Physicians are unimpressed with the information pharma reps offer during meetings, according to a new DRG Digital's Manhattan Research study.
The study surveyed 1,814 U.S. practice physicians across 25 specialties.
Here are seven things to know:
1. Of those physicians who interact with sales reps, 51 percent said reps offer information the physicians already know.
2. This "stale detail" phenomenon is especially apparent in the oncology and dermatology fields. Sixty-eight percent of oncologists hear old information and 62 percent of dermatologists report similar experiences.
3. Today, physicians are researching information themselves, so reps who spend too much meeting time on basic product or promotional information will likely not impress physicians. Specifically, 74 percent of physicians leverage search engines weekly and 52 percent utilize pharma digital resources on a regular basis.
4. To shift the course, 63 percent of physicians believe meetings with reps are more valuable when they don't focus on product-related resources.
5. Fewer reps are using tablets — 67 percent compared to 74 percent in 2013. This trend may not be smart though, as data points toward tablets improving the rep detail experience. Thirty-five percent of physicians reported they were "very satisfied" with rep meetings involving tablets.
6. While 36 percent of physicians said they want to email their reps, only 12 percent said they had in the past six months.
7. Of physician respondents, 64 percent said they had met with sales reps in person over the past six months.
"There's a disconnect between the sales force, which is very focused on script volumes and meeting their numbers, and digital marketers, who are focused on physician engagement and building long-term relationships with HCPs [healthcare providers]," said Jeff Wray, DRG digital analyst. "Sales and marketing teams need to get on the same page with regards to digital pull-through, so that they're providing a deeper level of support to physicians beyond product promotion and maximizing their investment."