Pharmaceutical marketing has long treated healthcare providers (HCPs) and patients as separate audiences. Distinct in their needs, their influence, and their channels of communication. But as the healthcare journey grows increasingly complex, the most forward-thinking brands are embracing a more integrated approach. One that is increasingly powered by AI to meet both strategic ambition and regulatory rigor. And, where HCP and DTC strategies don’t compete, but complement each other. 

At BranchLab, we see this as not just a strategic imperative, but a foundational shift: a move toward unified engagement that recognizes how doctors and patients increasingly make decisions in tandem. 
 

Why Alignment Matters 

Doctors remain gatekeepers in treatment decisions, but patients are more informed and proactive than ever. They research conditions online, arrive at appointments with specific questions, and often ask about specific treatments they’ve seen advertised. 

When HCP and DTC campaigns are aligned, brands can: 

  • Reinforce messaging across both sides of the decision-making process 
  • Improve the continuity of brand narrative 
  • Strengthen trust by providing consistent, evidence-based information 
  • Shorten the path from awareness to action, whether that’s a prescription or a follow-up conversation 

But integration is easier said than done. It requires more than creative consistency. It demands precise audience design, compliant data usage, and seamless execution across media ecosystems that often operate in silos. 

Where BranchLab Comes In 

BranchLab’s platform was built to bridge this gap. BranchLab creates AI-native audiences by transforming natural-language audience definitions into de-identified, aggregate profiles using machine learning. These profiles are scored and indexed to identify high-propensity segments for activation across all media channels.  

Using this methodology, we help healthcare marketers define, analyze, and activate audiences across both HCP and DTC pathways with AI-native audiences and privacy compliance as the foundation. Most importantly, we’re ID-independent. Which means we reach the entire US population, not just the half who are tied to IDs. 

For HCPs, we enable granular audience segmentation using National Provider Identifier (NPI) data and attributes like specialty, prescribing behavior, location, and patient demographics. We then score and prioritize these HCPs based on growth potential and media efficiency, ensuring campaigns focus on the most influential providers. 

On the patient side, we use predictive modeling and anonymized health data to build aggregate profiles based on diagnosis, treatment patterns, and Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). These profiles are then activated across all media channels – TV, digital, social, audio, OOH – through curated private marketplaces and publisher partnerships. 

The result? HCP and patient campaigns that are connected by design. 

A Unified Strategy in Practice 

Let’s say a brand is launching a new treatment for a chronic condition like psoriasis.  
Using BranchLab: 

  • DTC teams can define a patient population based on diagnosis, geography, and insurance coverage, enriched with SDoH data to understand social context and media preferences. 
  • HCP teams can target dermatologists in regions with high patient density, prioritizing those who under-prescribe and have high growth potential. 
  • Media teams can deploy both audiences across the same media channels, ensuring consistent exposure, and tailor messaging by audience type while measuring outcomes across both streams. 

By connecting these efforts, brands not only maximize efficiency, they drive more meaningful engagement. When patients see content that reinforces what their doctor recommends (or vice versa), it builds trust. When both are reached in relevant environments, it fosters alignment. 

Want to learn more? Get in touch [email protected]  
Mallory Wils is BranchLab’s EVP of Sales