JPM 2022 Thrusts Digital Engagement into the Spotlight

Last week’s 40th Annual J.P. Morgan Health Care Conference was somewhat muted after shifting to a virtual format. While the typical waves of breaking M&A news were reduced to a trickle, there were plenty of headlines made around companies advancing digital capabilities.

Notably, Pfizer revealed that it would be reducing its sales force in response to ongoing limited physical access to HCPs. “We are evolving the way we engage with healthcare professionals in an increasingly digital world,” offered Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla.

The company certainly isn’t the first or the last that will pivot into new HCP engagement models. As each month passes, the pre-COVID “old normal” gets further back in the rearview mirror. Digitization, from the supply chain digital twin to drug serialization, digital therapies and AI applications, is taking hold in the healthcare industry with speed, agility and adoption.

So when it comes to revamping calling and detail programs that have been historically grounded in face-to-face in-office rep meetings, what do HCPs want and how can pharma deliver?

1. Quality: According to a new report, the Digitally Savvy HCP commissioned by Indegene, 70% of HCPs surveyed feel that reps “do not completely understand their needs and expectations,” while 63% said companies should only share relevant content with them to “make the interactions more insightful.” As much of this is limited by stringent legal/medical/regulatory policies around pharma marketing, commercial teams that invest in voice of customer to optimize layout and language will better position themselves to rise about the noise.
   
   
2. Quantity: It is important to remember that pharma marketing programs are not launched in a vacuum. For every message delivered to an HCP, there are several competing messages serving as the digital surround. Consulting firm Accenture issued a survey late last year around HCP experience with increased digital marketing programs in the face of COVID. The report found that 64% of HCPs said they're getting too much digital content from pharma with 65% indicating they had been “spammed” by at least one pharma company.
   
   
3. Centricity: When it comes to HCP marketing, there are many high-tech tools available from geo-fencing to targeted online ads that follow any footprint an HCP might leave behind. Meeting HCPs where they are – physically and emotionally right now – offers a more sound and organic approach to engagement. Consider the role of packaging – each day HCP offices receive shipments of important payloads that are getting touched and opened. How can this external packaging wrapper be leveraged to reinforce brand identity, provide site-specific information or refine messaging based on writing behavior? The opportunity with such “trojan horses” is significant.  It is also scalable, innovative and easily customized based on unique HCP attributes.

To learn more about how AeroSafe Global is applying digital strategies to help pharma meaningfully engage HCPs, Contact Us!