Advancing health equity in rural Mexico

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In the vast expanse of Mexico, spanning 1.9 million square kilometers, lies a rich tapestry of history and culture. But beneath this vibrant surface, the country grapples with countless challenges, from security concerns to geographic barriers, inadequate communication infrastructure, and major health challenges such as chronic diseases and limited access to healthcare. These issues touch the lives of thousands across the nation, setting the stage for a story of resilience, innovation, and the pursuit of health equity. Our heroes in this story: our virtual sales teams that educate rural doctors and help pave the way for more equitable healthcare.

Providing care in far-flung regions is a challenge

Nestled within Mexico’s stunning landscapes, rural doctors work day and night to care for their patients that live far from the country’s big cities. But these physicians often feel like they’re swimming against the tide. Hindered by isolation and limited access to the latest medical advancements, they struggle to provide top-notch care. “ This means continuing medical education for doctors is practically non-existent, leaving patients without adequate therapies,” explains Ulises Sánchez, District Manager at Boehringer Ingelheim Mexico.

In our industry, sales representatives educate doctors on the latest medications, ensuring they have the knowledge to make informed decisions for their patients' well-being. However, in Mexico, many rural areas are without support, as they are not easy to reach. “We have identified specific issues, like how 180 cities have not been visited by a sales representative. This lack of support results in doctors being outdated in their knowledge of new medicines, impacting thousands of patients with limited access to current therapies,” says Ulises. The arrival of COVID-19 worsened the situation, creating an even greater divide in healthcare.

Going virtual to make medical education accessible

To tackle this issue, Boehringer Ingelheim launched “Project Intrepid”, a virtual sales force targeting doctors in rural communities to improve healthcare. Intrepid is a team of 15 sales representatives, two of them living with motor and visual disabilities, who focus on facilitating access to Boehringer’s core therapies for type 2 diabetes, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). “We targeted the unvisited doctors through digital promotion strategies, such as virtual calls, digital webinars, and interactive peer-to-peer digital meetings with experts,” Ulises explains.

By actively promoting this kind of virtual medical education, Boehringer was able to make a significant impact on the region by enabling physicians to easily update their medical knowledge. Sessions could be tailored to reach small (20 to 25) or large groups (more than 300) of doctors. “Moreover, we ensure the availability of our core products in local pharmacies and provide access to medical education and communication technologies like Veeva Engage or Zoom,” explains Ulises.

1,697

registered doctors in just ten months

Hard work is impacting thousands

At first the team faced some challenges, such as doctors rejecting their services because they were virtual. “One of our most difficult challenges was to educate physicians with digital tools,” recaps Laura López, District Manager at Boehringer Ingelheim. The sales team had to tackle this initial rejection and dealt with a lot of frustration. “But we persevered,” Laura remembers.

Through tremendous hard work, the team increased the total number of doctors included in their database. “In just ten months, we went from having only 364 registered doctors to 1,697,” says Ulises. The sales numbers reflect that this is not just a nice-to-have, but actually a solid business case: “The sales of our core products increased by over 60 percent in these 180 cities from March 2021 to December 2022,” Ulises explains.

Patients deserve the best therapeutic options available

Karina Navarro, a Medical Representative at Boehringer Ingelheim, emphasizes the importance of reaching patients, regardless of their location: “The most important thing at the core of our job are our patients. It shouldn’t matter where they live, whether it’s a big or small city. They all deserve to have the best therapeutic options for their diagnosis.”

The results speak for themselves. “Today, we can see doctors are attracted to this virtual method,” Ulises says. Physicians are feeling increasingly valued as competent healthcare professionals, and Boehringer is making a name for itself across all regions of Mexico as a provider of innovative and high-quality products.

Karina Navarro,
Medical Representative at Boehringer Ingelheim

“They all deserve to have the best therapeutic options for their diagnosis”

Promoting sustainable solutions for Mexico – and beyond

“Various sales force lines have begun to implement ‘best practice’ policies with hybrid models, ensuring that our success is sustained,” Ulises says. “And patients are benefiting.” For patients with chronic diseases in particular, Project Intrepid slots neatly into Boehringer’s strategy to promote Sustainable Development for Generations.

The Intrepid team is now sharing its newfound knowledge and best practices with Boehringer’s Animal Health colleagues in Mexico, helping them take advantage of virtual resources with customers, and with colleagues in India, providing insights on enrolling physicians and incentivizing the Intrepid Sales Team.

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