Measuring the Value of Medical Affairs in 4 Steps

Measuring and demonstrating the value of Medical Affairs (MA) has always been a challenge given that things like regulatory approvals or revenues don’t apply when it comes to measuring the impact of medical teams as they do to clinical development and commercial organizations respectively. That’s why a framework is required for MA not only to define the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to be used but also to make the most out of them. These KPIs can actually vary greatly from company to company and can also evolve over time along with the evolution of the company’s portfolio. Therefore, there is not a standard set of metrics that apply to all medical organizations but with this framework MA leaders will be able to measure the value of what their teams bring to the company and ultimately to our society.

Step 1 - Set the strategy, priorities, and goals. 

Develop objectives that align with the strategic vision of the organization and define what success looks like.

The cross-functional conduction of a thorough situational analysis and the definition of a common strategy should always be the starting point for a medical team to properly define priorities and goals. This is of crucial importance as it helps not only to define the strategic direction for the organization but also to set the bar and agree on what success looks like. The medical plan should cover all of the domains, also known as the 4 Cornerstones of Medical Affairs: Insights Generation, Evidence Generation, Scientific Platform, and Medical Education.

Step 2 - Define the metrics. 

Identify the KPIs for each of the 4 Cornerstones of Medical Affairs.

Once a robust medical plan and clear objectives for each Cornerstone are available it is time to define the specific metrics the medical team will measure to assess the progress made against them and therefore show the value being generated. Here are some standard KPIs for each cornerstone and more can be added depending on the specific needs of the team. In particular, structured feedback from internal and external stakeholders is an excellent way to assess the achievements of the medical organization against expectations people outside the team have.

1) Pivotal decisions resulted from insights

• Timely generation of insights to address knowledge gaps
• Actions being taken in response to insights
• Feedback from internal stakeholders

2) Data generation leading to changes in clinical practice

• Studies (Phase 4, RWE, IIT, etc) addressing unmet medical needs
• Publications and conference presentations to report study findings 
• Changes in formulary decisions or guidelines

3) Development, update, and use of the scientific platform (SP)

• Timely development and update of the SP to include the latest scientific evidence
• Actual utilization of the SP for medical communication and scientific exchange
• Feedback from internal and external stakeholders

4) Improved patient outcomes deriving from medical education

• Educational activities for each channel (MSLs, publications and altmetrics, symposia, medical information, etc)
• External sentiment, adoption, and coverage of the relevant scientific data being shared by the MA team (media, congresses, etc)
• Feedback from external stakeholders

Step 3 - Monitor the metrics. 

Track the progress the team is making towards achieving the goals.

Keeping track of the value being generated by medical affairs should be a continuous process but as for anything that’s supposed to be done in perpetuity, automation is key. The more the data entry, analysis, and reporting can be automated, the more convenient and beneficial this process will be for the team. Also, developing a dashboard that allows for rapid and visual fruition is very helpful. The ongoing digitization of medical affairs is actually helping to make medical activities more measurable and the whole tracking process more automated. The fact that interactions with external stakeholders are now happening virtually, insights generation can be powered by artificial intelligence, and medical education is mostly digital, makes things easier for medical organizations interested in measuring the value of these activities.

Step 4 - Establish a feedback loop. 

Continuously fine tune the goals and improve the metrics in order to further strengthen the value of the medical organization. 

Defining and tracking KPIs with the only goal of measuring the contribution of medical affairs is a big missed opportunity. The best way to fully leverage the potential of this process is to ensure it will make the medical team better and better over time. This is a great opportunity to take a critical look at the value delivered by MA, celebrate achievements, and constructively plan for even greater impact in the future. 

With health care providers increasingly restricting access to their physicians and payers relying more heavily on RWE when making formulary decisions, MA can create a strategic competitive advantage for bio-pharmaceutical companies that appreciate its value. The ability to demonstrate improved patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness while maintaining public trust will be the unique value proposition of MA moving forward. But MA leaders will have to learn how to measure, analyze, and demonstrate that value to the healthcare ecosystem.

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All the views, analysis, and perspectives are fully independent and belongs to the author only. They do not represent the views or opinions of any company or organization.