The HCPs were asked a series of questions assessing their level of interest in accessing KOLs through a variety of different means: in an online group meeting, an online private meeting, or a face-to-face meeting.

Figure 1 shows the HCPs’ interest in taking part in a live, online group interaction between peers and a KOL. All of the participants were interested in joining a group meeting with a KOL, with 71% being interested or very interested in this type of activity.

In a typical scenario for a group meeting, a KOL is available for a given timeslot and targeted HCPs enter and leave the discussion as they wish. It allows the KOL to reach more HCPs at a given time, to use their time more effectively, and facilitates a peer-based discussion. For the HCP, it provides the flexibility of participating in a KOL event as their schedule permits.

The participants were also asked whether they would be interested in a private online meeting with a KOL. As shown in Figure 2, the level of interest in this type of interaction is even higher, with 86% of respondents being interested or very interested.

The greatest value to be gained from the expertise of a KOL can be attained through a combination of group and private meetings. A KOL campaign scenario can consist of a group meeting with several HCPs, followed by one-on-one meetings to address specific questions. The group meeting takes the form of a seminar, with follow-up provided to individual questions in a private meeting.

We also asked the participating HCPs to indicate whether they would prefer to have an immediate online meeting with a KOL, or to wait for an in-person meeting. All respondents, as shown in Figure 3, indicated that they would prefer the convenience of rapid, on-demand access to a KOL.

This type of service offers access to KOLs on a regular basis to support the use of products and/or to provide further information on a particular disease state.

It is overwhelmingly clear that HCPs are demanding greater access to KOLs, and once they have experienced interacting with them via Aptilon’s LiveCentral service, they find the offered convenience and depth of knowledge compelling.

Aptilon provides KOL campaigns as part of its KOL Connect solution.

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During a recent afternoon, we connected targeted HCPs with an available KOL in a live, Internet-based meeting using Aptilon LiveCentral. The average meeting lasted over 17 minutes, with some continuing as long as 25 minutes.

After the event, all of the participants were surveyed to find out their perception of the interaction with the KOL, and how much value they feel such interactions can bring to their medical practice.

As shown in Figure 1, participants were overwhelmingly positive about the interaction with the KOL; 86% of attendees found the interaction to be useful or very useful to them.

The HCPs were also asked whether they felt a live, online meeting was an effective way to receive information from a KOL. The results, shown in Figure 2, speak for themselves, with 71% of participants suggesting a high or very high ability to gain information.

The response of participating HCPs was clear: live, online meetings are a great way for them to interact with KOLs. Here are some of their comments from the event:

“…excellent experience with great information… useful in real life practice.”

“I found it useful because I could ask questions exactly to my practice needs.”

“Dr. Jain was very accommodating and helpful. He was very open to questions.”

For the HCP, the value of the KOL-HCP interaction is clear in that it provides access to specialist knowledge that can otherwise be hard to obtain. The benefits for a sponsoring pharmaceutical company are just as valuable and include opportunities for brand building, a more in-depth communication of how products work, and a greater understanding of the diseases discussed.

Using Aptilon’s technology, KOLs can be made available to HCPs in a more simple and straightforward way, without travel costs and closer to the on-demand ideal, providing great value for both the HCP and the pharmaceutical company.

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To demonstrate the effectiveness of such a service, Aptilon worked with Dr. Rakesh Jain, MD, MPH, an eminent psychiatrist specializing in depression and bipolar disorder. Dr. Jain was available over a period of four hours for on-demand, Internet-based meetings initiated by targeted primary care physicians.

Over the course of the four hours, the average meeting time was 17 minutes, with some meetings lasting up to 25 minutes. Discussions of well over 20 minutes were not at all unusual.

Using Aptilon LiveCentral, Dr. Jain was able to effectively share a presentation he had prepared with HCPs who were easily able to participate in the meeting with him.

Dr. Jain remarked that his peers “were very hungry for knowledge,” and that, using Aptilon’s on-demand live meeting service, it was very effective for him to be able to transmit his opinion on bipolar disorder to other physicians. Indeed, several of the physicians remarked that they would appreciate follow-up sessions, especially concerning the use of medication in the treatment of the disorder.

Dr. Jain remarked that:

“Aptilon LiveCentral is a very impressive platform that allowed me to effectively communicate with fellow physicians. Being able to stream a video dramatically enhanced the quality of the interaction over a phone call, and being able to deliver a presentation really helped understanding through a powerful combination of visual and auditory delivery methods.

The physicians I talked with were very hungry for knowledge, and very appreciative of the personalized attention that I was able to give via Aptilon.”

Clearly, enabling a KOL to assist HCPs, which creates awareness of a disease state and treatment options, is an excellent technique for a pharmaceutical company to use in order to educate HCPs. The Aptilon LiveCentral platform distinguishes itself by providing a way for HCPs to quickly identify which KOLs are available and then seamlessly join an on-demand live discussion. With the easy to use interface, a KOL can lead discussions remotely from their own practice location or home-office.

As stated by Dr. Jain, this is a very impressive method for connecting more KOLs with more HCPs.

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In their press release*, GSK stated that:

“…bonuses for sales professionals who work directly with healthcare professionals and other customers will no longer be based on individual achievement of sales targets, but will be based primarily on the service they deliver to customers.”

It is clear that relying exclusively on trying to detail a HCP between patient visits is not ideal, and that additional ways of communicating pharmaceutical product information need to be implemented. This is essential information that provides great value to the HCP.

Indeed, what HCPs are really looking for is support in their daily practice that will enable them both to learn about new products or indications, as well as to receive answers to specific questions they might have. They need a way of getting this information quickly and efficiently with a high-quality interaction.

The availability of an on-demand service is, in effect, an added value to the medical product. A HCP who needs to choose between two drugs to prescribe to a patient, for example, can be expected to choose the product that offers better support from its pharmaceutical company. As with any purchase decision, part of that relates to the functionality of the product, and part is influenced by the consumer’s feelings towards the brand and the provider. Pharmaceutical products are not that different.

There are various ways in which a pharmaceutical company can provide that extra service which will put them ahead of their competitors. Field representatives can be better trained to answer questions, more KOLs and MSLs can be made available, and more lunch and learns can be scheduled. Yet the glue that ties all of these services together and really raises the game is the ability to communicate on demand.

Today’s technology, from the desktop computer to the tablet and smartphone, enables that on-demand communication which is so crucial to providing top-notch support to HCPs and to driving competitive advantage. On-demand support can be provided through the use of remote detailing services by representatives, medical specialists, and KOLs. Access to these resources can be made available via phones, tablets, brand websites, as well as other HCP-oriented sites.

*http://us.gsk.com/html/media-news/pressreleases/2010/2010_us_pressrelease_10067.htm (accessed 2011-09-26)

Aptilon’s survey data has shown that 61% of physicians are expected to be using the iPhone by the end of 2011, with 9% choosing Android and Blackberry devices. This shows a clear preference for Apple smartphones, and that trend carries on to the iPad as well, with 79% wishing to acquire the tablet.

It is often asked why it is that Apple’s products are so popular with the HCP community. There are likely to be several good reasons for this, including the following:

Availability of medical apps: iPhone has the best range of medical applications available. In addition, since it is the most used platform, it will always be the first platform to receive new applications.

Safety: You’re less likely to make the wrong decision if you go with the market leader.

Cool factor: Apple’s devices are simply the coolest!

Ease of use: The iPhone and iPad are the easiest devices to operate. You don’t need to be too tech savvy to use them.

The market for technical devices is notoriously fickle, and as HCPs were early adopters of smartphones, they may also prove to be early adopters of any other new communications technology. Aptilon’s mandate is to remain constantly informed about what technologies HCPs are using, and to help enable and facilitate communication between Pharma and HCPs.

Having one platform that is overwhelmingly popular enables strong innovation within that single platform, as opposed to having to spread resources across multiple platforms. In our case, for example, it means that Aptilon can bring innovations, such as screen-sharing and voice over IP communications, to tablet computing. This leads to a more targeted use of innovation, resulting in better services for HCPs, improved access for pharmaceutical companies, and improved outcomes for patients.

Each week, that doctor will receive an average of 124.6** patient visits, with 17* minutes allocated to each patient. With every additional patient, a physician can generate more revenue for their practice, so the incentive is always there to minimize activities that detract from the amount of time available for patients.

A physician, therefore, needs fast and direct access to the information that makes them more productive and effective during their work day. They don’t have time to seek out information; it has to be available on-demand in order to respond quickly to their needs. Valuable services provide such convenience to physicians.

With remote, on-demand live meetings, a representative or medical specialist can be instantly available during office hours to provide additional support to a physician. The convenience of being able to initiate a meeting from the most appropriate location, from a desktop computer, tablet, or mobile phone, provides this enhanced value to the busy doctor.

*http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/aboutus/specialty/facts/14.html (accessed 2011-09-26)
**http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/aboutus/specialty/facts/5.html (accessed 2011-09-26)

At different times of the day, and for different needs, they may visit different sites. They retrieve them by memory, from their bookmarks, from handwritten lists, and via Google searches. They know that certain sites will give them access to certain kinds of information that they need at a given time.

They also need to access information in different ways. Sometimes they will need written information from websites, safety data, or formulary information. At other times, they might have an urgent question to ask a medical specialist while a patient is waiting in their office, and at other moments they may have the opportunity to learn about new products from a representative or self-directed activity.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to connect with and provide that HCP with the information they need, in the format they need it, and at the very moment that it’s needed? Wouldn’t this improve the HCP’s appreciation of the brand, knowing that it offers an on-demand support service?

To be present and available via all of the different sites, devices, and communication methods a HCP might use requires a managed multichannel approach. It is essential to be able to correctly identify the HCP, track the activities they are engaged in, and provide invitations at the right moment depending upon the goals of the campaign that is being run.

Aptilon has been working with pharmaceutical companies for several years to provide comprehensive and effective multichannel campaigns. Every on-demand digital campaign or service will benefit from the expertise provided by Aptilon and the knowledge built into Aptilon ChannelHQ, the nerve center of every multichannel pharmaceutical campaign. Access to Aptilon ChannelHQ is provided through an Integrated Campaign or Enterprise Solution, ensuring effective use of all available channels to meet campaign goals.