Growing confidence in Point‑of‑Care: why better data is the next leap forward

Coming out of both the POCMA Summit and the solli Summit last month, I’m struck by how much momentum is building across the Point‑of‑Care (POC) and Out‑of‑Home (OOH) ecosystems. Not theoretical momentum: real, collective alignment. After more than a decade working across pharma media, ad tech, and data, I haven’t seen this level of clarity and urgency in years.

Across both events, one theme rose above everything else: if we want POC and OOH to grow, we need better measurement. Full stop.

For years, POC has been one of the most contextually powerful environments in healthcare marketing, but also one of the most under‑measured. At POCMA and solli, that gap wasn’t just acknowledged; it was front and center. Speaker after speaker reinforced the same truth: the future of POC depends on our ability to support data, measurement, and insights with the same rigor we expect from every other channel.

The digitization opportunity

One of the most energizing threads across both events was the recognition that the digitization of POC has fundamentally changed what’s possible. For years, POC was powerful but difficult to measure: a high‑value environment trapped inside analogue reporting.

Now, with digital screens, dynamic content, and automated delivery systems, we finally have the opportunity to capture:

• Creative‑level delivery

• Real‑time operational conditions

• Panel‑level accuracy

• Geographic and POI‑based compliance

The measurement gap

Another consistent theme across both events was the industry’s growing recognition that POC and OOH remain under-represented in Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM), despite the digitization opportunity. Not because the channels don’t work, but because the inputs haven’t been strong enough.

When MMM relies on projected impressions, aggregated reporting, or inconsistent delivery data, the model has no choice but to undervalue the channel. And when the model undervalues the channel, investment stalls or declines.

Both POCMA and Solli made it clear: if we want POC and OOH to earn their rightful place in the mix, we need better data feeding the models.

From trust to truth

For years, POC and OOH have relied on aggregated, media‑owner self‑reporting. But as the ecosystem digitizes, that model simply isn’t enough for marketers, compliance teams, or patients.

When you can independently verify…

• What ran

• Where it ran

• When it ran

• Under what conditions

• And whether it met regulatory and creative‑governance requirements

…you’re no longer guessing. You’re optimizing.

This shift, from trust to truth, can be the foundation of the next era of POC and OOH. Industry adoption of independent verification isn’t about policing, it’s about unlocking growth.

Why this matters now

The POCMA and Solli summits made one thing clear to me: we’re at an inflection point. POC and OOH can move from supporting channels to primary channels. But to fully step into that role, the ecosystem needs independent verification that provides:

• Better data

• More transparency

• Stronger MMM inputs

• Standardized reporting

A confident future

The conversations at both events weren’t just about technology, they were about culture, accountability and confidence. Confidence for marketers, agencies, patients and confidence for an ecosystem that deserves to be measured with the same rigor as every other channel.

POC and OOH have always delivered impact. Now, with better data, they can finally get the credit they deserve.

That’s a future I’m proud to be actively contributing to.

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By Drew Weicker, Head of Sales, North America, Veridooh