MD Analytics conducts surveys with our healthcare professionals panel on topical issues that you may find interesting. We post our results publicly on our website and share them with our panel members in newsletters. Our survey data is visually displayed in an accompanying infographic that you may share with attribution.
Physicians are spending, on average, two hours a day using websites and social media for professional purposes. The increasing reliance on digital media is transforming how physicians engage with crucial product information.
This infographic delves into the insights of our most recent study, exploring which social media channels physicians prefer for professional use, their perceived appropriateness, and the platforms where they welcome interactions with pharmaceutical companies.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare, the role of digital tools and media in the professional lives of healthcare professionals is only growing. Physicians now accept less than half of pharma reps’ requests for meetings. As these in-person interactions decline, the need for effective digital information channels becomes crucial.
Our latest infographic illuminates who physicians view as leaders in the digital media space, and what factors influence these perceptions.
The healthcare sector is on the cusp of an AI revolution, with tools like ChatGPT set to transform medical practice. From easing administrative burdens to aiding in complex diagnoses, AI’s integration could allow physicians more time for direct patient care. MD Analytics surveyed 300 physicians to gauge their outlook on AI’s future role.
In a recent study, MD Analytics surveyed 300 physicians to gauge their awareness and use of AI, especially in light of the ChatGPT platform. The findings highlight a significant gap in AI understanding among healthcare professionals, with less than half familiar with the concept. Usage of AI, particularly language models like ChatGPT, remains low due to lack of familiarity and trust. Concerns include patient self-diagnosis based on AI-generated information and the resulting challenges for physicians. Bridging this knowledge gap is crucial to maximize AI’s potential in healthcare.
Physician specialists are not all alike!
MD Analytics surveyed 100 U.S. physician specialists on topics such as work-life balance, patient care, pharma companies, technology, and information sources with the goal of identifying attitudinal differences in order to help pharma marketers more effectively communicate with their target audience.
Four segments emerged.
According to our recent research among physician specialists, the younger generation is more concerned with patient empowerment and support than the older generation.
Although almost all specialists believe patients should be more directly involved in their care (96% Younger vs. 92% Older), there are some generational gaps around attitudes toward patient support, treatment decisions and information.
The top two day-to-day challenges are the same for Younger and Older specialists. However, for Younger specialists, their number one challenge, lack of patient support to enable patients to play more of a self-management role (85%), stands out far above their number two, lack of coverage for best treatment options (63%); for Older specialists, these two items are equally challenging (73% and 77%, respectively). Furthermore, Younger specialists are much less satisfied with manufacturer patient support programs (PSPs) than their older counterparts (Younger 65% vs. Older 86%).
According to our recent research among physician specialists, the younger generation is less engaged with and reliant on pharmaceutical companies than the older generation.
When it comes to information sources used in the past six months, online and paper-based medical journal articles are the most common resource for both Younger and Older specialists. However, differences exist in the use of pharmaceutical sales reps (Older 44% vs. Younger 33%) and significantly in the use of pharmaceutical websites (Older 33% vs. Younger 15%).
There are also differences in preferred information sources for new products and services, with Older specialists having a stronger preference for industry-provided information. Half (52%) of Older specialists prefer sales reps, significantly higher than one-quarter (28%) of Younger ones. Similarly, Older specialists are more likely to prefer manufacturer websites (Older 50% vs. Younger 38%).
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Now at the three-year mark, the US healthcare workforce is still trying to recover and labor shortages are stressing clinicians and hospitals. MD Analytics surveyed 50 primary care physicians and 109 specialists about the effect of the COVID crisis on staff shortages, as well as their attitudes about support from pharmaceutical companies.
In the past year alone, four-fifths of physicians (80% PCPs and 78% Specialists) say they have been impacted by staff shortages, and almost all (98% of PCPs and 87% of Specialists) find the situation worse compared to pre-pandemic. Hospitals (both Teaching and Non-Teaching) are hit the hardest compared to other settings, as well as those in the South relative to other regions.
For many of us, remnants of the pandemic feel like a distant memory. We are back to “normal” – enjoying family gatherings, restaurants and shopping. Even in New York, one of the last COVID-era mandates has come to an end, with masks and face coverings in healthcare facilities no longer required. However, the healthcare system is still dealing with the aftermath, including the impact on physicians.
MD Analytics surveyed 50 primary care physicians and 109 specialists about the effect of the COVID crisis on their personal and professional lives. As compared to pre-pandemic, several aspects have gotten worse among physicians.
We are sometimes reminded with stories, movies and books that companies have an origin too. It must have started somehow. Someone must have had a vision or an idea and then worked hard to get it going.
MD Analytics is no different in this way and its story follows its own certain path with many team members supporting the company’s growth and quality deliverables throughout the years. At the forefront is the CEO, Tyler Hassman, a fourth generation Canadian, born in Saskatchewan who migrated to British Columbia in the late 90’s; where he held several sales positions during the “dot com” days and met other ambitious soon-to-be entrepreneurs along the way. Working long hours tirelessly and then meeting with friends after work to talk about business was the way he spent most of his days. Day after day, year after year working and evolving along with the business.
We surveyed 152 physicians in the U.S. to gauge their opinions on Patient Support Program (PSPs) providers during the pandemic. Physicians surveyed include GPs, Hematologists, Medical Oncologists, Rheumatologists, Pulmonologists, Endocrinologists and Infectious Disease Specialists. Overall perceptions of PSPs compared to before the pandemic have generally improved – especially in terms of responsiveness and the expertise of individuals working on PSPs.
PSPs play a significant role in ensuring that patients have the best possible experience during their journey – especially in specialty therapeutic areas where treatments tend to be more expensive. The pandemic has made it more challenging for patients to access support and services for their medical conditions. This has put additional pressure on company-sponsored PSPs to further enhance their offerings to help patients in the best way possible.
PSPs have become increasingly important for patients since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and as a result now have an even more significant influence on physicians’ treatment selection process. For the most part, physicians acknowledge that PSP providers have adjusted well to the new reality brought forth by COVID-19. About a third even think that PSP providers have improved their performance since the onset of the pandemic.
As the COVID-19 vaccination campaign ramped up in the Spring, and rates of infection dropped, a return to normality appeared to be on the horizon. However, with widespread vaccine hesitancy paired with the virulent spread of the delta variant, we are once again left with an uncertain view of the future.
Throughout the past year, MD Analytics has been monitoring the effects of this uncertainty, and the pandemic in general, on the practices and perceptions of HCPs. Ongoing changes in workloads, patient assessments, and interactions with pharma have had direct and meaningful impact on the healthcare industry.
The detailing of healthcare providers through virtual means has become a staple for pharmaceutical brands and is essential for any go-to-market strategy. When face-to-face detailing was put on hold this past year, healthcare providers began experiencing an even greater volume of requests for virtual interactions. For pharma brand teams, ensuring your approach to digital communications matches with the preferences of providers is important in helping your messages get through to your target prescribers.
In our latest quick poll, conducted in March 2021, MD Analytics sought to gain clarity around current remote detailing preferences and identify the components of an “ideal” remote interaction.
Each year, providers and health industry professionals travel from locations around the world to share and discuss the latest developments in medical care. For several years now, conferences have been experimenting with digital features that allow participants to engage remotely, avoiding the burdens of travel. However, the scope of content available to digital participants had often been limited and physician adoption was low.