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If you checked out our previous blog on why pharma companies are moving to VEEVA, you’re already well-versed in all the ways the most widely-used system in the tech and pharma fields has taken marketing to the next level. But now, we’re diving in a little deeper to show you how its capabilities are changing the game in healthcare — specifically through Augmented Reality.
Because amidst the surge in technological advances shaping the industry, 3D technology is at the heart of it all. And VEEVA has been leading the way there too.
Check out how VEEVA is helping pharma and life sciences professionals turn their visions for the future of healthcare into a reality.
Using Augmented Reality in CLMFirst off, let’s be clear about what AR really is. While your mind may drift to Virtual Reality, you’ve got the right idea. But no, they’re not the same. There’s one major difference: AR is actually an extension of our reality.
“Unlike Virtual Reality that replaces your current environment with a fully virtual one, AR allows you to observe your actual surroundings through the lens of your device blending virtual objects into it,” Fabian Miranda, Senior Web Developer / VEEVA Tech Lead at Assemble, explains. “These virtual elements, or models, act as layers overlying the real world around you.”
In VEEVA, that means enabling more creativity when displaying products, effects, and information to healthcare professionals (HCP). When the virtual models are added to the AR scene, they become completely interactive, allowing the user to navigate and control their experience.
Show Us the BenefitsFor the longest time, conveying the capabilities and effects of a product or drug relied simply on a pre-recorded video and extensive editing. While it was a step up from photos and verbal presentations of the past, it had its obvious limitations — the biggest being lack of control. AR is next-level exposition, giving the healthcare professional complete control over what they see, how they see it, and the ways in which they share it with others.
“AR enables reps to illustrate efficiently the way a disease, medicine, pill, or instrument works/evolves within the human body,” Fabian adds. “Instead of limiting the experience and knowledge with a linear video that uses 3D graphics, the HCP is able to interact with it and lead their own journey, while choosing to focus on certain areas or angles that are more interesting or important to them.”
Want to see it for yourself? Contact us for a few examples.
Another major benefit of VEEVA AR: speed.“Building an AR experience from scratch takes a lot of effort, time, and money in a standalone platform,” Fabian explains. “VEEVA creates an opportunity to speed up that process, by incorporating AR frameworks that specifically take advantage of the power and capabilities of iOS devices, all right into their CLM player. It allows pharma marketers to have everything in one place; interactive renderings, detailed notes, videos, email communications, etc. all in one CRM experience. So the process of importing 3D models into a CLM KeyMessage and configuring everything using a JSON file is simplified.”
And along with a more simple, streamlined process comes increased customer confidence. An HCP that feels more comfortable and in control of their experience with a rep and their product is far more likely to keep engaging.
Evolving with VEEVA AR & AssembleThe future of AR looks very bright too, especially here at Assemble. “Our team is now doing AR IOS training to gain the skills and proficiency to generate our own models internally,” Fabian says. “We’ll be able to add animations, pop-ups, or labels conveying information in regard to specific portions and activities within the organs. For example, describing the various components of a certain virus and the importance of each part in understanding the disease.”
But for now, Assemble has developed another approach to interactive experiences, both within VEEVA and in other standalone applications, using causal gaming experiences. “We can actually create these types of interactions using traditional 2D graphics. We’re constantly seeking to expand our knowledge to increase the complexity of the actions, scripting, etc. working behind the scenes so that there are no limits to the capabilities of these interactions. It is exciting to see what the future will hold for pharma using AR and 3D technology, and we’re determined to continue to be part of it.”
To learn more about VEEVA AR capabilities, view additional 3D models, or hear how Assemble can be your partner within this unique platform, contact us today.