You know how hard it is to get HCPs to pay attention these days. Their inboxes are overflowing, they have a million things demanding their time, and the last thing they want is another sales pitch about a new solution that likely won’t make their lives easier.
But it’s your job to figure out how to cut through the noise and engage HCPs with your important messages and services.
The good news is there are a few tried-and-true HCP engagement solutions that have been shown to resonate with even the busiest of physicians. In this article, we’ll explore the HCP engagement strategies and solutions that are poised to be the most effective this year based on recent surveys, case studies, and insights from leading life science and pharma experts.
Get ready to boost your engagement and make meaningful connections with HCPs.
Disclaimer:
If you are considering changing your HCP engagement platform, it is vital to consult your organization’s internal policies, recommendations, and lists of approved partners before consulting this list.
What are HCP engagement platforms?
Healthcare professional (HCP) engagement platforms are software solutions that allow pharmaceutical companies and medical device makers to connect with doctors, nurses and other HCPs. These platforms typically offer:
- Educational resources like online courses, webinars, educational events and content libraries with the latest research and treatment options in different therapeutic areas. HCPs can earn continuing medical education (CME) credits to maintain their licenses.
- Communication tools for sharing updates, answering questions and facilitating discussions between HCPs and medical science liaisons (MSLs). Some platforms incorporate social features that build community, like an activity feed.
- Data and analytics to gain insight into HCPs’ interests, knowledge gaps and preferred learning styles. This helps companies tailor their engagement and education efforts to be as relevant and impactful as possible.
- Management of speaker programs, advisory boards, investigator meetings, satellite symposia, pharma product launches, and other live events. From recruiting participants to measuring outcomes and everything in between, these platforms handle the logistical details so companies can focus on facilitating valuable interactions with HCPs.
- Integration with CRM systems to track HCP activities, interests and attributes to build more strategic, personalized relationships over the long term.
The best HCP engagement solutions in 2024 will likely be those that leverage digital-first experiences to create more immersive, and customized interactions. And those that integrate seamlessly into your pharmaceutical event tech stack to provide insightful HCP data. They will transform a company’s approach to HCP outreach and turn episodic interactions into continuous lifelong learning journeys and partnerships. Overall, the platforms that help build trust and add the most value for both HCPs and companies will come out on top.
How HCP engagement solutions drive omnichannel experiences
These days, HCPs expect omnichannel experiences with the companies they work with. So, HCP engagement solutions that provide seamless experiences across channels are critical.
Omnichannel HCP engagement solutions allow you to reach HCPs wherever they are. Whether it’s through email marketing, social media, web portals, mobile apps or in-person events, these solutions help you connect with HCPs in a coordinated fashion.
For example, if an HCP accesses information about your product on your website, an omnichannel solution would allow you to follow up with related content via email or invite them to an educational webinar on the topic. Or if an HCP attends your symposium, you could send them additional resources via your web portal and stay in touch via social media.
The key is using data and analytics to gain insights into HCPs’ preferences and behaviors across channels. Then delivering experiences tailored to their needs and seamlessly transitioning them between channels. This cultivates meaningful relationships and boosts HCP satisfaction and loyalty.
With constantly advancing technologies, meeting HCPs where they are has never been more important. Omnichannel HCP engagement solutions that provide coordinated, customized experiences are critical for success in 2024 and beyond. Investing in the right solution for your organization can help ensure your HCP relationships thrive in today’s digital age.
Key features of an HCP engagement solution
Customization
Any good HCP engagement solution should be highly customizable to your needs and workflows. Look for a platform that offers:
- Branding in the form of themes, logos graphics, colors
- Flexible outreach templates you can personalize for different HCP types
- The ability to schedule sends in advance and reuse/recycle content on a gated content hub
- Options to A/B test different content and messaging to optimize open and click-through rates
- Integrations with your pharma CRM and marketing automation tools to leverage existing data and better target your audiences
Analytics and insights
How are your messages resonating with HCPs? A robust analytics platform provides key insights into:
- Event engagement metrics to understand HCP behavior and preferences
- Open, click, and reply rates to gage message effectiveness and HCP interest
- Most popular content and messaging so you can optimize future campaigns
- HCP engagement and response times to determine the best days/times to send
- Trends over time to track the overall success of your HCP engagement programs
Omnichannel communication
Doctors and healthcare professionals today communicate via many channels – email, SMS/text, social media and more. The best solutions offer:
- The ability to engage HCPs across channels from a single platform, for example through in-person, virtual or hybrid events, as well as webinars and on-demand content
- Pre-built integrations with major social networks like Doximity, LinkedIn, and Twitter
- Options for SMS/text messaging in addition to email
- A consolidated view of HCP communication and interaction regardless of channel
Giving HCPs options to connect with your brand how and where they want will increase the likelihood of response and build better, long-term relationships.
Compliance and security
Last but not least, any tool used to engage HCPs must meet strict industry compliance and security standards like HIPAA. Look for a true HCP engagement solution designed specifically for healthcare that offers:
- HIPAA-compliant data hosting, transmission, and storage
- Robust user roles and permissions to control access
- The ability to run events that fully adhere to pharmaceutical compliance standards
- Options for two-factor authentication and single sign-on
- A long track record of serving healthcare and life science organizations
The right solution will give you peace of mind that your communications and HCP data are secure, private, and compliant. Focus on the relationships instead of the regulations.
Top HCP engagement platforms for pharma
When evaluating HCP engagement solutions, several top platforms stand out for pharma companies:
- SpotMe for events
- Veeva CRM for customer relationship management
- Salesforce Health Cloud for customer relationship management
- IQVIA Orchestrate for educational resources
- MedUniverse for patient simulations
- Giosg for real-time interaction
- Aktana for decision support
- PharMethod for communication
SpotMe: HCP engagement platform for events
Named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: B2B Event Management Technology, Q1 2023 report.
SpotMe is a versatile HCP engagement platform designed to foster more impactful and personalized interactions between pharmaceutical companies and HCPs. Its all-in-one event management platform supports the creation and delivery of any type of event – in-person, virtual, or hybrid – tailored to the needs of the healthcare sector.
SpotMe’s platform offers features such as real-time engagement analytics, interactive content delivery, and flexible CRM and MAP integration capabilities, such as Veeva, Salesforce, Hubspot, Marketo, RainFocus, and IQVIA. This allows life science companies to effectively educate HCPs about new treatments, facilitate scientific discussions, collect insightful HCP data, and build lasting professional relationships.
By using SpotMe’s mobile event app at in-person and hybrid events, in particular the congress companion app, pharmaceutical companies can navigate the complexities of HCP engagement, delivering meaningful experiences that align with compliance requirements and drive better healthcare outcomes.
Key features
- Deep CRM integrations to automatically store event engagement data in a single source of truth and analyze HCP behavior and preferences to drive your next best actions
- Numerous compliant engagement features to keep HCPs engaged at events, while respecting compliance standards
- Meeting scheduler to set up 1:1 / group meetings between sales reps / KOLs and HCPs at events
- Customization and targeting to provide personalized content, meet diverse HCP needs, and boost HCP engagement
Reviews
Get the full comparison between the best platforms for HCP events. Find the right platform that fits your event tech stack and needs.
Veeva CRM: HCP engagement platform for customer relationship management
Veeva is a leader in cloud solutions for the life sciences industry. Their Veeva CRM platform is an advanced, robust, cloud-based customer relationship management system for managing HCP relationships. It provides pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies with integrated solutions for customer data management, targeted messaging, multichannel engagement, and advanced analytics. Known for its reliability and scalability, Veeva CRM is recognized for its ability to streamline operations and improve efficiency in a highly regulated and complex environment.
Key features:
- Seamless integration with Veeva Vault for a complete view of HCP interactions and compliance management
- Integration with SpotMe, the leading life science event platform
- AI-powered data enrichment to capture relevant HCP attributes and areas of expertise
- Engaging portals for HCP collaboration and education
- Mobile apps to keep reps connected and productive on the go
Reviews:
Salesforce Health Cloud: HCP engagement platform for customer relationship management
As a pioneer in cloud CRM, Salesforce needs no introduction. Their Health Cloud solution is tailored for healthcare and life sciences. By bringing together clinical and non-clinical data into a single source of truth, Health Cloud helps leading life science and pharma companies elevate customer-first experiences, improve operational efficiencies, and influence the best outcomes.
Key features:
- Comprehensive HCP profiles combining internal data with public sources
- Einstein AI to gain insights into HCP behavior and preferences
- Communities for HCP collaboration and education
- Apps and bots to streamline rep workflows on any device
Reviews:
IQVIA: HCP engagement platform for data and analytics
Formerly known as IMS Health, IQVIA is a leading healthcare data and analytics provider that drives effective and efficient communication between healthcare organizations and their audiences. Using advanced analytics and data-driven insights, IQVIA allows organizations to design and execute strategic interactions based on HCP preferences and behaviors. This HCP engagement platform is recognized for its ability to synchronize digital and human interactions in real-time, allowing for more coherent and impactful conversations.
Key features:
- Unmatched healthcare professional data, with over 11 million HCP profiles
- Predictive analytics to target the right HCPs
- Integrated communications across channels like email, SMS, and portals
- Field force automation for a seamless experience from planning to execution
Reviews:
- G2 Score: No reviews
- Capterra Score: No reviews
MedUniverse: HCP engagement platform for patient simulations
MedUniverse is an HCP engagement platform specifically designed to facilitate enhanced engagement between pharmaceutical companies and HCPs. Its unique selling point is the creation of “patient cases” – simulated real-life patient scenarios that offer an interactive, gamified approach to product and disease understanding. This innovative feature enables pharmaceutical companies to educate HCPs about specific conditions and treatments in an engaging and memorable way.
MedUniverse’s comprehensive analytics suite provides valuable insights into HCP engagement, preferences, and knowledge gaps, thereby helping pharma companies refine their communication strategies and educational initiatives. The platform exemplifies a shift towards more interactive, personalized, and data-driven approaches in healthcare communication.
Key features:
- Patient case creation to create interactive patient cases that simulate real-world scenarios
- Engagement analytics to monitor HCP interactions, and identify knowledge gaps
- Interactive learning environment to promote an engaging and effective learning environment, making complex information more digestible and memorable
- Customized user experience ensure a personalized and targeted learning experience for HCPs
Reviews:
- G2 Score: No reviews
- Capterra Score: No reviews
Giosg: HCP engagement platform for real-time interactions
As an HCP engagement platform, Giosg brings a transformative approach to digital engagement in the healthcare sector. By combining AI-driven live chat with interactive content, Giosg facilitates real-time, personalized interactions between healthcare providers and HCPs. Its predictive analytics capabilities allow for the identification of engagement patterns and preferences, enabling more targeted and effective communication strategies.
Additionally, Giosg’s interactive content features can be utilized to educate HCPs about medical innovations, treatments, and disease management in a dynamic and engaging manner. Its robust analytics suite provides valuable insights into HCP behaviors and engagement levels, guiding the continuous optimization of communication strategies.
Key features:
- AI-driven live chat to facilitate real-time, personalized interaction
- Interactive content creation to stimulate user interaction and capture valuable data
- Predictive analytics to predict visitor behavior, enabling businesses to proactively adjust their engagement strategies based on these insights
- Integration capabilities, so you can leverage your existing infrastructure while adding unique Giosg capabilities
Reviews:
Aktana: HCP engagement platform for decision support
Aktana is a leading decision support platform for life science companies, playing a crucial role in HCP engagement. It employs AI and sophisticated analytics to deliver strategic insights and coordinated, multichannel actions that drive intelligent engagement. Aktana’s platform interprets vast amounts of data, recognizing patterns and suggesting the most effective communication strategies for individual HCPs based on their preferences, past interactions, and engagement history.
By integrating with existing systems and tools, Aktana helps align global strategies, local execution, and all customer-facing teams, including sales, medical affairs, and marketing, enabling life science companies to deliver consistent, meaningful, and personalized experiences to HCPs.
Key features:
- AI-powered decision supportto analyze vast amounts of data and suggest the most effective engagement strategies for individual HCPs
- Integrated multichannel engagement to ensure a consistent and personalized HCP experience
- Advanced analytics to continuously refine and optimize their HCP engagement strategies based on real-time performance and feedback
- Global-local alignment to improve efficiency and effectiveness in HCP engagement across diverse markets and regions
Reviews:
- G2 Score: No reviews
- Capterra Score: No reviews
PharMethod: HCP engagement platform for communication
PharMethod is an innovative HCP engagement platform designed to enhance communication and collaboration between life science companies and HCPs. It focuses on providing strategic solutions for life sciences marketing and sales teams, helping them to effectively reach, engage, and educate HCPs. PharMethod uses predictive analytics and segmentation to create personalized experiences and engagement plans for each HCP. It also emphasizes compliance, ensuring all interactions and activities align with healthcare industry regulations. By facilitating meaningful, data-driven interactions, PharMethod aids life science companies in building stronger relationships with HCPs and achieving better healthcare outcomes.
Key features:
- Targeted messaging to allow you to tailor messaging to each HCP’s specific needs, interests, and engagement patterns
- Advanced analytics to gain deep insights into HCP behaviors and preferences
- Multichannel engagement to ensure a consistent and effective approach to HCP communication
- Compliance management to ensure that all HCP engagement activities align with healthcare industry regulations
Reviews:
- G2 Score: No reviews
- Capterra Score: No reviews
With a variety of HCP engagement solutions on the market that have strengths in different areas, pharma companies have more choice than ever in platforms to effectively engage healthcare professionals. Evaluating options based on integrations, functionality, data, analytics, and ease of use will help determine the best system for your organization’s needs.
Emerging trends in HCP engagement software
The healthcare industry is constantly evolving, and HCP engagement solutions are no exception. Several trends are emerging that will shape the next generation of software.
Personalization at scale
HCP engagement platforms are getting smarter about personalizing experiences for each HCP. Using AI and machine learning, solutions can customize content, messaging, and workflows for individual preferences and behaviors. Yet these personalizations still need to be deployed at massive scale. Look for HCP engagement platforms that leverage data-driven insights to tailor experiences for hundreds of thousands of HCPs.
Omnichannel engagement
HCPs want to engage on their own terms, whether through email, web portals, mobile apps, or live events. Leading solutions will adopt an omnichannel approach, allowing HCPs to interact however they choose. This also means maintaining a consistent experience across channels through shared data, authentication, and branding.
Integrated data and analytics
Sophisticated analytics will be deeply integrated into HCP engagement software and other touchpoints. HCPs will have on-demand access to interactive reports, dashboards, and data visualizations. Using embedded analytics, they can gain data-driven insights to inform clinical decisions and improve patient outcomes. Solutions will also apply analytics to allow sales reps gain a 360-degree view of HCPs, enabling highly personalized experiences and the ability to define next best actions.
Focus on experience
The focus will shift from mere feature sets to the overall experience HCP engagement platforms provide. Solutions will be evaluated based on their ability to create simple, intuitive, and satisfying experiences at every touchpoint. This means seamless workflows, esthetic and accessible designs, and functionality that maps to how HCPs naturally engage and interact. Solutions that deliver an exceptional experience will build lasting loyalty.
Collaboration and community
HCPs don’t work in isolation, so platforms will facilitate new opportunities for connection and collaboration. Through online communities, activity feeds, and social features, HCPs can share knowledge, discuss clinical questions, and build professional networks with colleagues and key opinion leaders. This kind of peer-to-peer engagement will become vital for HCP engagement software now and in the future.
Choosing the right HCP engagement partner for your needs
Choosing an HCP engagement partner is an important decision that depends heavily on your specific needs and goals. Several factors to consider include:
Services offered
Do you need a full-service agency to help with planning, executing, and optimizing your HCP engagement strategies? Or are you looking for a specialized provider to handle just one aspect, like event management or advocacy consulting? Determine which services are priorities for your brand and look for partners that excel in those areas.
Looking for a specialized event management company to help you manage the behind-the-scenes? Consult our list of the best pharma event management companies we’ve worked with to find the right one for you.
Experience and expertise
An experienced partner that specializes in HCP marketing and education will understand the nuances of engagement in this field. They will have established relationships and insights into the preferences of different specialties. Ask about their team’s credentials, years of experience, client bases, and results achieved for other pharma or biotech brands.
Technological capabilities
With telehealth and virtual meetings becoming more popular, a partner that can facilitate digital engagement is essential. Look for those offering interactive and immersive virtual experiences, customized websites and portals, automated email campaigns, online communities, and data-driven personalization. They should utilize advanced analytics to gain actionable insights from all digital activities.
Account support
Once an engagement program launches, ongoing support, optimization, and measurement are required to achieve results. Determine how hands-on you want your partner to be and look for those that provide dedicated account management. They should schedule regular reviews of KPIs and program performance, suggesting tweaks to improve experiences and increase impact over time.
SpotMe offers professional event tech services. Get support in less than 30 seconds, 24/7. Find out more.
An HCP engagement partner is an extension of your brand, so do thorough research to find one that aligns with your vision and has the experience, services, and support model to make that vision a reality. Discuss options with stakeholders, vet top choices, and don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. The right partner can elevate your HCP marketing to new heights.
Discover the all-in-one event management and HCP engagement solution
The future of HCP engagement is all about choice, convenience, and personalization. Healthcare marketers who provide a modern digital experience with options for how and when professionals want to interact will build the strongest relationships and get the best results.
That’s where SpotMe can help. As an all-in-one event management and HCP engagement solution with 10 out of the top 20 leading life science and pharma companies in our customer database, we have the compliant software, industry expertise and professional event tech services you need to run engaging HCP events.
To find out more, request a demo.
