5 Minutes with Vicky Britton

Collingwood's Managing Director, Doug Mackay, recently sat down with digital health researcher and social intelligence specialist Vicky Britton to discuss her work in real-world evidence, and how online data is transforming pharmaceutical research and strategy.

Vicky Britton is a published researcher and specialist in search and social media intelligence, and a speaker on digital health. She advises pharmaceutical companies on how to integrate online data into research and strategic planning. Her insights have supported global consultancies, major tech platforms, and leading pharma clients in understanding real-world behaviors and unmet needs. Vicky is currently based at Oracle in the Life Sciences research consulting division. This Q&A reflects her personal expertise and research experience

Listening at Scale: How HealthTech SMEs Can Leverage Search and Social Data to Compete Big

Doug: How can SME healthtech companies use social and search data to punch above their weight?

Vicky: SMEs have the advantage of being able to move fast. The most effective companies in this space are the ones who stay closely tuned in to what patients and healthcare professionals need and can pivot quickly when the landscape shifts. That’s where search and social data offer an edge.

Social and search intelligence means using public online data (what people are searching, posting, questioning, or reacting to) spot patterns, pain points, and opportunities. You can see how patients are navigating their journeys, what doctors are reacting to, which digital tools are getting traction, and how your competitors are positioning themselves. You can even crowdsource live feedback on conference launches or emerging therapies.

Our lives are increasingly lived online and research methodologies often can’t keep up with the pace of change happening increasingly in consumer driven therapy areas. SMEs are uniquely positioned to capitalise on fast at-scale insights offered by these data sources by listening closely, adapting quickly, and iterating ahead of slower-moving competitors.

There is a lot of noise however, and anyone who goes online will struggle to extract meaningful insights on a surface level. The key is knowing how to filter and interpret these signals properly - which is where working with experts and using proven methodologies makes a key difference.

Doug: What digital signals should growing healthtech businesses be tracking to stay ahead of patient needs?

Vicky: Start by looking at what patients are searching for, what questions they’re asking, and what information they’re struggling to find. These patterns give you a direct view into how people are making decisions and where current solutions are falling short.

Some common signals to watch include:

1.       Rising search queries around symptoms, side effects, or unmet needs

2.       Shifts in the language patients use to describe their conditions or treatments

3.       Spikes in social engagement related to specific frustrations or innovations

4.       Recurring questions or misconceptions that reveal gaps in knowledge

Dashboards offer a snapshot. But without sharp thinking and full business context, they miss the story. Insight comes not from the data itself, but from knowing what to do with it.

Doug: What is one thing you wish more healthtech founders understood about digital health adoption?

Vicky: It doesn’t matter how good tech is if you’re not solving the right problem. Start with the need before you start ticking off features.

There’s often a disconnect between product teams and what people are dealing with. Digital health tools don’t just need to work; they need to land and resonate with people. Getting the timing and context right is crucial

Interoperability matters too. It’s not just about what your product does, but how it fits into everything else people are already using or struggling with.

Doug: What role are Ai, wearables and social media playing in how patients make health decisions today?

Vicky: These tools and data sources are giving patients more autonomy and it’s changing how they behave and make decisions. From what I’m seeing in the data, people are using AI to check symptoms, interpret lab results, and sense-check treatments before they’ve even spoken to a doctor. They then discuss their tips and findings on social media and forums.

Patients today are more selective, more data-aware, and they expect tools to feel personal and intuitive. In areas like diabetes and obesity, you’re seeing real-time self-optimisation. People are actively adjusting based on what they see and how they feel. They’re also overwhelmed. Access to data doesn’t mean clarity, and that’s where digital literacy really matters, which is people’s ability to find, understand, and use health information from digital sources to make health decisions.

Doug: How fast is the move towards preventative health adoption and is it companies or consumers who are pushing it?

Vicky: It’s moving quickly and it’s a big trend right now coming from both sides. In some areas, companies are leading with preventative platforms and wearables. In others, patients are creating their own prevention strategies using tools already available to them.

At the Digital Health Congress, I talked about sleep as a clear example. People are now tracking their own sleep data through wearables and using it to adjust routines, reduce stress, or flag issues early, all without seeing a doctor. It’s prevention driven by self-monitoring.

Some wearables now track metrics like heart rate variability (HRV), skin temperature, and blood oxygen levels and we’re seeing consumers talk about what those signals might mean for stress, recovery, hormone shifts, or potential illness. It’s a new kind of health awareness, shaped by data people are interpreting in real time.

Doug: What therapy areas do you believe have the most opportunity for healthtech, from the social signals you are seeing?

Vicky: The biggest opportunities are in areas where patients are underserved, vocal, and digitally engaged. Diabetes and obesity are leading, where patients are already tracking, optimising, and turning to peer support in real time.

Women’s health is another major growth space. From fertility to menopause, women are navigating patchy care, sharing lived experiences online, and actively searching online for better options. That mix of unmet need, autonomy, and digital fluency is the perfect environment for innovation!

We're also seeing a sense of isolation across many areas driving digital adoption. Patient–HCP relationships often feel fragmented in areas like women’s health, which then fuels demand for tools that offer clarity, connection, and a greater sense of control.  Watch out for cracks in traditional models, as they create openings for digital health solutions to break through.

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