Drugmakers looking to broaden their appeal among healthcare professionals (HCPs) can forgo flashy gimmicks and lavish freebies—what doctors really want, according to a new report, is access to practical, helpful information.
CMI Media Group and Impiricus recently surveyed 1,000 U.S. healthcare workers via text message. The respondents included doctors, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists across four specialties: oncology, dermatology, gastroenterology and primary care.
The resulting report shows that, when asked how pharmaceutical companies could better support HCPs to make the best possible treatment decisions for patients, the largest proportion of respondents, 43%, asked for educational support. Close behind, another 39% said they’d like resources from pharmas related to insurance coverage and financial support.
Elsewhere, far fewer HCPs said they’d appreciate more in-person support (16%) or artificial intelligence tools (4%) from drugmakers.
As for what type of educational support they’re looking for, the most prevalent ask among HCPs was for clinical trial summaries and updates. They also commonly requested information about drug side effects and interactions, printed materials, webinars and patient education.
Their biggest requests in terms of financial support, meanwhile, were for resources related to coverage information, patient assistance and copay programs.
Essentially, according to the report, overworked and overwhelmed HCPs would like pharmas to help them cut through all the noise, offering straightforward information about drugs’ uses and costs. Pharma marketers, then, should focus on distributing educational materials via digital platforms already used by HCPs; using targeted campaigns to boost doctor and patient awareness of available financial resources; and investing in two-way communication channels and other digital tools that can be used to offer HCPs personalized treatment info.
“As marketers look to enhance collaboration with HCPs, there must be a focus on bringing value to HCPs in decision-making moments,” Tara Karam, SVP of engagement strategy at CMI, said in the report.
“It is imperative that pharma marketers provide accessible, up-to-date content at speed, in a well-organized, clear, succinct, and digestible manner to help facilitate informed decisions,” Karam continued. “HCPs are turning to digital channels as their main source for information—making it vital for marketers to utilize digital platforms and dashboards to deliver clinical data, treatment guidelines, efficacy data, safety, and financial resources to HCPs.”