Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

ePharma Physician®
Online Communication Channels Between Physicians &
Pharma/Biotech Companies

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

t: 1.888.680.0800 • e: sales@manhattanresearch.com • www.manhattanresearch.com

ePharma Physician®

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.


ePharma Physician®

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:


ePharma Physician®

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


ePharma Physician®

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


ePharma Physician®

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


ePharma Physician®

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


ePharma Physician®

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


ePharma Physician®

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


ePharma Physician®

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 Infectious Disease or HIV Physician
Family Medicine/General Practice Nephrology
Internal Medicine Neurology
Pediatrics OB/GYN
Allergy and Immunology Oncology - Medical
Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery Oncology - Hematology
Interventional Cardiologists Ophthalmology
Non-interventional Cardiologists* Psychiatry
Electropsyiologists* Pulmonology
Dermatology Radiology
Emergency Medicine Rheumatology
Endocrinology Surgery
Gastroenterology Breast Surgeon*


ePharma Physician®

Colorectal Surgeon* Retina Specialist*
General Surgeon Hospitalists
Ophthalmology Surgeon Pain Management
Urology
* Limited sample sizes, directional insights only

Contact Information

To learn more about ePharma Physician® v10.0 and subscription information, please contact
sales@manhattanresearch.com, 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 sales@manhattanresearch.com or call
1.888.680.0800.


Online communication channels between physicians and pharma

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