How marketers can reach physicians with 'no visit' policies

Pharmaceutical marketers have products that help patients lead healthier, happier lives. In order to get these products to patients, however, pharma reps need to explain their benefits to physicians. But what if a doctor or an institution has a blanket 'no visit' policy?

For many modern doctors, the decision to see pharma reps isn't up to them anymore - it's up to the boss.

More physicians have 'no visit' policies

Physicians are busy people, and they tend to treat their time as very precious. With dozens of patient visits each day and mountains of paperwork to complete, doctors may not want to be bothered by visits from pharmaceutical representatives. Indeed the trend of saying no to reps has grown over the past few years.

According to Medscape, 22.9 percent of doctors had a strict 'no visit' policy in 2010, and that rate had grown to 36.5 percent in 2016. One reason for this uptick is likely due to the Open Payments Program, which was established as part of the Affordable Care Act. This program requires pharma manufacturers to report payments to physicians and teaching hospitals to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In turn, CMS posts those figures publicly. This creates a bit of a PR problem for hospitals, as patients may feel negatively about these visits.

In light of this new program, many organizations decided that they would cease visits from pharma reps, worrying that patients would lose confidence in their physicians. According to Medscape, the top three states that tend to restrict pharma rep access to physicians are Vermont, Minnesota and Maine. At the other end of the spectrum, pharma reps are most likely to have meetings with physicians in North Dakota, New Jersey and Mississippi.

Fewer doctors have a say in whether or not they accept visits from pharma reps.

There are fewer private practices

A shift in physician employment is changing how doctors interact with pharma reps. The American Medical Association reported that 2016 was the first year in which more physicians were employed by hospitals, compared to those who own a private practice. This means that the decision to see pharma reps is no longer in the hands of physicians, but rather the administrative staff of the care organization.

Of course, those administrators may be doctors themselves, but it still limits the number of professionals that pharma reps can call on. Nevertheless, prescribers do need to learn about new medicines as they come to market. That's where a multi-channel approach to physician communication can boost engagement rates.

A multi-channel approach engages physicians

Pharma marketers don't have to step across the threshold of a doctor's office to deliver their messages. In fact, there's no single way that works best in all situations. One physician may respond well to emails, while another never checks his or her inbox. By utilizing several targeted methods of communication, pharma reps increase their chances of engaging with physicians.

For example, advertising in peer-reviewed medical journals can be an effective avenue of communication. According to Kantar Media, over 95 percent of physicians read current issues of medical journals. A well-placed ad, insert, outsert or cover wrap could draw the attention of physicians across the country. Used in tandem with other channels, such as digital ads on journal websites and expert-curated websites, this approach may be just what the doctor ordered.

In the past, face-to-face visits were a surefire way to make a lasting connection with physicians, and though it is still effective today, it shouldn't be your only method of communication with doctors. A multi-channel approach reduces risk by spreading out your investment to achieve targeted physician outreach.

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