Healthcare info vaccuum in most inundated info world
AMIT KATOCH
JAKSTAR PHARMA , CEO . Author, Mentor, Brand Specialist, healthcare Expert ,Ex-Novartis ,Ex-Ciba-Geigy,3 decades experience in pharmaceutical marketing. Associated with Premium hospitals for their niche marketing .
There was a time when each medical professional would see 10 to 50 companies giving him current medical information and they would also conduct frequent CMEs so that the Doctor fraternity would be well informed on the latest global innovations and practices. There have been occasions when in spite of having paucity of time doctors would listen to medical companies at the busiest places like OTs or while while walking down to their clinics .Sometime , by force for good only, medical companies would inform doctors on new product introductions and their role in newer indications. These all inputs would eventually benefit the patient who would get better prescriptions.
In fact, a medical practitioner was required to have up-to-date information and that was then served on the platter to the doctor and that's why innovation led organisations were respected and always welcomed at the consultants' clinics. There was an aura around the healthcare domain and it was considered quite honourable to be a part of Healthcare System. Pharmaceuticals companies were considered a pivotal and integral part of healthcare ecosystem.
Today with so much information doing the round through technology and media, the role of Pharmaceuticals has diminished as an information disseminator. The role seems to be taken over by apps and different online mediums. But has the soft education models been able to deliver ? I doubt it as these days more and more doctors are seen to be using only time tested drugs and are not going in for new generation therapies. Most of the doctors that I interact with do have educational apps but they seldom log into them for dearth of time and also learning from apps is very tiring and unhealthy too (affects eyes, neck and posture etc.).
领英推荐
How does it bode for the pharmaceutical industry? Luckily these companies are highly adaptable and know where the horse's mouth is , so they understand the need of the customer and deliver as per customer's demand. Sadly that accommodation has left science behind and now we need to find novel ways to educate medical practitioners so that they remain up-to-date.
Bigger companies need to find some some way out so that the gaps are bridged and they rise up to the expectations.
Do give your opinion on the matter.