Best Practices in Developing Top-Tier Medical Affairs Capabilities within Medical Device Companies

While the importance of this function is recognized, Medical Affairs leaders often face challenges in maintaining the function as a global group and communicating its value to key internal stakeholders. Best Practices, LLC undertook this study to provide medical device companies with leading insights on the critical requirements for creating effective global capabilities, meeting compliance challenges and communicating strong Medical Affairs metrics for success.

Research findings will help medical device companies find better ways to create strong performance metrics and successful global Medical Affairs organizations.

Study Snapshot

This study engaged 12 executives from 10 leading life sciences companies. Segmentation analysis was key to examining trends and effective practices. 6 participants make up the Medical Device Only Segment (MDS), while the Medical Device + Pharma Segment (MDP) consists of 6 participants.

Key Findings

· Overall Medical Affairs Metrics: More than 80% of the benchmark class finds level of talent identification & management a highly effective or effective metric.

·Segments: Medical device only segment (MDS) values all metrics less than the Medical device plus pharma segment (MPS). Only 67%of MDS thinks talent identification & management and medical affairs survey outcomes highly effective or effective metrics compared to 83% of MPS.
· Relevance of Medical Affairs Activities to Senior Management: More than 90% of benchmark participants think that their senior management finds two activities very important or important: Medical/clinical operations and medical publications and communications.
·Segments: We observed the largest difference in importance associated with field- based medical team operations. While all of the MPS participants think that this metric is very important or important for their senior management, only 33% of MDS thinks in the same way.
· Communication Methods/Channels: Benchmark class companies mostly prefer presentation/briefing or face-to-face meetings for communicating the value of Medical Affairs activities to various stakeholders.
·Segments: In contrast to the benchmark class, MDS uses email or database/website significantly more than MPS. However, MPS is in line with benchmark class in utilizing presentation/briefing or face-to-face meetings for communicating the value of Medical Affairs activities to various stakeholders.

üParticipating Companies pp. 4

üKey Recommendations pp. 5

üSegments & Abbreviations pp. 6

üKey Findings & Insights pp. 7-10

§ Metrics for Medical Affairs Activities to Show
the Success to Stakeholders pp. 11-37

§ Communicating the Value of Medical Affairs pp. 38-48

§ Coordinating the Global Medical Affairs Function pp. 49-57

§ Benchmark Class pp. 58-59

§ Participant Demographics pp. 60-64

§ About Best Practices, LLC pp. 65-66

List of Charts & Exhibits

· Effectiveness of Overall Medical Affairs Metrics
· Effectiveness of Scientific Publications Metrics
· Effectiveness of Medical Education Metrics
· Effectiveness of Thought Leader Management (TLM) and Medical Science Liaison (MSL) Metrics
· Case Example: Key Opinion Leader (KOL) Segmentation Process
· Effectiveness of Medical/Clinical Operations Metrics
· Relative Importance Listed Medical Affairs Activities to Senior Leadership
· Case Example: Medical Affairs Internal Communication Program
· Communication Methods/Channels Used to Communicate the Value of Medical Affairs Activities to Stakeholders
· Practices for Effective Value Discussions
· Management Approach for Listed Medical Affairs Activities
· Challenges and Practices Described in Interviews With Leaders of Global Organizations
· Reporting Relationship between Global and Regional Medical Affairs Groups within Organization
· Compliance Standards within Organizations
· Sharing Compliance Challenges and Best Practices Across Global and Regional Level
· Projected Capability Needs for Medical Affairs Organizations
· Primary Product(s) of the Business Unit Represented by Survey Participants
· Geographic Span of Responsibility of Participants’ Medical Affairs Organizations
· Therapeutic Areas Represented by Participants’ Medical Affairs Organization