Embracing Omnichannel Engagement in Medical Affairs

Industries Profiled:
Pharmaceutical; Biotech; Biopharmaceutical; Medical Device; Manufacturing; Consumer Products; Diagnostic; Health Care; Service; Chemical; Clinical Research; Laboratories


Companies Profiled:
AbbVie; Amgen; Apellis Pharmaceuticals; Astellas; AstraZeneca; Baxter International; Bayer; Biogen Idec; Boehringer Ingelheim; B. Braun; Cara Therapeutics; Chiesi; Cipla; Daiichi Sankyo; Eisai; Eli Lilly and Company; EVERSANA; Fidia; Genentech; General Electric; Gilead Sciences; GlaxoSmithKline ; Heron Therapeutics; Ipsen; Jazz Pharmaceuticals; Kyowa Kirin; Lupin; Lundbeck; Medexus Pharmaceuticals; Merck; Novartis; Novo Nordisk; Orchard Therapeutics; Pixacore; Provention Bio; Radius Health; Inc.; Roche; Sandoz; Sanofi; Santen; Supernus; Takeda Pharmaceuticals; Taysha Gene Therapies

Study Snapshot

Best Practices, LLC engaged 57 leaders from 43 biopharma companies in this research through a benchmark survey.

Key topics covered in this report include:

• Current Use of Omnichannel in Medical Affairs
• Omnichannel Maturity Levels
• Drivers of Omnichannel Engagement Plans
• Omnichannel Benefits and Challenges
• Key Omnichannel Activities
• Omnichannel Staffing and Budget
• High-Impact Channels for Omnichannel Engagement
• Omnichannel Program Goals and KPIs

• Current use of omnichannel in Medical Affairs: 83% of surveyed biopharma manufacturers have already implemented some form of an omnichannel engagement program within Medical Affairs. Another 15% are planning to do so. Just 2% have no plans to adopt an omnichannel model.

• Leading companies find high impact across many channels and touchpoints: No one channel is perfect for all segments or individual targets, but each can contribute “a piece to the puzzle” of forging a better overall user experience. Leading companies achieve much higher impact than other emerging companies in these engagement channels: MSL virtual presentations, data slides and on/off-label presentations, Med Info letters, unbranded websites, publications, HCP portals, and social media.

• Future of omnichannel
• Hallmarks of leading omnichannel programs

• Medical Affairs group's current approach to omnichannel engagement
• Current perspective of benchmark Medical Affairs groups for omnichannel engagement activities and investment
• Level of omnichannel engagement of Medical Affairs function – Total benchmark class
• Level of omnichannel engagement of Medical Affairs function – Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment
• Customer groups engaged in omnichannel programs – Total benchmark class
• Customer groups engaged in omnichannel programs – Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment
• Omnichannel strategies and tactics that have worked well for Medical Affairs groups
• Key benefits of using omnichannel strategies and tactics when engaging with external stakeholders
• Key challenges of using omnichannel strategies and tactics when engaging with external stakeholders
• Lessons learned in implementing omnichannel engagement programs
• Main drivers that lead an organization to create an omnichannel engagement plan
• Recent omnichannel engagement levels – Total benchmark class
• Recent omnichannel engagement levels – Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment

• Number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) dedicated to omnichannel efforts – Total benchmark class
• Number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) dedicated to omnichannel efforts – Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment
• Role of each Medical sub-groups in omnichannel engagement – Total benchmark class
• Role of each Medical sub-groups in omnichannel engagement – Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment
• Preferred qualifications/background of staff on the omnichannel engagement team – Total benchmark class
• Preferred qualifications/background of staff on the omnichannel engagement team – Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment
• Effectiveness of Medical Affairs teams in executing each of the components of the omnichannel engagement plan – Total benchmark class
• Effectiveness of Medical Affairs teams in executing each of the components of the omnichannel engagement plan – Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment
• Allocation of Medical Affairs budget to omnichannel initiatives – Total benchmark class and Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment
• Omnichannel budget allocation per activity area
• Insights from field interviews around content strategy
• Factors influencing resource allocation to omnichannel engagement for a program on a product-by-product basis – Total benchmark class
• Factors influencing resource allocation to omnichannel engagement for a program on a product-by-product basis – Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment

• Key direct and indirect engagement channels
• Valuable direct communication channels (targeting specific individuals and audiences) for omnichannel engagement – Total benchmark class
• Valuable direct communication channels (targeting specific individuals and audiences) for omnichannel engagement – Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment
• Valuable indirect communication channels (access to all) for omnichannel engagement
• Tactical omnichannel engagement – Total benchmark class
• Valuable indirect communication channels (access to all) for omnichannel engagement
• Tactical omnichannel engagement – Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment
• Effectiveness of profiling characteristics – Total benchmark class
• Effectiveness of profiling characteristics – Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment
• Types of tools, software programs or platforms used in the successful execution of omnichannel plans

• Role of Med-Legal Review in facilitating omnichannel work
• Role of different groups in sharing insights generated through omnichannel engagement
• Characteristics responsible for the success of software program or platform utilization
• Extent to which benchmark companies have been successful in standardizing omnichannel engagement KPIs – Total benchmark class
• Extent to which benchmark companies have been successful in standardizing omnichannel engagement KPIs – Emerging omnichannel segment vs. Leading omnichannel segment
• Top-rated omnichannel program goals and KPIs used for evaluation
• Most unique and effective KPIs when assessing omnichannel engagement program

• Geographic responsibility of benchmark partners
• Therapeutic Areas represented by participating Medical Affairs groups