To analyze the adoption and integration of ABUS into breast cancer screening and diagnosis pathways, evaluating its current
efficacy, potential for complementation with handheld ultrasound devices, and factors influencing purchasing decisions
The Client
The client is a global medical technology company and is developing the next generation ABUS solutions. The product Invenia ABUS 2.0 with AI assistant is currently on the market to provide a comprehensive breast care solution for early cancer detection especially for women with dense breasts to move breast care from reactive to proactive
The Challenge
The client wants to conduct a market research study to understand customer preferences, buying process, and price expectations to help inform the go to market strategies
Qualitative Research: A 60-minute web-assisted telephonic-in-depth-interview (TDI) using a comprehensive discussion guide conducted by experienced healthcare interviewers with Radiologist, Breast surgeons and Gynecologist in USA
Understand the current breast cancer management practices in the facilities.
Assess the key drivers for ABUS integration into the breast cancer screening and diagnosis pathway in the different countries.
Assess if the current product (ABUS) fulfils all requirements, and whether a handheld transducer/pocket size ultrasound would support diagnostic scanning in conjunction to ABUS.
Understand the decisions behind a potential buying process: Headwinds, Tailwinds.
We identified that the standard protocol across all facilities involves initially scanning patients with mammography. Additionally, in some cases (such as higher-risk patients, dense breasts) supplemental screening with MR and Ultrasound is conducted to enhance diagnostic confidence
We identified that encouraging and convincing patients to adhere to annual screening is the greatest challenge
We analyzed that ABUS offers enhanced accuracy with reduced false negatives/positives and improved detection rates in dense breast cases, ensuring better patient experiences and minimizing repeat scans. It provides comprehensive views, faster exams, and no radiation exposure, making it a cost-effective and user-friendly alternative to MRI
We identified that challenges with ABUS include high total cost of ownership, limited awareness of its benefits, uncertainty regarding reimbursement and clinical effectiveness. Patient-specific challenges involve accommodating larger breasts and capturing the entire breast region, particularly the periphery and axillary region.
We identified that most stakeholders are not using ABUS prominently for diagnosis, owing to low confidence in its usability in diagnosis, but there are a few who use/expect to use ABUS in certain scenarios
We identified that customers have invested/want to invest in ABUS for improving patient experience, deliver better quality of care, increase screening efficiency, and gain marketing edge