doctors' changing expectations of pharma are here to stay
TRANSCRIPT
Doctors’ ChangingExpectations of PharmaAre Here to StaySEPTEMBER 2021
31 35 2838 31 36 27
45 40 45
54
7
45 4042
24 25 27 24 24 31
76% prefer to keep or increase the share of remote interactions
More US doctors (38%) prefer face-to-face engagement
Although results vary by market, most physicians overall prefer to keep or increase the share of virtual interactions with pharma companies
Thinking of post-COVID interaction preference with pharma companies
Sources: Physician COVID-19 Response BioPharma Surveys, May 2020, September/October 2020, and May/June 2021; BCG analysis.Questions: Please list the monthly frequency and rank how effective you found each of these interactions. Thinking about your practice post-COVID: How would you like your engagement model with pharma companies to evolve?
Total Internalmedicine
Outpatientsubspecialties
Primarycare
Surgicalsubspecialties
US
N = 404 N = 191 N = 232
Germany ChinaMedicaloncology
Infectiousdiseases
Percentage of respondents (%)
16
5439
47
39
6
46
3815
More remote Keep the current balance More face-to-face
Still on the rise since May 2020
Preference for virtual engagement has significantly increased over the course of the pandemic
Preferred tools for engagement
Sources: Physician COVID-19 Response BioPharma Surveys, May 2020, September/October 2020, and May/June 2021; BCG analysis.Question: What [are/were] your preferred tools for one-on-one or small-group personal engagement with pharmaceutical companies [Before/beginning of COVID (May 2020), During COVID (September/October 2020), and now during COVID with vaccines (May/June 2021)]? Note: N=449 for May 2020 survey; N=591 for September/October 2020 survey; N=827 for May/June 2021 survey.
In-personface-to-face
meeting
Scheduledwebinars,webcasts
Scheduledvideo chat (e.g.,Skype, Zoom,
FaceTime)
On-demandvideo chat (e.g.,Skype, Zoom,
FaceTime)
Scheduledcall
Ad hoccall
Emailconversations
Chat apps(e.g., Whatsapp)
Textconversations
(i.e., SMS)
Podcasts
Percentage of respondents (%)
Before COVID Beginning of COVID (May 2020) During COVID (Sep/Oct 2020) COVID with vaccines (May/June 2021)
67
14 11 10
22 20
114
23
14
30
18
28
2017
12
3
44
22 2318
2316
27
1925
2114
6 6
53
30 2821
2521
28
1911
6
18
MedicaloncologyN = 68
100
91
91
93
100
92
91
88
94
83
82
80
88
50
86
42
Doctors’ appetites for digital channels differ across specialties
Communication channel effectiveness
Sources: Physician COVID-19 Response BioPharma Survey, May/June 2021; BCG analysis.Question: (May/June 2021) Please list the monthly frequency and rank how effective you found each of these interactions. 1Data available only for the US.
≥90% 80%–89% 70%–79% 60%–69% <60%
When used, % of responses indicating channel as effective or very effective
TotalN = 827
PCPN = 72
CardiologyN = 75
Endocrino.N = 71
NeurologyN = 50
Dermato.N = 95
Rheumato.N = 93
Ophthalmo.N = 68
OB-GYNN = 96
Gastroent.N = 55
Nephro.1
N = 20UrologyN = 64
86
63
92
85
73
91
90
87
82
61
100
73
56
57
38
17
Personal visit by sales rep
Virtual speaker programs
Personal visit by MSL
Training webinars
Webinars
General sources of info
Third-party physician portals
Physician portals from companies
Social media
Virtual lunches
Phone call from known rep
E-detailing by known rep
Phone call from call center
Personalized emails
E-detailing by unknown rep
Mass emails from companies
92
90
91
91
90
59
88
87
83
81
81
80
77
59
47
39
75
93
87
82
85
91
96
100
100
75
77
89
88
70
40
43
92
94
94
100
89
100
88
82
81
57
88
72
81
33
72
38
60
88
67
100
90
80
80
75
83
100
71
100
67
50
50
29
79
92
93
88
89
95
95
90
92
61
86
95
80
75
36
51
94
88
90
75
65
78
82
95
81
90
100
63
57
32
67
36
88
94
97
86
95
92
84
78
79
100
78
65
75
65
60 0
40
100
100
67
71
83
75
75
83
33
100
50
80
50
57
29
81
95
100
70
82
94
89
80
91
67
88
71
43
70
33
43
94
89
89
91
79
100
100
100
91
92
80
88
40
56
44
25
96
78
86
100
82
92
100
92
60
54
77
80
67
50
33
44
Channels rich in content are considered effective by MDs, while interaction with medical and science personnel is underutilized
≥90%80%–89%70%–79%60%–69%<60%
Sources: Physician COVID-19 Response BioPharma Survey, May/June 2021; BCG analysis.Question: (May/June 2021) Please list the monthly frequency and rank how effective you found each of these interactions.
39
81808791908377908191
59
88
59
47
92
May/June 2021May/June 2021
Communication channel frequencyAverage number of monthly interactions per MD
Communication channel effectivenessWhen used, % of responses indicating channel as effective or very effective
Mass emails from pharma companiesGeneral sources of info
Personal visit by sales repPersonalized emails/newsletters
Social mediaPhone call from known rep
Third-party physician portalsVirtual speaker programs
Training webinarsPhysician portals from pharma companies
E-detailing by unknown repWebinars
Virtual lunchesPersonal visit by MS
E-detailing by known repPhone call from call center
0.7
0.5
0.80.8
0.5
2.62.4
2.02.0
1.51.21.2
1.2
0.3
0.6
0.4
For new Rx products, personal visits are still the preferred channel, but three virtual channels occupy the top four
Personal visit by sales repVirtual speaker programs
Training webinarsWebinars
Personal visit by MSLGeneral sources of info
Personalized emails/newslettersE-detailing by known rep
Third-party physician portalsPhone call from known rep
Physician portals from pharma companiesVirtual lunches
Mass emails from pharma companiesSocial media
E-detailing by unknown repPhone call from call center
Sources: Physician COVID-19 Response BioPharma Survey, May/June 2021; BCG analysis.Questions: How do you prefer to learn about new Rx products on the market? When do you prefer to learn about new Rx products? Note: N=827.
Preferred engagement channel to learn about new Rx products % of respondents
4429
2625
2522
1818
1615
1312
97
54
of HCPs prefer tolearn about Rx
products three months prior to launch
63%
Mass emails and lack of personalization are the main digital communications pain points for physicians
Insufficient time to read
Too many emails
Not timed appropriately
Too biased or promotional
Too long
Too generic or not relevant
Too confusing or complex
Don’t care about digital communications
No pain points
Too difficult to access
Sources: Physician COVID-19 Response BioPharma Surveys, May 2020, September/October 2020, and May/June 2021; BCG analysis.Question: Which of the following pain points related to digital communication and digital interaction from pharmaceutical companies could be improved?Note: N=449 for May 2020 survey; N=591 for September/October 2020 survey; N=827 for May/June 2021 survey; pp = percentage point(s).
Reported pain points with pharma company digital communications% of responses
COVID with vaccines(May/June 2021)
Beginning of COVID(May 2020)
During COVID(Sep/Oct 2020)
∆ (pp)(May/June 2021 vs. May 2020)
39
33
30
29
28
26
16
13
11
11
38
36
29
25
25
22
17
11
9
9
7
1
7
2
1
0
–3
2
0
1
32
32
23
27
27
26
19
11
11
10
> 0 pp= 0 pp< 0 pp
There are big gaps between the perceived value of content and what doctors receive
Medical info/education
Exchange of scientific data
Product education
Shareable scientific content
Info on speaker events
Information on sample ordering
Info on patient support programs
COVID-specific information
Info on copays and reimbursements
Info on physician support programs
Sources: Physician COVID-19 Response BioPharma Surveys, May 2020, September/October 2020, and May/June 2021; BCG analysis.Questions: (May/June 2021) What type of content did you receive from biopharma companies? Please rank how valuable you found the content you received from biopharma companies.Note: N=827.
51
59
49
38
33
32
31
26
25
24
33
35
17
25
31
35
30
29
40
27
62
60
70
67
59
53
58
58
52
62
5
5
13
8
10
12
12
13
8
11
Type of content received % of responses
Value of content received % of responses
Not valuableValuableVery valuable
The share of virtual patient interactions post-COVID is expected to be twice as high as pre-COVID levels
Sources: Physician COVID-19 Response BioPharma Surveys, May 2020, Sept/Oct 2020, and May/June 2021; BCG analysis.Questions: What % of assessments, diagnoses, and treatment decisions were made through in-person visits (in all settings) vs. through virtual visits? In this scenario, how would your use of virtual visits change compared with your current volume?
Share of virtual patient visits % of total number of visits, for top five conditions treated
Before COVID Beginning of COVID(May 2020)
During COVID(Sep/Oct 2020)
COVID with vaccines(May/June 2021)
2321
48
9
8073
8779
The use of telemedicine and video-enabled tools has risen significantly from pre-COVID levels
Sources: Physician COVID-19 Response BioPharma Surveys, May 2020, September/October 2020, and May/June 2021; BCG analysis.Questions: Which of the following tools did you use to communicate with your patients? As COVID-19 resolves, which of the following tools do you plan to use to communicate with patients?
MDs using the following tools or expecting to use these tools to communicate with patients
Telemedicine Other video-enabledconsultation
Encryptedmessage center
Email Phone chator chat apps
Phone
Percentage of responses (%)
Before COVID Beginning of COVID (May 2020) During COVID (Sep/Oct 2020) COVID with vaccines (May/June 2021)
21
51 4843
13
3136
2821
27 27 29 3343
38 3728
44 4235
Patient volume is back to pre-COVID levels—and higher than many MDs expected
Sources: Physician COVID-19 Response BioPharma Surveys, May 2020, September/October 2020, and May/June 2021; BCG analysis.Questions: What were the top five most common conditions you treated among your weekly patients, both in-person (in all settings) and virtual/remote? What is your current weekly patient volume, both in-person (in all settings) and virtual/remote)? In this scenario, how much of a change would you expect in your weekly patient volume compared with your current volume?
Volume of in-person and virtual visitsAverage of weekly in-person and virtual visits per MD
for top five conditions treated
Expected volume of visits post-COVID% of total number of personal and virtual visits for
top five conditions treated
Before COVID Beginning of COVID(May 2020)
During COVID(Sep/Oct 2020)
COVID with vaccines(May/June 2021)
Post-COVID Post-COVID(with vaccines)
Post-COVID(without vaccines)
~168
~80
~143~158
18 24
4653
22
149
34
20 12
26
64
6
Less than COVID-19 levelSame as COVID-19 levelIn between COVID-19 andpre-COVID-19 levelsBack to pre-COVID-19 levelHigher than pre-COVID-19 level
EXPECTED VALUES FROM PREVIOUS SURVEYS