expected larger
volumes of traffic in the coming months.
The PR campaign has also moved into the second phase, targeting
medical professionals.