Using advanced digital capabilities to unlock hard-to-see HCPs access

Pharmaceutical companies face a ‘digital imperative’ to engage with healthcare professionals through their channel preferences and ensure they are getting relevant information in a timely manner.

The Guide to Digital HCP Engagement explores in detail the benefits of taking a multichannel digital approach. It provides some best practice considerations for incorporating new channels into existing field processes.

The guide is a convenient new resource for pharma companies as, by 2020, 70% of all HCPs are expected to be digital natives. Their personal experiences with mobile, social, and digital technologies are shifting what they expect from professional interactions. HCPs want more personalized, relevant, and frictionless experiences regardless of where they are or how they interact, but the life sciences industry has been slow to adapt.

A recent survey of healthcare providers by Across Health and Veeva[1] found that nearly 60% of their engagement came via field reps – but only 8% in the US and 6% in Europe came through a combination of face-to-face, email, and virtual meeting channels.

According to McKinsey’s Digital Quotient[2], pharma lags all other major industries, except the public sector, in digital maturity. The consultants also cite a significant variance within the industry as more advanced companies have started leveraging digital to drive higher customer satisfaction, reach, and impact.

Companies that are continuously evolving their digital engagement can unlock access to hard-to-reach HCPs and complement face-to-face meetings to educate at a more convenient time for the customer.

Veeva’s new guide outlines how pharma’s commercial operations can best take a blended approach by harnessing data, multichannel marketing strategies, and digital engagement programs. The guide also examines how the combination of digital engagement strategies drives sales growth more effectively and has dramatic impacts on resource efficiency.

Enterprise technologies and industry best practices have matured enough that life sciences companies can now engage HCPs through compliant and cost-effective digital methods. However, with channels evolving rapidly, companies that will keep testing and refining their approach will have a competitive advantage.

[1] https://go.veeva.com/l/28972/2018-09-05/89x5bl

[2] https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/pharmaceuticals-and-medical-products/our-insights/closing-the-digital-gap-in-pharma