How to make the most out of a medical congress
Pharmaceutical companies need to have a plan when attending medical conferences, from how to pick and engage key opinion leaders (KOL) to post-congress review tasks.
By on May 28, 2024To View the Full Webinar, Click here
Before attending a medical congress, pharma companies should plan on key areas in which it wants to gather information. Congresses are important for building relationships with KOLs and vendors, as well as gathering a large amount of information that needs to be analyzed quickly. Even if the company has a large team attending the event, a strategy should still be made to maximize value.
Ahead of the congress, it is imperative to find out which KOLs will be attending for company representatives to make plans in building new connections or re-establish existing ones. Network analytic tools can help find appropriate KOLs and healthcare professionals according to company needs. Analytics can reveal a KOL’s weight in the healthcare sector beyond just the amount of research they have published.
Social listening is becoming an increasingly important tool for organizations to find out what topics conference delegates are most interested in. As a congress is unfolding, social media can become a barometer to identify which scientific presentations most resonate with the congress audience. It also enables businesses to filter pieces of information relevant to their company. Knowing what is trending before, during and after the conference can help companies plan in cultivating a wide range of online dialogue.
Recorded virtual presentations increased in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic. The attraction is that delegates can watch presentations in their own time. Nonetheless, pharma companies should be mindful that certain presentations should still be seen live and in person to understand immediate impact.
After the conference, AI can be used to evaluate presented data sets and apply the findings in the broader pharma space. Natural language processing can group data by a specific topic so insights can be accessed more efficiently. Technologies also enable pharma organizations to analyze data trends after the congress.
Actionable Insights:
- Pharma companies must plan before a medical congress: Given the tremendous amount of new science that will be introduced
- Using network analytics are key: Enabling effective engagement between pharma companies and KOLs during a congress
- Companies should allocate time for an internal post-congress debrief: Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies could play a role in uncovering insights as it can group data by specific topics
Industry Experts Who Contributed:
All contributors are senior leaders within the pharmaceutical industry
- Siobhan Mitchell, General Medicines Global Medical Office Head, Sanofi
- Andrew Townsend, Senior Director, External Medical Engagement Lead, Hospitals and Academia, Pfizer
- Robert Kersting, Worldwide Head, Scientific Alliances, Novartis Oncology
- Moderator: Lance Hill, CEO, Within3