As the COVID-19 pandemic
continues, the relationship between pharma sales reps and physicians is
starting to settle into a new normal. Digital interactions are on the rise, and
doctors are increasingly welcoming contact with reps, according to ongoing polling
from healthcare consultancy ZoomRx.
The group began asking doctors
weekly about the impact of COVID-19 on their practices beginning March 14,
fielding its most recent survey of similar questions a period ending May
5.
In the latest survey—its
fifth—78% of physicians said they want to maintain some contact with pharma
reps, up from just 64% when ZoomRx originally began polling doctors. While most
physicians (43%) prefer a similar level of contact as before the pandemic
began, 14% would actually like more outreach from pharma.
“The initial disruption after
the outbreak is normalizing now,” Ty Harkness, manager at ZoomRx, said. “The
level of rep activity with MDs through digital means has bounced back, and the
willingness by physicians to be contacted has also bounced back.”
The information doctors want
from reps has also shifted. In the first survey, 71% of physicians said they
wanted drug supply chain updates. Now, as those concerns have lessened, only
47% named supply chain information as important.
Instead, the most desired
information doctors now want is about patient assistance programs, with 49%
saying they want pharma reps to provide that information. However, ZoomRx found
a disconnect there. While almost half of doctors want patient assistance
info, only 23% said pharma reps have discussed those programs during
interactions. That’s an opportunity for reps to step up with more details,
Harkness said.
Along with more virtual
interactions with pharma reps, doctors also increased digital connections with patients.
Before the pandemic, only 26% of doctors used telemedicine. That figure has
skyrocketed to 98% who are using phone calls, email or video conferences to
interact with patients, according to ZoomRx.
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