MDNews - Greater Boston

C A P G E M I N I C O N S U L T I N G A N D Q u a n t i a M D tea med up to poll nearly 3,000 physi- cians, eliciting information about the downward trend in access to sales representatives. Increased preference for digital media seems like a given for younger physicians, but the factors behind the shift are more complex. "We found that preference for access- ing information via digital media was consistent across all age groups," says Will Rose, Senior Consulta nt, Life Sciences, Capgemini Consulting. "In fact, 67 percent of all physicians ranked digital media as their most preferred source of information. Not surprising was that we did see this preference notably increase among younger physi- cians, as 80 percent of physicians less than 10 years removed from medical school preferred digital media." However, the real driving force behind the decline of face-to-face information sessions with pharmaceutical sales reps is reduced access. Health systems often limit or forbid sales representatives' visits to their facilities — 31 percent of physicians surveyed worked in an organization that did not allow access to sales reps, according to Rose. "In addition, 80 percent of physicians who never see sales representatives stated that it was a result of their organi- zation's policies," he says. "Compounding this issue, the study also indicated that nine out of every 10 physicians coming out of medical school are now joining some form of organized health system." Look to the Future Dwindling hospital access and increas- ing preference for digital information are not a death knell for pharmaceutical sales representatives. Instead, observers see the profession evolving. "With access to physicians decreasing and attitudes toward other information sources shifting, pharma representatives will need to adopt more of an account management focus," Rose says. "Indeed, BY T H E N U M B ER S KEY FINDINGS OF the Capgemini/ QuantiaMD study about the evolving relationship between physicians and pharmaceutical sales representatives: + Twenty percent of physicians prefer pharmaceutical sales representatives as their source of product information. + Forty percent of physicians see digital media as providing the most individually tailored, relevant content. + Sixty-seven percent of physicians prefer digital media to access pharmaceutical product information. + Ninety percent of newly minted physi- cians are joining health systems instead of entering private practice. ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS BETWEEN PHYSICIANS AND PHARMACEUTICAL SALES REPRESENTATIVES MAY SOON BECOME GHOSTS OF HEALTH CARE PAST IF TRENDS NOTED IN A RECENT SURVEY HOLD. GROWING NUMBERS OF PHYSICIANS ARE GRAVITATING TOWARD ACCESSING PRODUCT INFORMATION DIGITALLY. the vast majority of physicians surveyed felt that there is still a valuable role for sales representatives in the future, but most ... believe that the role will evolve into more of a coordinator of information across channels." ■ The End of Face-to-Face Pharmaceutical Sales Pitches? By Michael Ferguson ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + +++ + +++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PRACTICE MANAGEMENT 1 2 | Greater Boston MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M

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