Medically-Relevant Incentives Play Important Role in New Pharma Marketing Programs
Skyscape’s Ryder Cites Survey Showing PDA Solutions Tied to References Drive Increased Detailing Time
The marketing advantages of new on-line and mobile technologies -- PDAs, Smart phones, Webinars, Web sites – are today becoming more and more apparent to pharmaceutical marketers, observes John Ryder, Skyscape vice president, sales, and a veteran of more than 20 years in the life sciences and medical devices industry. And the ROI from deploying these evolving technologies is gaining value and substance.
“New marketing strategies, such as e-detailing, are changing the pharmaceutical industry’s marketing landscape,” Ryder said. “An incentive that is medically relevant and in demand by physicians plays an important role in making these strategies successful by encouraging physicians to find the time to participate.”
Skyscape is a provider of trusted medical references formatted especially mobile and handheld devices. The growing use and value of on-line and mobile technologies in pharmaceutical marketing is supported by a recent company study.
Ryder cited results indicating that pharmaceutical sales reps offering physicians a PDA solution tied to trusted medical content increased their detailing time, improved relationships with their physician contacts, and increased overall productivity. 62% of the responding sales reps increased detailing time from 5 minutes to 10 minutes and 58% reported five or more extra contacts. In addition, 77% reported improved access to physicians.
“These results are remarkable and very, very compelling,” Ryder says. “They show a positive return on investment for pharma companies that deploy PDA solutions, demonstrating the value of a PDA program for additional contacts and more time in front of the physician.”
Ryder says in the competitive pharmaceutical world, an incentive plays an important and valuable role for pharmaceutical companies deploying new marketing technologies. When something of value is offered to physicians, such as medical references that can be downloaded to the physician’s PDA, it gets the physician’s attention and encourages participation in an e-detailing program or Webinar. While incentives are valuable, the OIG (Office of Inspector General) and PhRMA guidelines have limited their scope. “PDA references are medically relevant and are PhRMA & OIG compliant,” says Ryder. “With over 300 references across 35 specialties, Skyscape has something for everyone.”
In addition, he said that studies show PDA usage is rising among physicians. “By accessing medical references at the point of care, practitioners are reducing medical errors and improving the quality of patient care. Providing the latest edition of a valued medical reference a month before it comes out may encourage the physician to participate in an e-detail,” he says.
Still, Ryder says, the value of a Webinar or e-detailing session is in its content.
“If the program fails to offer something that is compelling or timely or valuable to the physician, then the pharmaceutical company is wasting its money on incentives,” he says. “The incentive encourages physician participation by offsetting their time with some form of value, but you must have the content.”
Marketing technology in the pharmaceutical industry is evolving and advancing in ways unimagined a few years ago, says Ryder, who chooses his words carefully but projects a difficult-to-hide excitement for the new opportunities. “Pharma companies are contacting us about customizable PDA solutions and how they can be integrated with trusted medical references to improve physician access and forge stronger practitioner relationships.”
For more information, contact John Ryder at [email protected] or 508-460-6500 x141.
