This document summarizes trends in physician education and continuing medical education (CME). It notes that physician participation in CME is growing along with the number and types of educational activities. Mobile devices are increasingly important for CME as most physicians now use smartphones and tablets. Clinicians also have more requirements to meet for certification and credentialing. However, barriers to CME are growing due to physician shortages, rising costs, and greater diversity in educational needs. The document advocates for more innovative and technology-enabled CME marketing strategies that can reach busy clinicians.

1. Glenn L. Laudenslager IV, MBA

2.  Physician participation growing
◦ Up 6% 2012 vs. 2011, up 35% vs. 2007
 Number of educational activities growing
◦ Up 13% vs. 2010
 Other things that are growing
◦ Non-physician participants
◦ Activities without commercial support
◦ PICME activities
◦ Income from other sources, such as registration fees
◦ Activities from hospitals, health systems, and schools of medicine

3.  Mobile is a driving force
◦ 81% of physicians use smartphones (Manhattan Research, 2011)
◦ 47% of physicians are digital omnivores – use smartphone, tablet and PC for clinical work
(Epocrates, 2013)
◦ 62% use tablets for professional purposes (Manhattan Research, 2012)
 Increase in usage of social media and number of influencers
◦ 60-90% of physicians use social media professionally or personally (QuantiaMD, Frost &
Sullivan, others; depends on study)

4.  Clinicians adjusting to new and evolving requirements
◦ Maintenance of certification
(http://www.abms.org/maintenance_of_certification/ABMS_MOC.aspx)
◦ Depending on state, credits are required in risk management, ethics, HIV, end of life
care, pain management
 Hospitals and health systems are increasing their influence
◦ MDs employed by hospitals ↑75% since 2000; practices owned by hospitals ↑90%+ since
2005 (MGMA, 2011)
◦ 73% of all CME activities, 66% of MD participations
◦ With shift towards quality and patient-centered care, more credentialing and education
requirements from health systems -- financial reward and quality measures linked to
clinical performance
◦ Education on other topics (training, IT, compliance, credentialing) will drive higher
utilization of internal processes (online and offline) that also deliver CME

5. Source: T. Gorrindo, Massachusetts General Hospital, 2013
Institutional Quality

6.  Physician shortages in key therapeutic areas
◦ Graduating physicians selecting primary care has declined in each year of the past decade
(MGMA, 2011)
◦ Key shortages in oncology, mental health, primary care, dental, and more
(HRSA, 2013, http://www.hrsa.gov/shortage/)
 Growth of PAs and NPs in care delivery system
◦ Growing influence due to physician shortages, healthcare needs in rural areas, new
patients due to healthcare reform, focus on patient-centered care models

7.  Growing interest, need & mandate for interprofessional
education
◦ Supports quality-based care and patient-centered care models
 Bigger barriers to participation
◦ Shortage of clinicians in key areas
◦ Rising costs mean less time away from practice
◦ More internal requirements
◦ Fragmented educational preferences
◦ Greater diversity in educational interests (EMRs, ethics, PCMH, complex patients, MOC,
risk management, new therapies, etc.)

8.  Market trends will drive growth in mobile utilization
◦ Busier schedules and growing clinical applications for tablets facilitate use of these
devices for education
◦ Health tracking apps, wearable devices and big data will drive mobile fluency

9.  Clinicians have less time to participate in education
◦ Clinicians have less time to search for education, and more competitive options
◦ You have less opportunities to meet specific educational needs
 Marketing needs new focus to be successful
◦ Strategic focus as important as tactical execution
◦ Customer engagement as important as customer acquisition

10.  Marketing and technology are no longer mutually exclusive
◦ Today’s most cost-efficient marketing channels and tactics go hand-in-hand with
technology that facilitates them

11.  Traditional tactics cannot be your only focus
◦ Traditional marketing tactics are disruptive
◦ What if I’m busy when your email arrives?
◦ What if I don’t have any time for education until 3 months from now?
 WYNTBURN tactics
◦ Content marketing
◦ Social media
◦ Search engine optimization
◦ Paid search

12. mghcme.org/dsm5
lunderdineen.org/whitepaper
lunderdineen.org/bathsalts
mghcme.org/downsyndrome
lunderdineen.org/veterans

15.  HCPs participate in CME for variety of reasons -- some we
can’t control, yet some are influenced by emotion & passion
◦ Customers evaluate your user experience from your marketing touchpoints to landing on
your website all the way through post-education communication
◦ Being discoverable matters
◦ Consistency and innovation matter
◦ Creative and messaging matter

16. Current and past health care clients
Glenn L. Laudenslager IV, MBA
chargeaheadmarketing@gmail.com
Twitter: @ChargeAheadMktg
Marketing to Today’s Clinicians, Medical Meetings, November 2013
http://meetingsnet.com/cme-design/marketing-cme-todays-clinicians
CME Market Statistics, August 2013
http://www.slideshare.net/glaudenslager/continuing-medical-education-marketing-info-
august-2013