Seize the ?-day

In today’s features, you’ll find detailed analysis of the benefits of e-detailing and e-sampling for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of pharma’s sales force, so be sure

By Editor on Mar 21, 2006

In today's features, you'sll find detailed analysis of the benefits of e-detailing and e-sampling for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of pharma's sales force, so be sure to check out those articles. But we also wanted to bring your attention to an ongoing survey on e-detailing being conducted by OB-GYN.net in North America.

The online survey to date has 380 physician and medical professional respondents from the US and Canada. It's no surprise that just more than 41% of those are OB-GYN physicians. The remaining respondents classify themselves as other medical professionals (36%), general and family practitioners (nearly 8%), residents and med students (5%), other MD specialists (4.5%) and other maternal fetal practitioners (5%).

Among the respondents, nearly 46% say they find themselves spending less time than in the past talking with pharma reps, while nearly 33% say they spend about the same amount of time they have in the past. More than 14% say they don'st see pharma reps at all.

Just over 50% say they have never participated in an online detail. Of those, 31% say they are interested in doing so, however.

When asked how they would most prefer to receive drug and product information, 43% cite the Internet with an option to request a face-to-face rep visit or samples. Twenty-six percent (26%) say they prefer face-to-face visits only, while 12% say they prefer the Internet only. Still others say they would like to use the Internet with an option to enter a real-time chat with a rep (9%) and a final group prefers the Internet with a phone-in number (9%).

Many medical professionals (34%) report they would need no enticement to participate in an e-detail if they are interested in the product, but an equal number say a coupon toward a free medical book or merchandise of less than $15 would be an adequate enticement.

The most important features (multiple answers allowed) of an e-detail according to survey participants are: the ability to get information at their own convenience (84%), the ability to find out about new treatment options (79%), the ability to get feedback and questions answered by the manufacturer (60%), the ability to get supporting opinion leader advice about the product (50%) and the ability to request a face-to-face rep visit (41%).

Among those surveyed, 53% say they would like to get more product information delivered via the Internet in the future. However, 34% say online details should support but not replace face-to-face details.

It's clear that doctors see a role for e-detailing and other e-communication and service technologies in pharma's future. Is your organization listening and responding?

Seize the e day.