iPad - Can it be Enabler of Pharma Field Force Excellence

Vol. 2 lssue 6 June 2012Will iPad be Enablerof SFE in Pharma?The use of devices like iPad is now However, there were several people whowidespread. Their convenience and had major objections like:productivity makes them indispensable 1) The iPad is just a dumb tool and isin our daily life. Professionals, including only as good as the person using it. Asdoctors consider iPad as an essential an analogy, an untrained soldier sent to aaccessory for their personal and war carrying the latest high tech weaponprofessional work. A Gartner report would in all likelihood shoot himself inpredicts 80% iPad adoption by pharma the foot than make any effective use ofsales forces in 2012. Besides interactive the weapon. Dr. Neelesh Bhandaridetailing, iPad has potential to understand 2) Touch devices are notoriously difficultdoctor needs, preferences, dislikes to utilize for data entry. Medical Reps find 1) Bad content is bad content, whetherand many other Rx factors. Pharma it difficult to type data into an iPad as printed on an LBL or demonstrated oncompanies are beginning to use iPads to compared to using keyboard devices like an iPad. More creativity is needed tointegrate CRM-CLM functions of Medical laptops and smart phones. combine science and aesthetics.Reps. iPad has the capability for real-time 3) Security of data was another key issue. 2) The tech platforms adopted by theinput from the HO to guide field sales Tablets like iPad are easily stolen and thus company has to be compatible with thepeople. So will iPad really be an Enabler cannot be used to store any classified or doctor’s tech ability as well. This will allowof SFE in Pharma given its capabilities? sensitive content. companies to easily integrate their services 4) There is just not enough high quality into existing services used by doctors.Active discussions on LinkedIn have engaging content or really useful apps for 3) Data collection needs to be automatedthrown up some very interesting points to the pharma field force to use on iPads, fully and manual data entry by the Medicalponder on. Most pharma professionals yet. Rep needs to be made easier.agree that use of tools like iPad can be a 5) Though iPad use has demonstrated 4) Pharma companies need to analyze allboon for Medical Reps. The advantages operational cost cutting, there is no data the existing data and create new utilityof using a versatile tool like the iPad are: or actual proof of revenue generation. apps specifically for their own needs.1) They allow the field force to present 5) The field force should be impartedmore effectively and at the same time The iPad needs to be used as more than special training in use of iPads to allowminimize mistakes and communication just a visual aid. A good CRM/CLM them to derive maximum benefits fromerrors. solution on the iPad needs to fulfill the these new tools.2) Response time to doctor’s queries is cut following things:down as iPad allows answers to be pulled 1) Be a native app. Only native apps allow iPad is not the secret sauce. The secretdown instantly from a content library for the full-fidelity user experience that sauce is what is on the iPad. Any advance,hosted on the Cloud. consumers of today are used to. which can improve the interactive skills3) The data captured from interactions 2) Fully embrace the iOS app-style of user of Medical Reps, is a useful addition,(pages viewed, pages skipped, links interactions (gestures, swipes). if correctly applied and properly used.clicked, time spent on page, etc) can 3) Be 3G enabled and also be able to work Do you have a strategy to make theprovide marketing people with analytics completely offline. best use of devices like the iPad in yourand insights – a new be a source of 4) Closely integrate CRM and CLM to organization?actionable business intelligence. mitigate any double entry of data.4) It enhances the value of Medical 5) Allow customization of content to suit Dr. Neelesh BhandariReps in the eyes of doctors. The wide the target audience. Author of MedCom Strategiescapabilities of such a tool transforms (www.digmed.in) ffeMedical Reps from just another source The future is already here. The newof information into a knowledge and generation of employee is tech savvytechnology partner to help doctors and has come to see tools like iPad as annavigate through the endless sources of essential accessory at the workplace. As 2012information as well as how to use that pharma companies migrate to the use ofdata to improve patient outcomes. iPads, there are a few roadblocks, which5) It allows the head office to collect and need to be smoothened out:collate field reports in near real time. MedicinMan Field Force Excellence www.medicinman.net MarCom Partners: www.creativesthatwork.com

iPad - Can it be Enabler of Pharma Field Force Excellence

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