In this Q&A, we sit down with Dr. Ying Liu, one of our Diaceutics precision medicine experts, whose extensive background in both medicine (MD) and research (PhD) uniquely positions her to explore innovative approaches in the field. Recently, Dr. Liu led a study on real-time data-driven physician engagement, aiming to bridge critical gaps in biomarker testing awareness among clinicians, culminating in a poster presented this year at ASCO. We delve into the study’s objectives, surprising findings, and actionable takeaways, shedding light on how personalized engagement can transform clinical practice.
Background
1. Please tell me more about yourself and your main area of research and expertise
My name is Ying Liu, and I have undergone extensive training in both medicine (MD) and research (PhD). My expertise primarily lies in biomedical translational science, with a strong focus on advancing biomarker-enabled drug development. Since joining Diaceutics, I have led several projects aimed at facilitating the commercialization and clinical integration of drugs, along with their respective biomarker testing protocols.
2. What prompted you to explore the topic of real-time data-driven physician engagement in relation to precision oncology testing?
Our exploration into real-time data-driven physician engagement was largely prompted by findings from our Practice Gaps Paper (Sadik et al., JCO Precision Oncology 2022). The paper revealed that approximately 64% of potentially eligible patients could be lost due to various clinical practice gaps along their journey. One significant cause identified was that physicians often did not order the necessary biomarker testing or make appropriate treatment decisions, largely due to a lack of awareness on the currently available tests and treatments. Given that physicians are key influencers in clinical practice, who as individuals are capable of significantly reducing patient leakage, we were motivated to investigate this area further. Our product offering, DXRX Physician Engage played a crucial role in both informing our research and in addressing these gaps, with interesting insights from an ongoing project highlighting the potential impact of our awareness program prompting us to delve deeper into how this initiative could further address practice gaps.
Study
3. Can you briefly summarize the main objectives and findings of the study?
One of the main objectives of our study was to utilize our lab network and testing data bank to establish a physician identification model. This real-world-data-driven model was designed to help identify physicians exhibiting suboptimal testing behavior—specifically, those who had not requisitioned the selected biomarker as part of their diagnostic workups. By targeting these physicians with personalized digital engagement messages, we aimed to raise clinical awareness about the importance of biomarker testing.
4.What was the most surprising finding of the study?
One of the most rewarding findings of the study was the tangible impact of our engagement messages. As a result of these messages, 274 biomarker tests were initiated over a period of 26 weeks highlighting that physicians do react to the messages and act on them. Additionally, we observed that some physicians repeatedly referred back to the original engagement message each time they ordered a test, indicating a lasting influence on their clinical behaviour.
Actionable takeaways
5. What strategies can be implemented to improve physician education and awareness about biomarker testing and its benefits?What training or resources do they need to better understand and utilize biomarker testing in their practice?
To enhance physician education and awareness about biomarker testing, a targeted approach is essential. Identifying and engaging those physicians who should have ordered the test—rather than broadly targeting all physicians—can save resources and be more effective. Our findings suggest that the first four weeks following an engagement prompt are the most effective period for influencing physician behaviour, with repeated engagements necessary if no response is observed initially. Additionally, more personalized messaging is needed to differentiate and address physicians who do not respond to the first engagement attempt, thereby reducing the likelihood of ignorance or annoyance.
6. What future advancements in technology and data analysis do you foresee enhancing the impact of physician engagement strategies?
Advancements in technology and data analysis could lead to more targeted and personalized engagement strategies. Automated feedback loops can be established to minimize human error and involvement, thereby enhancing efficiency. However, a potential downside is the reduced human touch, which could result in less personalized interactions. The increasing use of AI must be carefully managed to ensure quality is not lost.
Broader implications
7. The study suggests expanding the scope to include more therapeutic areas. Which areas do you believe would benefit the most from this approach and why?
Any therapeutic areas that are utilizing personalized medicine (PM) will benefit significantly from this approach, as all PM treatment decisions rely heavily on the physician's familiarity with available treatments and associated testing protocols With the successful implementation of PM in oncology, there is potential to extend these strategies to other therapeutic areas such as neurology and cardiology, where similar principles of precision and targeted treatment can enhance patient outcomes. I wrote about this previously in 2 separate articles that review the expanding role of precision medicine in these disease areas.
8. How can ongoing research build upon your findings to further optimize precision oncology testing and treatment pathways?
Ongoing research can build upon our findings by extending the current study to determine the percentage of newly identified patients who eventually receive precision therapies. Additionally, implementing this approach earlier in the clinical trial phase—by setting up referral pathways—could facilitate faster recruitment of eligible patients and optimize treatment pathways from the outset.
Future outlook and broader implications
9. What are the potential implications of these findings for the broader implementation and adoption of precision medicine? How do you hope your study will influence future research and clinical practices in precision oncology and beyond?
Our findings have significant implications for the broader implementation of precision medicine. By empowering physicians with up-to-date knowledge, they can make more informed treatment decisions, improving patient care. This approach can enhance healthcare management by precisely matching services to patients' needs.
I hope our study influences future research and clinical practices by demonstrating the effectiveness of targeted physician engagement strategies. This model can be applied beyond oncology to areas like neurology and cardiology, where precision medicine is growing. Additionally, incorporating these strategies earlier in clinical trials can streamline patient recruitment and treatment, ultimately creating a more efficient healthcare system that leverages real-time data for better patient outcomes.
Concluding thoughts
10. What key messages or takeaways would you like to share with healthcare professionals and stakeholders regarding the importance of real-time data-driven physician engagement?
Real-time data-driven physician engagement is crucial for closing clinical practice gaps and ensuring that eligible patients receive appropriate biomarker testing and subsequent treatments. By first reaching physicians within the critical treatment decision window through our lab data to targeting and personalizing engagement strategies, we can significantly enhance physician awareness and action, leading to better patient outcomes and more effective implementation of precision medicine.
Download the poster
Download the poster to explore how real-time data-driven physician engagement can transform clinical practice. Discover actionable insights from Dr. Ying Liu’s ASCO study on bridging gaps in biomarker testing awareness among clinicians and how this has helped to elevate testing rates.
Download the poster