We’re not feeling a whole load of Christmas cheer among the pharmaceutical industry this festive season.
First came the news that GSK is phasing out all payments to doctors and will no longer be bonusing their reps based on sales. Now, a new study suggests the end of the road may be nigh for pharma sales reps.
According to a survey of nearly 3,000 physicians undertaken by CapGemini and QuantiaMD, when it comes to receiving clinical and medical info, reps rank last as a resource behind print, digital media and phone links.
- 67% of physicians say digital media is their preferred source of information from drug-makers
- 40% believe digital media has the most relevant and personalized content
- 52% believe sales reps will eventually become information coordinators
- Only a paltry 20% say reps are their favorite source of information
In parallel, more health care providers are shifting toward larger, organized health systems, which make it more difficult for reps to reach physicians for visits. Sixty four percent of those surveyed say they restrict rep visits and 31 % of physicians in organized health systems do not allow reps any access, due to corporate policies.
Newer and younger physicians are more likely to rebuff reps – as many as 80% impose restrictions. 90% of new physicians are joining organized health systems right out of medical school.
“Physicians today are in a time crunch, juggling more commitments than ever before and no longer have the time to dedicate to in-person meetings with pharmaceutical representatives. So the reliance on more digital channels comes as no surprise,” said Dan Malloy, Senior Vice President at Quantia. “This study supports what we’re already seeing from our 200,000 members–that a physician-centric, digital communication model is the most effective way for reaching and engaging doctors.”
On a more positive note, reps slightly edge out other resources when it comes to finding product info and patient education.
Hala Qanadilo, a principal in life sciences at CapGemini says, “While the more traditional face-to-face, in-office visits might decrease, the role of these representatives is projected to be as important as ever. Moving forward, they will need them to be the directors of multiple information sources, customizing their outreach so it is more personalized and physician-centric.”
How are you tackling the changing healthcare environment in these increasingly restrictive times? We’d love to hear from anyone out there in Pharmaland.
