Research findings from health care professionals

In addition to doing some research with eHealth consumers I also led some research with health care professionals (PCP’s, Nurses).  Here are some of the top-line findings from that research.

• Most feel that DTC advertising is good for patient health concerns and informs patients.

• They feel that there is too much bad health information on the Internet and feel that some of it should be regulated when the information could be considered dangerous to patients.

• Pharma drug websites are a good resource for patients but some are concerned that diagnostic tools could be taken out of context.  They would like it made more clear that only a healthcare professional can make an accurate diagnosis and suggest treatment options.

• Although physicians are spending more time on the Internet often it is not by choice.  They are having a hard time keeping on top of all the new health information and sites online.

• Social media scares some physicians because they are not sure how to use it or what they should use it for.  However at one research group in Dallas a physician shared with colleagues how he is using social media to market his practice.  They were very interested in hearing what he had to say.

• It is getting harder to get patients in for follow-up visits and it is especially getting hard to get men in at all even when they having problems.

• Most are still seeing drug reps but they all said that it’s getting more difficult to find time to meet with them.

• They are interested in eDetailing but prefer not to speak to a live person so they can proceed at their own pace.  Their advice to drug marketers is to keep the details under 5 minutes and allow them to download relevant charts and clinical trial information.

• Integration of the Internet with patients is coming and most see it as a huge issue because they are not sure how, where, or how.  When we showed them a concept of a solution that could possibly tie in patient records, CRM, consumers health information it was a winner but they also want it tied into insurers to cut down on paperwork.

• “Do you trust the drug industry when it comes to reporting accurate information on prescription drugs ?”  The answer from most was yes but they if patients have issues on certain medications they would check with colleagues to determine if anyone is having similar problems.

• What is the biggest challenge you face today ?  Most said cost controls that have been put in place by the government are a key concern.  ”I have to try and see more patients now to make up for the cuts that I am receiving from Medicare”. The other big issue that has them concerned is that fewer patients are coming in to see them at the start of health problems. One physician told the story of a man who waited for year before he came in because of problems urinating.  It turned out that the patient has prostate cancer and needed immediate aggressive treatment. “If it were caught earlier we could have used less invasive treatment options and the diagnosis would have been a lot better”.

• Physicians want a system where they can be notified to changes in drug labeling even if the product does not have a REMS.  They also said “don’t just send me the new label tell me what the changes are”.

What was really interesting in talking with physicians was that they wanted to know who this research was for.  When we told them for a new biotech start-up they wanted to know a lot more.   We had a frank discussion to tell them that the company, which we could not disclose, was not going to add sales people but rather hire people with medical degrees to act as people to channel information and establish relationships with physicians in their territory including the use of an Internet site.  They thought that idea was great and asked “why the hell aren’t more companies doing this ?”

Please note that the physicians received a fee for attending the research which lasted 2 hours.  They also had the option to donate the fee to a charity of there choice which many did.