Learning with stakeholders
Better quality of life for people with diabetes and important new knowledge strengthening the Novo Nordisk business are the convincing results of a wide-ranging programme initiated by Novo Nordisk. The DAWN programme has proved to be a strong example of how learning with stakeholders can be converted into valuable knowledge, dialogue and initiatives.
Novo Nordisk initiated the DAWN programme back in 2001; the largest-ever, global survey to uncover diabetes attitudes, wishes and needs (DAWN). The survey was carried out in collaboration with the International Diabetes Federation and an international expert advisory board. It involved more than 5,400 people with diabetes and more than 3,800 healthcare professionals from 13 countries. A key conclusion from the survey was that despite today’s effective diabetes therapies, a majority of people with diabetes do not achieve full health and quality of life.
New platform for stakeholder dialogue
According to Søren Skovlund, senior advisor, Corporate Diabetes Programmes at Novo Nordisk, the results provided an entirely new platform for dialogue between stakeholders: “The survey revealed that many people with diabetes suffer from emotional distress and poor psychological well-being because of their illness, which in many cases results in poor self-care and lack of acceptance of required therapies. And while many healthcare professionals entirely focused on the medical aspects of the treatment, it became clear that the patients also needed mental encouragement and positive guidance empowering them to take charge of their own health”.
Based on this new perspective on diabetes patient care, Novo Nordisk decided to take the programme another step further with a series of initiatives, in multi-stakeholder partnerships, to get a full understanding of the findings. Internally, the results were discussed in a series of workshops, also involving groups of diabetes patients. Externally, results were shared openly with a wide range of stakeholders, including diabetes experts, clinicians, people with diabetes, the media, industry, NGOs and decision-makers worldwide. These discussions generated valuable feedback and experience was shared at the “2nd international Dawn Summit in 2003, which was arranged by Novo Nordisk in cooperation with the International Diabetes Federation. The participants were representatives of governmental and non-governmental organisations such as the World Health Organization, healthcare professionals and people with diabetes and many other key players in diabetes care from 31 countries.
New approach to diabetes care
“At the summit, we issued an international call to action for better diabetes care which was published in non-specialist, clinical and scientific magazines as well as the International Diabetes Federation’s publications, reaching a total of over 140 countries and several million people. But the DAWN programme goes further than that”, Søren Skovlund underlines and continues:
“In an inspiring partnership with our stakeholders, we are working to promote a shift in the international mindset and approach to diabetes care. By leveraging on the knowledge acquired from the DAWN survey and the exchange of views and experience with our stakeholders, we have fuelled the implementation of a series of concrete initiatives. These include national train-the-trainer programmes for primary-care physicians of the psychological aspects of care and quality-of-life questionnaires for people with diabetes, which are now being implemented in routine health evaluations in several countries,” explains Søren Skovlund.
Business related benefits
In addition to creating an increased international awareness about patient care, the programme has also benefited Novo Nordisk’s own business.
“We are certain that this kind of activity has a positive effect on our relations to customers and stakeholders in general, which is crucial to our business. Moreover, the important new knowledge retrieved from this project is being actively used in our development and innovation of both products and distribution systems,” concludes Søren Skovlund.
Novo Nordisk has organised DAWN activities in the following countries (as per 31 December 2004):
Australia, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovenia, Sweden, Taiwan, UK and US.
See more on DAWN and a perspective on the programme as a stakeholder innovation.
