How Internet i.e. E-Detailing and E-Sampling will be helpful for the Physicians in the Future?

Over the last two years, use of the Internet has increased from physician’s side. Survey found that only 12 percent of physicians are online with less than 5 percent online daily. In coming era Internet will become a major information source for physicians, according to the study.

It is also seen that the Internet is rated as significantly more credible than detail medical representative, roughly equal to medical symposia.

Physicians using the Internet rate it very highly on timeliness, comprehensiveness, and having the latest information on drugs and therapy. On an average physician spend about three hours of their online time per week on medical activities, compared to more than five to six hour a week they spend with representative.

Image Source: e-samples.de

Study found that most of physicians using the Internet for medical-related purposes said that it had a favourable impact on their knowledge of new treatments and drugs, and all physicians reported it had a positive impact on their prescribing. Therefore these are some the opportunities for pharmaceutical marketers to reach physicians, provide education, and influence prescribing habits.

It is observed that only about 20 percent of medical representative visits lasted longer than two minutes. Half of representative’s calls last less than two minutes and a half of visits never get past the receptionist; at least 3 percent of physicians are not seeing medical repre­sentative at all.

New strategies, intended to complement traditional direct-to-physician tac­tics, are needed. Efficient alternative channels are now available, and their potential reach and integration with current channels will build a broader, more effective marketing plat­form for the future.

As Pharmaceutical Companies, leverages its strength by Push strategies that specifically target the physician segments of most interest to the sponsor. Pull strategies leverage health care professional traffic at large physician-oriented web sites, such as WebMD, Medscape, MDConsult, and Physicians Online and its exclusive web site cipladoc.com.

Pro­grams posted there are accessible to anyone who uses the site, but can be specifically of­fered to desire medical specialties. Push strategies use various methods, such as such as e- mail updates, targeted banner advertising, and phone calls and medical representative de­livered web pointers.