Helping a German Insurance provider tackle Misdiagnosis through a Deep Understanding of Self-Diagnosers in Germany

The Challenge:

A German medical insurance provider sought to tackle misdiagnosis in Germany and assume a more constructive role in guiding "self-diagnosers" to more credible disgnostic services.

To do so, they wanted to gain a nuanced understanding of the "self-diagnsosers" audience group in Germany. Sepcifically, they wanted to understand this group's i.e., "self - diagnosers'" behvaiours and experiences guided by three key questions:

1. What is this group searching for and talking about online to self-diagnose themselves?

2. What is this group's experience with specialist appointments?

3. What is their relation with prescription durg abuse?

The Approach:

To provide the client with a holistic understanding of "self-diagnosers" behaviours and experiences in Germany, I used a combination of search listening and social listening. Search terms and boolean queries in German and English, were used to extract all online searches and conversations related to self-diagnosis over a period of 12 months. Particular attention was paid to searches and conversations with high volume and engagemet levels to idenfitfy key behavioural indicators.

Then, a topic subtopic analysis of such conversations and searches was conducted to uncover key themes and related anecdotal evidence, to undertand how these themes manifest as everyday experiences of self-diagnosers.

Lastly, the conversations were mapped onto a self-diagnosers journey split into 3 stages of awareness (of ailment) , curiosity (to know more) and action (to treat) to gather a nuanced undertsanding of their behaviour and experiences at each stage.

The Insight:

Figure 1: Self Diagnosers Journey

The analysis revealed a near one to one conversion from curiosity to action indicating how self diagnosis goes beyond diagnosis only to encompass treatment as well. Self-diagnosers are self -doctors too! Interstingly, women are more likely than men to engage in self-diagnosis, as they are often labelled as "hysteric" by family members and specialists and therefore retreat to self-diagnosis.

This need to self-diagnose is further aggrevated due to long waiting times in securing appointments, especially with statutory insurance cover over private insurance cover - indicating a clear opportunity for the client in making private insurance more accessible to lead diagnosers to more credible diagnostic services.

Figure 2: Anedcotal Evidence

Lastly, the analysis reinforced the compounding impact of self-diagnosis as it creates distrust in the medical system if specilaist diagnosis yeilds different results, perpetuating the cycle of self-diagnosis. This underscored the gavity of the problem and need for action to uphold the integrity of the German healthcare system.

The Outcome

The insights porvided the client with a comphrehensive understanding and of the self-disgnosers group in Germany as well as strategic guidance by answering their key questions. Specifically, it provided them with:

• Behavioural insights: The self-diagnosers journey mapping provided crucial insights into self-diagnosers behaviour - they are not just self-diagnosers but also self-doctors.

• Focused target group: Search data revealed how women are more inclined to self-diagnose than men, lending demographic understanding of target group

• Clear opportunity: Topic subtopic analysis and anecdotal evidence revaled clear pain points and barriers preventing self-diagnosers from visiting diagnostic services as well as drivers leading to self-diagnosis, revaling clear opportunitipay areas for the client.

Done at TBWA\Singapore