de Still have questions? Send us an email: [email protected]

30. January 2025

The Future of Pharma: the Evolving Relationships with HCPs

Juliana Garcia

Keep reading for expert insights and key takeaways from the episode!

The pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by advancements in technology, evolving customer expectations, and the need for more personalized engagement. 

Recently, there has been much discussion around the best way to approach these changes and create effective strategies that are tailored to healthcare professionals.

This blog post delves into the insights shared by global innovation lead, Zehra Erenkus, who has 18 years of experience in this field, in a recent discussion about the pharmaceutical industry.

The Shift to Digital and the Surprising Adaptability of Baby Boomers

The conversation highlighted the significant shift towards the digital world, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

While one might expect younger generations to be more digitally adept, it was surprisingly noted that baby boomers are often more adaptive and responsive to digital communication than millennials. This insight underscores the importance of not making assumptions about digital engagement based solely on generational demographics.

Understanding the Changing Behaviors of HCPs

One of the biggest challenges facing the pharma industry is understanding the ever-changing behaviors of healthcare professionals (HCPs). These behaviors are dynamic and influenced by factors such as new technologies, personal preferences, and global events. 

To address this, it is crucial to:

  • Track and measure: Regularly monitor HCP behavior to identify trends and patterns.
  • Embrace dynamic analysis: Move beyond static analysis to understand the real-time changes in HCP preferences and behaviors.
  • Gather insights frequently: Collect data and information to adapt to evolving behaviors.

The Power of Data and the Omni-Channel Approach

The discussion emphasized the importance of data in understanding HCPs. This includes:

  • Internet site usage: Tracking website visits, open rates, and click-through rates.
  • Big data: Utilizing publications and networking data to gain insights into HCP interests.
  • Real-world data: Leveraging real-time data to gain a better understanding of the patient/physician dynamic.

The key is to combine these external data sets with internal data to create a comprehensive understanding of HCPs. This requires an omni-channel approach—a holistic perspective that considers all the touchpoints that HCPs interact with. 

It is important to see all the touchpoints of the HCP, not only the touchpoints that the pharma industry has with them. This may include congresses, social media, and publications. The goal is to create a cohesive and effective campaign to foster a more engaging and collaborative relationship with HCPs.

Optimizing Channels and Content

While the omni-channel approach is important, it is essential to optimize the channels, touchpoints, and content. It is also important to consider the right timing and frequency of communications. This is where the “opti-channel approach” comes in, which includes measuring which content works, which channels are most effective, and which journeys resonate best with HCPs. 

This involves adapting and optimizing the approach based on data, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. The goal is to ensure the most effective use of resources by focusing on what truly works for each specific context. It is essential to consider not only the most-used channels, but the less used channels that may offer insights into potential changes. The overall key is to find the right balance and create a journey that allows for two-way communication, as opposed to simply a one-way transmission of information.

The Critical Role of Personalization

Personalization is key to making sure that information resonates with the HCP. It should include personalized content, personalized channels, and personalized journeys.

  • Understanding Behaviors: Leverage analytic tools and complex algorithms to understand behaviors more accurately.
  • Data-driven insights: Use data to predict the next best action for better personalization.

Despite the importance of personalization, only 20% of HCPs report receiving personalized content from pharma companies. 

The difficulty of personalization stems from several factors, including localizing global content, making it specific to needs, and adhering to regulations. However, there is a strong focus on improving personalization in the industry.

The Evolution of Roles and the Future of Pharma

The digital transformation is also reshaping roles within the pharma industry. Digital skills and understanding of AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics are becoming increasingly crucial. This will lead to more “grifted roles,” where professionals have cross-functional knowledge and work collaboratively in teams.

Looking ahead, the most important aspect for pharma in the next five to ten years will be launching new brands and preparing for those launches. These launches will take place in a more digitalized environment with a greater emphasis on personalized content. 

In addition, many of these new launches will be highly innovative therapies such as cell and gene therapies, which is why early preparation and planning will be essential.

Conclusion

The pharmaceutical industry is in a period of significant change. By embracing a data-driven, dynamic, and personalized approach, pharma companies can create more effective strategies to engage with HCPs, drive innovation, and improve patient outcomes.


Watch Now

Listen on Spotify

 

Zur Übersicht