Inept digital interaction undermining pharma with clinicians

More than half (52%) of clinicians polled about their experiences with digital pharma communications have said they tend to be over-promotional and not helpful, leading two-thirds of them (65%) to reduce or stop their engagement.

That is according to a survey of 225 senior clinicians in the UK, US, and Germany, conducted by Graphite Digital, in which 58% of respondents said that digital pharma content feels repetitive or irrelevant.

They are calling for a greater emphasis on practical, evidence-based communications that are based on relevant, useful, and usable, according to a report on the findings, which notes that – with most clinicians interacting with pharma digitally on a regular basis, "the challenge is no longer adoption, but relevance."

The polling results can be interpreted as something of an indictment of those involved in directing digital, omnichannel or customer experience strategy at pharma companies, and show that a high level of digital interaction with healthcare professionals (HCPs) doesn't necessarily translate into more impact and – more seriously – can 'make or break' relationships.

Nearly two in five respondents (37%) said that digital experiences shape their perception of pharma companies more, or at least as much, as in-person interactions.

More meaningful digital

Digging into the details, the survey found that 52% of HCPs felt they receive too many emails or messages from pharma brands, with unhelpful content that is often interpreted as a sign that clinician time and expertise is not being respected or understood.

That is backed up by the finding that 59% of HCPs said they crave more control over the content they receive and how often they hear from pharma companies. All told, 55% said they prefer to seek out information themselves, when they need it, with the caveat that generic content will be actively rejected.

They said content that supports concrete clinical tasks and training is the most valuable, such as learning about new treatment options and accessing professional development resources.

"Pharma is expecting more from digital than ever, but clinicians say much of it is actively pushing them away," according to Rob Verheul, Graphite Digital's chief executive.

"Digital experience now plays a critical role in shaping trust and credibility, yet an over-reliance on promotional messaging is undermining engagement," he added. "HCPs associate trust with objectivity, scientific rigour and ease of access, not hard sells. A 'show, not tell' approach, focused on fast, frictionless experiences and genuinely useful content, is far more effective than a constant stream of promotional communications."

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash