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ePharma Physician® Online Communication Channels Between Physicians & Pharma/Biotech Companies t: 1.888.680.0800 e: [email protected] www.manhattanresearch.com Over the last few years, Manhattan Research’s physician studies have shown a strong and growing trend of doctors seeking to fulfill their information and other service needs from manufacturers through digital channels. At the same time, it has been increasingly difficult and expensive for sales reps to see physicians face-to-face, and almost all major manufacturers have downsized their sales forces. Coupled together, these trends have lead many manufacturers to start talking about what the next iteration of the sales model will look like, and to explore emerging, more effective ways of interacting with and influencing physicians. Manufacturers should consider the following key physician trends as they think ahead. Videoconferencing is Promising After a shaky beginning about a decade ago, using videoconferencing to detail products and connect with experts is finally reemerging as a viable service channel for manufacturers. A critical mass of doctors is open to using this channel to interact with sales reps, key opinion leaders, or medical science liaisons today, with some expressing a preference for the channel. Significant improvements in video technology and a growing crop of vendors supporting recruitment and fulfillment of these programs are paving the way for increased acceptance among physicians and reps alike. Video detailing presents a strong opportunity for manufacturers to elevate their multi-touchpoint customer service capabilities, particularly for their most valued customers. As it becomes increasingly difficult for sales reps to secure face-to-face meetings with physicians, video-based sales support can provide physicians with a rich multi-media customer service experience that fits their own terms and timing. Though it is challenging to have the physicians in the driver’s seat and still have this tactic blend seamlessly in the realm of sales, marketing, and medical affairs, several innovative manufacturersmost notably Merckare aggressively pursuing this opportunity. Manufacturers should bear in mind that physicians most open to engaging in video detailing are the ones who are already more amenable to sales rep interactions in general, pointing once more to the need for integrated and multi-channel service among manufacturers. Content is Still King Though not their primary or even their secondary source in most cases, a significant share physicians of does seek out manufacturer-sponsored content online. Today more than four out of five physicians use corporate and product sites and about half of doctors use manufacturer portals (e.g., PfizerPro). Adoption of these resources has not declined the way interaction with sales reps

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Page 1: Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

ePharma Physician®

Online Communication Channels Between Physicians & Pharma/Biotech Companies

t: 1.888.680.0800 • e: [email protected] • www.manhattanresearch.com

Over the last few years, Manhattan Research’s physician studies have shown a strong and growing

trend of doctors seeking to fulfill their information and other service needs from manufacturers

through digital channels. At the same time, it has been increasingly difficult and expensive for sales

reps to see physicians face-to-face, and almost all major manufacturers have downsized their sales

forces. Coupled together, these trends have lead many manufacturers to start talking about what the

next iteration of the sales model will look like, and to explore emerging, more effective ways of

interacting with and influencing physicians. Manufacturers should consider the following key

physician trends as they think ahead.

Videoconferencing is Promising

After a shaky beginning about a decade ago, using videoconferencing to detail products and connect

with experts is finally reemerging as a viable service channel for manufacturers. A critical mass of

doctors is open to using this channel to interact with sales reps, key opinion leaders, or medical

science liaisons today, with some expressing a preference for the channel. Significant improvements

in video technology and a growing crop of vendors supporting recruitment and fulfillment of these

programs are paving the way for increased acceptance among physicians and reps alike.

Video detailing presents a strong opportunity for manufacturers to

elevate their multi-touchpoint customer service capabilities,

particularly for their most valued customers. As it becomes

increasingly difficult for sales reps to secure face-to-face meetings

with physicians, video-based sales support can provide physicians

with a rich multi-media customer service experience that fits their

own terms and timing. Though it is challenging to have the

physicians in the driver’s seat and still have this tactic blend

seamlessly in the realm of sales, marketing, and medical affairs,

several innovative manufacturers—most notably Merck—are aggressively pursuing this opportunity.

Manufacturers should bear in mind that physicians most open to engaging in video detailing are the

ones who are already more amenable to sales rep interactions in general, pointing once more to the

need for integrated and multi-channel service among manufacturers.

Content is Still King

Though not their primary or even their secondary source in most cases, a significant share

physicians of does seek out manufacturer-sponsored content online. Today more than four out of

five physicians use corporate and product sites and about half of doctors use manufacturer portals

(e.g., PfizerPro). Adoption of these resources has not declined the way interaction with sales reps

Page 2: Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

ePharma Physician®

Online Communication Channels Between Physicians & Pharma/Biotech Companies

t: 1.888.680.0800 • e: [email protected] • www.manhattanresearch.com

face-to-face has over the last few years. However, given the low frequency of physician visitation to

these properties, the challenge for manufacturers is figuring out which properties or channels to

invest in, and integrating and cross-promoting content assets to gain traction.

Communicating with Physicians in an On-Demand World

Each manufacturer will have a unique approach to how they provide content and services to

physicians online, but the common marketing guidelines that should run through each program are

that they use multiple channels, are seamlessly integrated, and are available on demand. These

best practices are becoming the new norm as physicians juggle multiple devices, channels, and

media formats.

In 2010, nearly three-quarters of physicians used

smartphones, and the majority of those who used them

said these devices are essential to their practice.

Impressive numbers of physicians also have digital media

players, webcams, and subscriptions to satellite radio, and

even iPads. The data show that a substantial share of

physicians is also very comfortable with various media

formats - whether using apps or portable content on mobile

phones; or searching for video on YouTube; or subscribing

to an expert podcast on iTunes. Today’s physicians generally know where to find the content they

want in the format they want to consume it. Further, physicians are using the Internet at multiple

points through the day – even during patient consultations – making the service cycle almost

continuous. The one thing that manufacturers can count on as the professional digital landscape

evolves is that physicians will be in control, and the only way to compete in this market is to have

relevant content and services available through a wide range of channels.

Page 3: Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

ePharma Physician®

Online Communication Channels Between Physicians & Pharma/Biotech Companies

t: 1.888.680.0800 • e: [email protected] • www.manhattanresearch.com

About ePharma Physician®

ePharma Physician® is a market research and advisory service product that provides in-depth data

and insights around the attitudes, behaviors, and preferences of physicians communicating with

pharmaceutical and biotech companies through digital channels such as the Internet, tech-enabled

reps, and online promotion. This group of physicians is the new norm and comprises 88% of the

U.S. physician population. The study also provides data on more than 400 pharmaceutical product

websites. In addition to overall trends, the research can be segmented across more than 25

physician specialty groups.

The following outlines available data in ePharma Physician® for pharmaceutical and biotech

marketing and sales teams interested in leveraging digital channels to communicate with physicians.

Channel Mix, Professional Websites & Pharmaceutical Information-Seeking

Physicians are continually shifting more of their clinical and professional research to online channels.

Some of the most popular medical journals have more than doubled, and in some cases triped, their

online audience since 2007. Additionally, ePharma Physicians researching information about biotech

and pharmaceutical products online are most likely to use professional medical websites intended

for healthcare providers, such as Medscape and UpToDate, as their first source. The study provides

data around the following professional websites and pharmaceutical information-seeking topics:

Page 4: Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

ePharma Physician®

Online Communication Channels Between Physicians & Pharma/Biotech Companies

t: 1.888.680.0800 • e: [email protected] • www.manhattanresearch.com

Journals read, online or offline, in past 12 months

Which specialty specific sites visited in past 12 months

Use of online communities/ social networks for physicians

Sources used to research information about pharmaceutical or biotech products in past 3

months

o Attending conferences

o Dinner meetings

o Electronic details

o Blogs, messageboards, and other online discussions among physicians

o Talking with colleagues

o Live video chat via webcam with a pharmaceutical or biotech company sales rep

o Mobile drug reference database

o Online community or social network

o Online conferences

o Live, online speaker events sponsored by a pharmaceutical or biotech company

o Online journals

o The website for a specific pharmaceutical or biotech product

o Pharmaceutical or biotech websites for healthcare professionals

o Professional journals (print version)

o In-person meetings with a sales rep from pharmaceutical or biotech company

o Website intended for healthcare providers

o Whatever I find through a search engine

Sources used first when researching pharmaceutical or biotech products online

Sources used when conducting research about a new pharmaceutical or biotech product that

has just come on the market

Sources used when conducting research when question arises about a pharmaceutical or

biotech product that is off patent/generic

When searching for pharmaceutical product information online, ever clicked on the following

types of advertisements

o Advertisements on a website intended for healthcare providers

o Advertisements on the website for an online journal

o Advertisements in an email newsletter from a website intended for healthcare

providers

o Sponsored ads on a search engine results page

Level of agreement with the following statements about finding pharmaceutical or biotech

product information online.

o I tend to use the same 2-3 online resources over and over.

o I know which specific website or resource I want to use before I start my search

Page 5: Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

ePharma Physician®

Online Communication Channels Between Physicians & Pharma/Biotech Companies

t: 1.888.680.0800 • e: [email protected] • www.manhattanresearch.com

Level of agreement with the following statements about finding pharmaceutical or biotech

product information online.

Frequency of satisfaction with the pharmaceutical or biotech information found as a result of

online queries/searches

o All of the time

o Most of the time

o Some of the time

o None of the time

Level of agreement with the following statement.

o I frequently change my prescribing behavior or take a different treatment course as a

result of information about pharmaceutical or biotech products or treatment options I

accessed, viewed, or retrieved online.

Visitation of websites for information on pharmaceutical or biotech products in past 3 months

o AMA/American Medical Association

o Cancer.gov/National Cancer Institute

o CDC/ Centers for Disease Control

o Daily Med (from NIH)

o Doctor’s Guide

o eMedicine

o MD Consult

o MDLinx

o Medscape from WebMD

o Medline/National Library of Medicine

o Medline Plus

o Medsite

o Merck Medicus

o NIH/ National Institutes of Health

o PDR Net

o Physicians Online

o WebMD

o UptoDate

o Ovid

o PubMed

o RxList.com

o Sermo.com

o TheHeart.com

o Epocrates

o Wikipedia

Page 6: Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

ePharma Physician®

Online Communication Channels Between Physicians & Pharma/Biotech Companies

t: 1.888.680.0800 • e: [email protected] • www.manhattanresearch.com

o New England Journal of Medicine

o ReachMD

o Journal Watch

o QuantiaMD

o NCCN

Visitation of product website in past 12 months

Visitation of corporate website in past 12 months

Rating corporate website(s) based on overall experience and satisfaction with the site

Interest or visitation of pharma-sponsored websites focused on a specific condition in past 12

months

Rep Relationship and Tech Detailing

Though industry sales forces are decreasing overall, pharmaceutical and biotech reps nonetheless

still play a critical role in the physician-manufacturer relationship. ePharma Physician® takes a look

at detailing supplemented by technology, such as a Tablet PC or iPad. The concept of the tech-

enabled sales rep is not a new one, but the tools used for this purpose are evolving, especially in

2010 as physicians begin to see reps armed with iPads. The following rep relationship and tech

detailing topics are covered in the study:

Reps seen at least once every six months

o Pharmaceutical sales representative

o Biotech sales representative

Percentage of the sales reps personally seen

Agreement with the following statements

o Reps provide valuable information to me and my practice

o Reps are an efficient way for me to get the information I need

Three most important services a sales rep provides

Reasons for not seeing pharma or biotech reps in the past 6 months

o My institution does not permit detail reps

o I am not personally interested in meeting with detail reps at this time

o I am not personally interested in meeting with detail reps during practice hours

o I am interested in meeting with reps but do not receive any calls from detail reps

Use or interest in having a rep use a tablet during an office visit

Satisfaction with interactions with reps using a tablet computer

Reasons for dissatisfaction with the tablet computer use during a rep visit

Agreement with statements about tablet computers

Use or interest in sales rep using an iPad during their visit

Page 7: Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

ePharma Physician®

Online Communication Channels Between Physicians & Pharma/Biotech Companies

t: 1.888.680.0800 • e: [email protected] • www.manhattanresearch.com

Online Promotion, Customer Service & Sampling

The combined trends of physicians shifting more toward the Internet for professional reasons and

decreasing their face-to-face interactions with sales reps has made digital HCP-focused promotion

and service options increasingly attractive for manufacturers. Online promotional programs are

resonating with physicians as well – nearly three quarters of ePharma Physicians using them feel

that they are a convenient way to gather information. The study offers data around the following

online promotion, customer service, and sampling topics:

Number of times received invitation to participate in online promotional activities in past 12

months

Number of times participated in each of the following types of activities in past 12 months

o Interactive self-service website (a site that can be accessed 24/7)

o A "virtual detail" (one-way streaming audio/video)

o Live web-based seminar (i.e. Webinar)

o Recorded web-based seminar (i.e. Webinar)

o Key Opinion Leader/Clinical Expert Led Sessions

o Microsite or pharma-sponsored information site embedded in website intended for

HCPs

o Live video chat via webcam (also known as a live video detail) with a pharmaceutical

or biotech company sales representative

Average amount of time spent conducting activity

Participation in online promotion from pharmaceutical, biotech, and device companies in past

12 months

Overall quality of the online promotion programs of each company

Effectiveness of online promotion

Reasons for participating in online promotional programs

Agreement with the following statements.

o I use online promotional programs more now than I did a year ago.

o Online promotional programs influence my prescribing behavior.

Conducted live video chat via webcam (also known as a live video detail) with a

pharmaceutical or biotech company sales representative

Companies conducted live video chat via webcam (live video detail)

Satisfaction with video detail you conducted with company

Reasons for not participating in live video chat via webcam (live video detail).

Sources of awareness of the live video detail(s) conducted in past year

Source of email invitation to participate

Agreement with statements regarding video detailing

Page 8: Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

ePharma Physician®

Online Communication Channels Between Physicians & Pharma/Biotech Companies

t: 1.888.680.0800 • e: [email protected] • www.manhattanresearch.com

Preference for manner of delivery for pharmaceutical activity - rep, video detail, online, or no

preference

Interest in features if available on a website from a pharma or biotech company

o Ability to chat live with customer service rep

o Ability to look up formulary/drug coverage information

o Ability to opt-in/sign up for additional communications

o Ability to report adverse events

o Ability to request journal reprints

o Download slide kits

o Email customer service requests (with a guaranteed 24-hour response window)

o Information about participating in clinical trials

o Sign up for product alerts to mobile phone

o Patient reimbursement information

o Request an office visit from a detail rep or sales consultant

o Request product samples (i.e. electronic sampling)

o Ability to download information to PDA or mobile device

o Clinical trial results

o Disease management tools for patients

o Disease-specific patient education

o Information about grants and fellowships

o Information about upcoming medical conferences

o Links to disease sites for professionals

o Message board/discussion forum with colleagues

o Pipeline information about future products from the company

o Product and prescribing information

o Product-specific patient education

o Professional education resources

o Research updates about new and existing products

o Searchable medical image database

o Therapeutic area breaking news

o Treatment guidelines

Agreement with statements regarding customer service

Effectiveness of live online speaker events

Interest in participating in online communities sponsored by a pharmaceutical or biotech

company

Interest in interacting with a sales rep from a pharmaceutical company through various

methods

Page 9: Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

ePharma Physician®

Online Communication Channels Between Physicians & Pharma/Biotech Companies

t: 1.888.680.0800 • e: [email protected] • www.manhattanresearch.com

Interest in interacting with a medical science liaison (MSL) from a pharmaceutical company

through various methods

Type of manufacturer website visited most often when looking for information about a

specific product from the manufacturer

Ease of distinguishing the type of site visited

Accessed pharma or biotech websites for healthcare providers in past 12 months

Satisfaction with pharmaceutical websites for HCPs

Company or companies most interested in interacting with through a physician service portal

Interest in registering for a physician service portal from a pharma or biotech company in

order to use the following features

o Journal reprints

o Order samples online

o Live chat with customer service rep

o Access to email or video chat with an MSL

o Access to patient education

o Live KOL speaker events

o Access customized content suited to the needs of practice

Preference of methods when ordering product samples using an electronic or Web-based

system

Person responsible for ordering samples online in practice

How often do you order samples online

Which websites are you currently registered on to order samples online (open end)

How likely is it that you will order samples online in the next 3 months

Would you prefer ordering samples online, getting them from a rep or do you have no

preference

Physicians & iPads

One of the most new and exciting topics in our ePharma Physician® research is physicians and the

iPad. An impressive share of ePharma Physicians have either already bought the iPad or plan to by

one within the next six months. The following data is available on physician use of the iPad:

Technologies owned

Type smartphone/handheld mobile device do you own

Ownership of Apple devices

Interest in iPad

Do you plan to use the iPad for personal use, professional use or both

Page 10: Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

ePharma Physician®

Online Communication Channels Between Physicians & Pharma/Biotech Companies

t: 1.888.680.0800 • e: [email protected] • www.manhattanresearch.com

Do you use or plan to use iPad for professional purposes

When do you use iPad for professional purposes

Professional activities doneon the iPad

o Using prescription dosage calculator

o Writing or entering clinical notes

o Checking formulary status

o Reading articles or abstracts

o Accessing websites intended for physicians (e.g. Medscape, etc.)

o Reading treatment guidelines

o Using clinical/medical references

o Screening algorithms

o Read medical news

o Accessing patient education information

o Accessing drug reference database

o Watching videos

o Using professional social networking sites

o Using health/medical apps

Interest in other features for a mobile device (if they were offered by a pharmaceutical or

biotech company

ePharma Physician® Available Segmentations

ePharma Physician® data can be segmented by a variety of specialist groups, including:

PCPs

Family Medicine/General Practice

Internal Medicine

Pediatrics

Allergy and Immunology

Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery

Interventional Cardiologists

Non-interventional Cardiologists*

Electropsyiologists*

Dermatology

Emergency Medicine

Endocrinology

Gastroenterology

Infectious Disease or HIV Physician

Nephrology

Neurology

OB/GYN

Oncology - Medical

Oncology - Hematology

Ophthalmology

Psychiatry

Pulmonology

Radiology

Rheumatology

Surgery

Breast Surgeon*

Page 11: Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

ePharma Physician®

Online Communication Channels Between Physicians & Pharma/Biotech Companies

t: 1.888.680.0800 • e: [email protected] • www.manhattanresearch.com

Colorectal Surgeon*

General Surgeon

Ophthalmology Surgeon

Urology

Retina Specialist*

Hospitalists

Pain Management

* Limited sample sizes, directional insights only

Contact Information

To learn more about ePharma Physician® v10.0 and subscription information, please contact

[email protected], call 1.888.680.0800, ext 2, or visit www.manhattanresearch.com/epp.

About Manhattan Research

Manhattan Research, a Decision Resources, Inc. company, is a pharmaceutical and healthcare market

research and advisory firm focused on the digital trends shaping the future of consumer and physician

marketing. Our current studies are updated annually and include Cybercitizen Health® U.S., Cybercitizen

Health® Europe, ePharma Consumer®, Taking the Pulse® U.S., Taking the Pulse® Europe, Taking the

Pulse® Asia, Taking the Pulse® Nurses, and ePharma Physician®. Broad consumer and physician market

research can be segmented for over 125 therapeutic and specialist groups. For product and subscription

information, please visit www.manhattanresearch.com, email [email protected] or call

1.888.680.0800.