How health professionals search for information Being a health professional today is far different from what it used to be. This observation might seem simple, but it actually implies a lot. Not only have the tools, methods and software changed, but the advent of digital technology has revolutionized looking for information and keeping up-to-date. This is why we decided to ask health professionals how these changes affect their daily lives and how they integrate the new methods into their practices.

1. ?
New digital practices
of health professionals
How health professionals
search for information

2. 2
Introduction

3. Foreword
Being a health professional today is far
different from what it used to be. This
observation might seem simple, but it
actually implies a lot. Not only have the
tools, methods and software changed,
but the advent of digital technology
has revolutionized looking for informa-
tion and keeping up-to-date.
This is why we decided to ask health
professionals how these changes affect
their daily lives and how they integrate
the new methods into their practices.
3
[2015]

4. Methodology
To this end, we surveyed the field in
December 2014. Almost 1800 people in
the field of healthcare answered our
questions. We then focused on the 1056
answers we received from health
professionals.
The survey was conducted in 5
languages: German, English, Spanish,
French and Italian.
4
1800
respondents
5
languages
1056
answers
from health
professionals
[2015][2015]

5. Share of web traffic
by device
Before we delve into the work practices
of health professionals, here’s a quick
overview of general trends in NICT* use.
5
Average: 4.4h/day on desktops
62% desktops |-13% vs 2014
7% tablets |+17% vs 2014
*New Information and Communication Technologies Source: Digital, Social and Mobile in 2015 by We Are Social Singapore
Average:
2.7h/day on mobile devices
31% mobile phones |+39% vs 2014
[2015]

6. ?
6
Health Professional
Profiles and Practices

7. Health Professionals profiles
7
?
42%
33%
4%
8%
1%
US 72%
Canada 28%
2%
3%
Italy 43%
Spain 20%
France 15%
Germany 6%
Russia 18%
Ukraine 13%
Greece 12%
Bulgaria 11%
Egypt 25%
Turkey 22%
Iran 16%
Saudi Arabia 13%
Mexico 26%
Argentina 14%
Venezuela 12%
Ecuador 11%
Algeria 37%
Tunisia 26%
Morocco 17%
Sudan 6%
India 47%
Pakistan 21%
China 11%
Bangladesh 4%
Australia 60%
New Zealand 20%
New Caledonia 20%
[2015]
7%

8. 8
74.3%
25.7%
7.83%
42.17%
53.63% 16.25% 11.81%
15.94%
34.06%
Health Professionals profiles
??
€
under500K
€
500K-1M
€1-5M
€
< 29 YO
>60YO
45-59YO
30-44 YO
Company's annual turnover
90%
under
5M€
[2015]

9. 9
[2015]
Health Professionals profiles
??
3.26%
10.34%
23.58%
Manufacturer of equipement
Doctor's Practice
10.44%
14.26%
28.33%
Maintenance
Care Center
Hospital
6.24%
1.12%
0.84%
Laboratory of bio-medical analysis
Retirement Home
Center of medical imaging
Rehabilitation Center

10. Which tools do they use?
Despite the appearance of new digital tools (search engines,
specialized portals, e-magazines), catalogues (45,58%) as well as
specialized print media (23,13%) remain a fundamental
reference for health professionals. At the same time, new media
such as newsletters (29.93%), social networks (13.04%) and
specialized blogs (12.93%) have emerged. Other, even more
innovative media, include webinars (13.04%) and online video
channels (10.32%).
10
Search Engines |64.74% E-magazines |34.01%
NEWS
Specialized Portals |39.34%Catalogues |45.58%
[2015]

11. Which search criteria are
taken into consideration?
Two trends emerge from the criteria used by
health professionals during their research. First,
they want to facilitate and speed up the search
and access to information. Next, 54.58% want to
know the prices of products and 47.23% want to
be able to compare products. In addition, 24.18%
want a large range and 38.64% exhaustive
product range.
11
?
Contact
4
Retailer contact tools|43.28%
Product comparison option|47.23%
Product
comparison
3
Display of prices|54.58%
Display
of prices
2
Quick access to information|61.02%
Quick
access
1
[2015]

12. 12
Specialized
Websites

13. Who are the specialists
on the web?
13
www
www
[2015]

14. What do health professionals
look for on these websites?
Their research on these specialized
websites is driven by the hunt for both
specific products (with the intention of
buying them) and new products.
14
29.10%
31.64%
47.74%
68.36%
Retailer(where to buy)
News & Trends
New Products
Specific Products
[2015]

15. How often do they use
these tools?
More than 55% of the responding health
professionals use a specialized website at
least once a week. That figure alone
shows how much their methods have
changed and how important such a tool
has become.
15
55%
use a specialized
website
Less than 1/month
1/day
1/month
1/week
[2015]

16. How do these tools fit into
a professional approach?
Over 64% of the responding health professionals
use such websites to keep abreast of market
news and trends, but also 25.69% use them for
product purchase. This shows us 1/4 of the
responding health professionals use specialized
websites in their buying process, which
demonstrates that these tools have better
adapted to their needs.
16
25.69%
46.01%
64.88%
Complete Buying Process
Product Sourcing
Stay up-to-date with Market News & Trends
[2015]

17. 217
Conclusion

18. Complementarity of the digital
and the physical
If digital tools seem to take pre-
cedence in the health professional’s
work process, it is important to
understand that they have not
replaced traditional tools. The digital
and the physical complement each
other and make health professionals’
lives easier.
18
Which tools do they use?
23.93%
29.93%
45.58%
Specialized Press
Newsletters
Catalogues
34.01%
39.34%
64.74%
E-magazines
Specialized Portals
Search Engines
25.06%
13.04%
13.04%
Trade Shows
Social Networks
12.93%
10.32%
Specialized Blogs
Online Video Channel
Webinars
[2015]

19. 19
As we have seen, these new tools and
practices give health professionals
access to more sources of information
for their work.
Ongoing digital innovation should pro-
vide new ways for them to get even
more precise information. For example,
we have seen that webinars and online
video channels are becoming sources
of professional information in their own
right.
A New World
of Opportunity
[2015]

20. 20
A New World
of Opportunity
But we also know that specialized
blogs and social media networks are
already used as reliable sources of
information by health professionals.
These new tools and practices open
the door to marketing opportunities,
such as content branding and cross-
media activities, which enable brands
to establish a unique and targeted dia-
logue with health professionals.
[2015]

21. ?
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