Physician needs throughout the adoption journey
Historically, the relationship between pharmaceutical companies and physicians was heavily centered around product efficacy and clinical data. However, in today's healthcare landscape, physicians are increasingly demanding a more nuanced value proposition, driven by a need for personalized support, real-world evidence, and a deeper understanding of patient outcomes. This transformation is underpinned by a customer experience (CX) approach, which emphasizes delivering value beyond the pill itself.
The concept of the physician adoption process highlights how physicians’ needs evolve as they move through different stages of awareness, evaluation, and utilization of a pharmaceutical product. Bryter’s identification of six informational need states across this adoption funnel provides a framework for understanding these evolving needs. At each of these stages, physicians encounter distinct challenges, seek different kinds of information, and require varying degrees of support. Consequently, pharmaceutical companies need to tailor their omnichannel marketing efforts to meet these evolving needs, whether during a product’s launch or in its in-life phase.
The Six Informational Need States Across the Adoption Funnel
To fully appreciate how physician needs change, it is essential to first understand the six distinct stages that comprise the physician adoption funnel. Each stage represents a unique point in the journey from initial awareness to mastery, with different informational and support requirements at each juncture. Let’s explore each stage in detail:
1. Awareness (Clinical Trial Stage)
Physicians first become aware of a new product during its clinical trial phase. At this early stage, their primary need is to access clear, unbiased, and scientifically rigorous information about the drug. This includes understanding its mechanism of action, clinical trial outcomes, and how it compares to existing therapies.
Given that a product is still in development, physicians are generally cautious and may have a high degree of skepticism. Their decision-making process is informed by their need to understand the scientific rationale behind the drug’s development, its safety profile, and the robustness of the trial design. Pharmaceutical companies can address these needs by providing transparent access to clinical trial data, peer-reviewed studies, and expert opinions from key opinion leaders (KOLs). Communication channels at this stage should include medical journals, scientific conferences, and digital platforms where physicians can access detailed research.
2. Interest (Pre-Launch Stage)
As the product progresses toward approval, physicians enter the "interest" stage. At this point, they may become more engaged in learning about the drug’s potential clinical applications and patient outcomes. Physicians are interested in practical insights that help them assess whether the product will have a meaningful impact on their patient population.
During this stage, physicians typically seek in-depth clinical trial results, safety data, and comparative efficacy with other treatments. They want to understand how the drug will fit into treatment guidelines and how it will be reimbursed by healthcare systems. The role of the pharmaceutical company is to provide more detailed educational resources, including product webinars, medical education seminars, and real-world evidence from early clinical experiences. Information should be delivered in a way that allows physicians to assess the product’s value within the context of their clinical practice.
3. Evaluation (Launch Stage)
Once a product is approved and launched, physicians move into the evaluation phase. This is a critical stage where they assess whether to adopt the new product into their practice. The primary focus here is on understanding how the product performs in real-world settings, its safety profile in broader patient populations, and how it compares to established therapies.
Physicians at this stage need access to real-world data, case studies, and feedback from early adopters. They will be looking for insights that help them mitigate risk, understand the side-effect profile, and determine which patient subgroups are most likely to benefit. Omnichannel strategies at this point should include virtual detailing, product demonstrations, patient case studies, and peer-to-peer discussions where physicians can hear from colleagues who have already used the drug. Decision-support tools, clinical decision algorithms, and resources that help physicians integrate the drug into their practice guidelines are also highly valuable.
4. Trial (Early In-Life Stage)
Once physicians have evaluated the product and decided to try it in their practice, they enter the trial stage. At this juncture, their primary need is support in integrating the new drug into their clinical routines. Physicians want to know how to appropriately prescribe and monitor the drug, manage potential side effects, and educate their patients about the treatment.This is a hands-on stage where physicians need practical tools such as dosing calculators, patient education materials, and ongoing access to clinical support. Additionally, they require ongoing communication about any new safety updates or post-marketing surveillance data. Omnichannel strategies should focus on providing easily accessible digital tools, online forums for troubleshooting issues, and direct access to medical science liaisons (MSLs) who can provide personalized guidance. During this stage, timely and tailored information is critical to ensuring successful product adoption.
5. Adoption (Established In-Life Stage)
After successfully using the drug in practice, physicians move into the adoption stage, where they begin to incorporate the product into their standard treatment protocols. Their informational needs shift toward optimizing the drug’s use across a broader range of patients. Physicians at this stage are more likely to seek out data on long-term patient outcomes, best practices for managing complex cases, and evidence of the drug’s cost-effectiveness.In this stage, physicians benefit from advanced educational resources, including in-depth case studies, real-world evidence, and clinical guidelines. They may also be interested in participating in or reviewing ongoing clinical studies to refine their understanding of the drug’s optimal use. An omnichannel strategy that includes continuous medical education (CME), virtual conferences, and peer-reviewed literature is essential. Additionally, personalized communication that offers insights into niche patient populations and specialized uses can further cement the drug’s role in the physician’s practice.
6. Mastery (Long-Term Use)
Physicians reach the mastery stage once they have become comfortable with the long-term use of the product in their practice. At this point, they require less frequent but more specialized information. Their focus shifts toward staying updated on the latest research, understanding how the product compares with newer therapies, and managing any emerging safety concerns.Physicians in this stage appreciate periodic updates on new clinical data, insights into comparative effectiveness with other treatments, and guidance on managing specific patient populations. The omnichannel strategy here should focus on providing targeted updates through digital channels, such as online learning modules, KOL webinars, and specialty publications. Additionally, physicians may seek opportunities to collaborate on research studies or contribute to advisory boards to share their experiences with the product.
Conclusion - Tailoring Omnichannel Strategies to Physician Needs
-
As physicians move through these six stages of the adoption process, their informational needs change significantly, requiring pharmaceutical companies to adopt a dynamic and tailored approach to engagement. The omnichannel mix must be flexible, with different tactics and platforms used for different stages.
- By recognizing the changing needs of physicians across the adoption funnel and adjusting their omnichannel strategies accordingly, pharmaceutical companies can foster deeper relationships with their physician customers, ultimately driving more successful product adoption and improved patient outcomes.
Read more
Learn more about how Bryter helps healthcare and pharmaceutical brands by reading our guide 'digital marketing to physicians' to learn how research and insights can help to shape digital strategy
