The needs and expectations of HCPs have evolved drastically over the years, especially after the pandemic. Decoding those preferences and needs is crucial for pharma enterprises to drive ROI and create an impact.
Leveraging advanced technologies like AI/ML- ML-algorithms and Big Data greatly benefits companies. But implementing the appropriate digital strategies and omnichannel techniques, and gauging success metrics will be crucial to the companies. Let’s have a brief insight into each one of those elements.
Before dividing into the trends, one should comprehend how the HCP engagement has evolved over the years.
How has HCP engagement transformed?
One recent report showcased that- out of the total HCPs who sign up for a life science webinar, 50% don’t usually show up on the day. Some of the reports also highlighted a higher percentage.
Imagine the large number of pharma companies investing tons of money on events only to receive such a response.
These statistics highlighted in its best form, that HCP engagement and preferences have drastically transformed. And its high time that the pharma industry starts to work promptly towards meeting the expectations of caregivers.
Preferences of Mediums- Attaining high HCP engagement throughout nuanced channels is a pain. The reason is that HCPs and other caregivers prefer receiving content in nuanced ways. Some are inclined to digital channels while others are still into traditional ones.
It is seen that, in most cases, their preferences lie on their level of seniority. For instance, junior doctors who have very limited time on their hands, prefer virtual events and webinars, as it helps them to attend while they are on the go.
Customized Communication- According to the latest report by EPG Health, around a mere 20% of caregivers are getting personalized experiences. And the rest of the 80% reported getting a one-size-fits-all experience. thus leading to poor HCP engagement.
So, pharma companies need to study in-depth about the HCP journey in-depth and provide caregivers with what they expect. If they want to receive healthcare content via some mobile app, then that’s what companies should keep in practice.
Diving into the Emerging Trends of HCP Engagement
Now and then, pharma companies discuss how HCP preferences are shifting and how to adapt to them. Knowing the trends of HCP engagement happens to be of great value to them, too. Here are the top 3 trends that companies should address-
- Most Desired Content- For the last few years, the time of HCPs has been very restrictive. This makes them very selective when it comes to their selection of events. Reports suggest that 45-minute-long webinars don’t work anymore. On the other hand, HCP adherence is considerably higher when online pharma events last around 15 to 20 minutes. And this rises even higher when companies offer on-demand event clips that last just 3 to 5 minutes. So, just because the conference/event has scientific insights doesn’t mean that it has to be lengthy.
- Hybrid Events- In the pre-COVID era, almost all medical educational events used to be in-person ones. But lately, it’s been hybrid, now that it’s been past 6 years since the pandemic. ‘Hybrid’ in this context means organizing medical events where some caregivers can attend in person while others can join via virtual streaming.
It reported that offering a similar experience for both types of audiences would be elemental towards high HCP engagement. Thus, pharma companies are striving hard to offer a livelier experience to virtual participants so that they feel involved. ’ That means the companies are coming with a fine blend of in-person and virtual interactions and sometimes even with a mix. It includes mobile event apps where participants can take part in real-time Q&A sessions, polls, and surveys. Moreover, the inclusion of gamification and networking opportunities are being propagated by the companies, simultaneously.
- HCP interaction- Attaining high turn-ups is one part, and keeping the adherence of the participants till the end is another. The content of the event has to be intriguing to the doctors/physicians. And it’s often challenging to come up with new content every single time. The strategic way in which pharma companies are driving adherence is by altering the topics of the events now and then. Moreover, they are including a ‘drop your case’ strategy. Here, the HCPs are to submit detailed case studies that are eventually been used to feed panel conversations.
Now that the industry has proper trends in place, there are key ways through which companies can measure success metrics in HCP engagement. Leveraging the advanced technologies, companies can calculate the stats of the events that they are going to organize:
- Number of caregivers who attended the event
- Actual engagements during the event. For instance, the doctors who participated in the polls/Q&As.
- Advocacy- meaning how inclined are HCPs to recommend the product/brand after the event.
With time the competition is rising and thus calls for technological inclusions in this industry, leading to some smart digital engagement strategies.
Top Digital Engagement Strategies and Best Practices
- Incorporate Data-driven Insights for Personalization- By scrutinizing engagement data, brands can identify the preferences and needs of HCPs instantly. This allows them to fine-tune their content and deliver it at appropriate times.
- Optimize for Smartphone and Point of Care Access- Some reports highlighted that almost 90% of HCPs use their smartphone during healthcare practice. Pharma companies can leverage this situation to best market their brand through digital platforms, content, and communications optimized for smartphone UI. This involves seamless design for websites, apps, and mobile-friendly emails.
- Investing in Exclusive HCP Engagement Platform- Capitalizing on a platform specifically designed for HCP engagement can rationalize communication and offer valuable insights into HCP behaviors and bias. These platforms provide focused content delivery, interactive factors, and analytics to gauge engagement levels, augmenting the impact of marketing activities.
- Maintain Content Quality and Relevance- To keep the presence of a brand in the competitive market, the content must be highly polished, relevant, and valuable to caregivers. This involves the latest research insights. Treatment guidelines, case studies, and drug data. Moreover, top-quality content fosters a brand image as end consumers and other stakeholders find it trustworthy, thus retaining engagement.
- Incorporate Omnichannel HCP experience strategies– Embracing an omnichannel strategy by a company’s marketing sector, ensures a flawless and perpetual HCP experience throughout all digital channels.
Implementing an omnichannel marketing approach can reduce acquisition costs by 50% and enhance marketing budget efficiency by approximately. 20% to 30% and boost revenue by up to 15%, according to a McKinsey report.
By looping in insights and data from nuanced touchpoints, companies can deliver personalized content that meets caregivers’ particular preferences. Omnichannel marketing in pharma builds meaningful engagement, high satisfaction, and greater loyalty.
Conclusion
HCP experience forms a crucial factor in the pharma industry as of today. Decision makers are having discussions on how to navigate through the ever-evolving HCP expectations. While technological inclusion led by data analytics is bridging the gaps, the industry still needs to incorporate the best practices along with strategic collaborations.
For instance, some of the best pharma companies are working with the leading heuristics-based messaging optimizing brand, i.e. Newristics– which offers state-of-the-art messaging strategies. And it’s being driven by the largest messaging databases one can think of. So, yeah, AI/ML has finally taken center stage in the pharma industry, and what better time to embrace it, especially when the industry is waiting for the Pharma 5.0 revolution?
