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With in-person medical conferences on hold, will U.S. physicians attend online?
Strategic Insight
ePharma Physician® U.S. 2020
The conference landscape has evolved overnight
As the world scrambles to adjust to a new normal amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for remote events has reached unprecedented levels. Already in 2020, nearly 60 medical conferences have been cancelled1, taking with them a crucial channel for physicians to stay informed and up to date on the latest medical news.
Conferences are among the most influential and credible sources of information for U.S. physicians, who have favored live and in-person events over online events. However, monthly online conference reach has increased over the past three years, opening an avenue for pharma to engage physicians remotely.
Online conference reach (monthly)
Among all U.S. physicians | Taking the Pulse® U.S. 2017-2019
Remote conference design should facilitate peer-to-peer interaction
Physicians value conferences as sources of valuable clinical information, as well as human interaction. Successful remote engagements will be designed for easy access to event resources, and to foster peer-to-peer interaction.
There is particularly strong unmet need for contact information exchanges and discussion forums in virtual conferences.
Among all U.S. physicians | Digital HCP Sources 2018
In addition, events should incorporate resource centers with links to digitally-available content such as journal articles and slide decks to satisfy physician demand.
Leverage email to keep physicians in the loop
For physicians that cannot attend virtual events, or in the event of a cancellation, pharmas can continue to keep physicians up to date by partnering with medical societies on email campaigns.
88% of physicians are interested in receiving conference recap emails; however, only 18% are likely to read a recap email from a pharma company. Partnering with third party sources (medical associations, event organizers, and HCP websites) allows pharma to deliver in-demand links to conference content and event summaries directly to physicians’ inboxes, with greater assurance those messages won’t go unread.
Likelihood of reading conference summary emails provided by…
Among all U.S. physicians | Digital HCP Sources 2018
