5 Ways Pharma Marketers Can Enhance Physician Communications Without Call-to-Action Messages

The adoption on point of care networks during the pandemic has uplifted communications for pharmaceutical brands after the past year required marketers to embrace digital channels to engage physicians. The COVID-19 outbreak forced a drastic shift towards digital efforts, which presented a challenge for marketers. In fact, a study revealed that nearly 50% of physicians weren’t satisfied with pharma digital's interactions during the pandemic. However, the necessity of digital initiatives has led pharma marketers on the right path to address the lack of utilization of point of care networks to expand their reach to physicians.

With point of care networks, the positioning and execution of brand messages need to raise awareness with physicians while remaining HIPAA compliant. With that in mind, here are five ways pharma marketers can enhance physician communications without call-to-action messages.

Align messages with the appropriate platform

For marketers, context plays a pivotal role on the levels of engagement a message will receive, which is heightened on the point of care ecosystem. Placement of messages need to be a natural fit throughout the EHR workflow, eRx, telehealth and messaging platforms. Marketers can’t take a one size fits all approach when operating with point of care mediums. The digital channel that is the appropriate fit for a message must be identified—when marketers don’t take the step of ensuring a message appears on the most impactful channel, the results undoubtedly suffer. Whether it’s a video or text-based piece of content a marketer is publishing on a point of care platform, the format in which it appears will optimize the results of a campaign. For instance, a Rx for high blood pressure being directed at a pediatrician during the diagnosis portion of their telehealth interaction is missing the mark to effectively deliver their message that presents value to the targeted physician.

Deliver targeted, meaningful messages

When not reliant on call-to-action messages, the content being shared needs to represent the interest of a target audience. The use of data analytics elevates a campaign by empowering marketers to better understand the behaviors of physicians in an array of areas such as their prescribing habits or format preference to receive communications. When an organization’s knowledgeable about a physician’s habits, marketing efforts can be boosted by integrating trigger-based messages that garner traction in real-time to amplify content directed at the target audience. Capturing a physician while they are in the workflow embolden messages from pharmaceutical brands by having the opportunity to support physicians with educational content that resonate with their specialty.

Distribute content that’s top of mind

With the use of trigger-based messages to elevate the data-driven side of campaigns—marketers are primed with insights to identify opportune moments when engagement peaks are high with physicians. On point of care platforms, physician-centric messages are driving results when physicians can learn about new medical developments pertaining to their area of expertise. The key is to circulate content on subjects that are top of mind and will resonate with physicians to achieve deliverables without prompting physicians to click-through on a digital message to have an impact. Whether it’s in a virtual waiting or examination room, pharma marketers have the ability to identify and facilitate effective communications at the right moments when it adds value to the physician’s experience. By not implementing click-to-action content, marketers don’t take physicians out of the point of care platform and maintain their interest while they remain in-channel.

Personalize visual content to enrich communications

Visual marketing campaigns are a game-changer for pharmaceutical brands to breakthrough to physicians on point of care channels when paired with hyper-targeted content. To deepen communications with physicians, visual messages are a superior way to educate physicians about the latest research findings, Rx prescription side effects and medical treatments. Pharma marketers equipped with data-driven insights to control the types of messages that are shared with physicians will unequivocally have the upper hand to place content that’s of interest with the tending physician. A visual representation showcasing the benefits of Rx drugs, treatments and medical devices can gain the attention of physicians with the graphics detailing the message visually as part of the campaign.

Use helpful, informative, non-coercive messages

Now that 48% of U.S. physicians are treating patients via telehealth platforms—up from 18% in 2018, pharma marketers need to capitalize on the surge of usage in the point of care space. In order to do so, brands have to be informative via their communications with physicians to have their message stand out. point of care campaigns must be crafted with an informative content mindset. Further, the messages should be non-coercive, so the interaction piques the physician’s interest as a resource to learn a new facet in the medical space to better tend to their patient. These types of messages are welcomed by physicians as it advances their education in the field without disrupting their workflow.

The market for effective telehealth platforms is going to experience significant growth with the category projected to reach 175 billion dollars by 2026, up from 46 billion dollars in 2019. As pharma marketers dedicate more resources to engage physicians on point of care platforms, messaging strategies will need to enrich physician interactions with brands by providing informative content that will support them to provide better care to their patients.

Harshit Jain, MD, Founder & CEO, Doceree