NORTHBROOK, Ill., Nov. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Astellas today announced the creation of a new department in the Americas that will formally build on efforts to ensure that the voice of the patient is incorporated across all facets of the company. Effective immediately, Doug Noland has been named executive director of Astellas' Patient Experience Organization and will report directly to Astellas Americas' President Jim Robinson.

"Through the establishment of the Patient Experience Organization under Doug's leadership, Astellas is committed to being a leader in this effort and advancing patient focus in everything we do," said Robinson.

The Patient Experience Organization will work with Astellas functions across the Americas to establish a collaborative and measurable framework aimed at creating a meaningful impact on the lives of patients. Among key activities will be the development and evaluation of strategies, policies and procedures to further drive positive patient outcomes. 

The Patient Experience team will closely collaborate with business units across Astellas, including Astellas' Stakeholder Engagement function, headed by Vice President Margaret Long within Corporate Affairs. Since 2015, the stakeholder engagement team has played an important role to support patient advocacy organizations and galvanize action to address access challenges and develop resources for unmet needs.

Doug Noland joined Astellas in 2006 and has held various roles of increasing responsibility across the organization. Most recently, he was executive director for strategic accounts marketing at Astellas. Noland has also served as executive director, Commercial Innovation and Effectiveness and executive marketing director, Immunology and Transplantation. Prior to Astellas, Noland held leadership roles at Ferndale Pharma Group including the establishment of skin care company, Biopelle. He also held manufacturing, sales and marketing roles of increasing responsibilities at medical device company Helena Laboratories.

About Astellas 
Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. For more information on Astellas, please visit our website at www.astellas.us. You can also follow us on Twitter at @AstellasUS, Facebook at www.facebook.com/AstellasUS or LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/astellas-pharma.

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SOURCE Astellas