Millennial physicians approach their practice differently than non-millennial physicians. They expect more collaboration with patients, peers, and pharmaceutical companies. They prefer learning about new treatments from their peers rather than independently. While they value the information provided by pharmaceutical companies, most will only consider it as a second opinion after finding information elsewhere first. Millennial physicians want transparency and authenticity from pharmaceutical companies and tools that integrate with their workflow and facilitate peer interaction.

1. MILLENNIAL
MINDSET
SPECIAL
REPORT
JUNE
2016
Healthcare Marketing
to Millennials
THE
COLLABORATIVE
CLINICIAN

2. MILLENNIAL MINDSET:
THE COLLABORATIVE CLINICIAN
What we found is that
age is more than just a
number when it comes
to being a doctor.Our Millennial Mindset series is bent
on finding out. In 2014, we took a
look at millennial consumers and
asked them about their concerns and
consumption habits. In 2015, we
analyzed which health brands are best
meeting the needs of Gen Y. Now in
2016, we’ve headed into the practice.
GSW, inVentiv Health PR Group, and
PALIO, all part of inVentiv Health,
teamed up to better understand the
distinct needs of millennial physicians.
We conducted an online study with
Fuel Insights from April to May of
2016 with 100 millennial primary care
physicians and 100 non-millennial
physicians.
59% of millennial
physicians believe
being a part of
Generation Y impacts
how they approach
their practice.
The impact on their practice can be
seen in the new expectations they have
for relationships with patients, peers,
and pharma, and in their desire for
greater collaboration with all three.
If you’re in the marketing/advertising/communications/
(insert any) industry, chances are you’ve read your fair
share of articles about millennials. We’ve heard the good
and the bad – they’re tech savvy and digitally addicted;
confident but sometimes entitled; idealistic, but not always
grounded. But beyond these broad attributes, how does
this generation view and consume healthcare information?
And why does it matter for healthcare marketing?
59%*Note: throughout this report “millennial doctor” refers to
physicians 26-36 and “non-millennial” doctors refer to those 36+.

3. When it comes to treating their millennial
patients, millennial doctors feel they
need to take a different approach. Four
out of five of millennial doctors think that
their Gen Y patients require a different
relationship with their doctors than non-
millennial patients (only 57% of non-
millennial doctors shared this sentiment)
and 66% of millennial doctors actually act
upon this and change their approach.
What do they do differently?
• They expect more: Millennial
doctors are more likely than non-
millennial doctors to ask Gen Y
patients to do additional research on
their own.
• They get into the details: Millennial
doctors are more likely to simplify
and streamline explanations for older
patients. On the other hand non-
millennial doctors were more likely
to simplify explanations for younger
patients.
• They rely on digital: Additionally,
Sermo’s 2016 Millennial Research
found that 73.9% of Gen Y physicians
rely on using digital resources for
treating millennial patients (but only
56.5% do so for non-millennial
patients).
While they take a different approach with
millennial patients than non-millennial
doctors do, in general Gen Y doctors
expect more from patients of all ages.
71% of millennial doctors believe it’s helpful
for patients to do online research before
their appointment.
However, don’t expect this new
generation of physicians to be swayed by
patient requests from a more-informed
patient: only 23% of millennial doctors say
they are influenced by patient requests
when it comes to prescribing a treatment
(whereas 41% of non-millennial doctors
report finding those requests influential).
MILLENNIAL DOCTORS EXPECT MORE FROM YOU
ESPECIALLY
IF YOU’RE
A MILLENNIAL
TOO
12%
of millennial doctors strongly
agree that they feel well
prepared to discuss specific
brands with patients.
Only
23%
of millennial doctors say
they are influenced by patient
requests when it comes to
prescribing a treatment.
Only
However, 41% of non-millennial
doctors find those requests to
be influential.
81%
of millennial doctors think that
millennial patients require a
different relationship with their
doctors than older patients.
Only 57% of older doctors shared
this sentiment.

4. Millennial doctors’ biggest influences when
considering new treatment options:
Other physicians (peers or mentors)
Third-party websites (Medscape, WebMD, PDR)
Conferences/Association Meetings
THEIR FAVORITE TEACHERS?
THEIR
PEERS
Only 14% of millennial
doctors prefer to learn
on their own.
Say peers are the most relevant
source for learning about new
treatments.
Only 14% of millennial doctors prefer
to learn independently. The majority
prefer two-way conversations when
learning about new treatment options
(52%), and their favorite conversation
partners happen to be their peers.
Nearly half of millennial doctors found
educational experiences that are driven
by their peers to be the most relevant
for learning about new treatments
(only 18% of non-millennial physicians
agreed), and millennial doctors also find
peers to be the biggest influence when
considering new treatment options.
This data also supports the conversation
that took place at this year’s MMM
inVentiv Health Roundtable where Sona
Shah, a millennial physician herself, was
quoted as saying “We also have access
to a huge network of other physicians,
so we’re constantly collaborating
with other doctors and learning from
other people. It’s a very team-oriented
approach.”
Other studies have identified millennial
physicians’ increasing propensity for
professional social media platforms in
order to receive second opinions or
connect with colleagues. However,
social media still isn’t the place to
discuss treatment options just yet:
78% of millennial doctors found
professional social media (Doximity,
Sermo, etc.) to be minimally or not
influential at all in learning about new
treatments.
Millennial
Doctors
Non-millennial
Doctors
52%
18%
14%

5. WITH PHARMA,
MILLENNIAL
DOCTORS ARE ONLY
LOOKING FOR A
SECOND OPINION
Millennial physicians are much more
likely to rely on a third-party website or a
peer for their healthcare information than
from brand content. 79% of millennial
doctors only refer to information from
pharmaceutical companies after they’ve
found information elsewhere. On top of
this, only 16% said they found pharma
promotional materials to be influential
when considering a new treatment
compared to 48% of non-millennial
doctors.
It’s not because they find the materials
difficult to use or poorly delivered. 77%
believe pharma’s content is presented in
an easy-to-use format, and 59% like the
way it is delivered.
So why is pharma a second resort? It
may be due to growing distrust. 65% of
millennial doctors indicated they did not
trust information from pharmaceutical
companies to be fair and balanced, while
only 48% of their older peers shared that
sentiment.
But it’s not all doom and gloom for
pharma with this newest generation of
physicians. 74% of millennial doctors
agree that pharma provides them with
helpful information, and 69% agree that
pharma does great things for people.
Only 16% of millennial doctors found pharma
promotional materials to be influential when
considering a new treatment compared to 48%
of non-millennial doctors who do.
%
Top features millennial physicians want in pharma-provided tools:
Integrate with their workflow
Provide proactive information
Provide health data tracking
Facilitate peer-to-peer interaction

6. Millennial physicians value the same things from pharma
that their generation values as a whole: 86% of Gen Y
doctors value transparency and authenticity from pharma
above all else. And, the generation that’s often accused
of being selfish may not be so selfish after all: after
transparency and authenticity, millennial doctors most
value patient-centricity from pharma (44%).
Patient centricity values also show up in their preference
for pharma-provided adherence support and in their
relationship with reps. Adherence support was the third
most useful thing that the pharma industry could provide,
and 46% of millennial doctors felt this was an area where
pharma could provide more support. When it comes to
detailing, 60% of millennial doctors are more likely to see
a rep if they offer important programs for their patients
(samples, co-pay, etc.) compared to only 47% of non-
millennial doctors.
Direct-to-consumer advertising has had a tumultuous tenure
in physician professional societies in the last two years,
punctuated by the American Medical Association’s move to
ban the practice. How do millennial doctors feel about DTC
advertising? For starters, more than half believe that DTC
serves to educate patients about new medications. But, an
overwhelming 81% of millennial doctors believe that DTC
advertising makes their job harder because patients ask for
medications they don’t need.
THERE’S ROOM TO
IMPROVE Unbranded Disease Info
Discussion Guides
Adherence Support
46%
58%Unbranded Disease Info
Latest Specific News
Healthy Lifestyle Info
The top 3 most useful things the pharma industry can provide:
42%
Millennial doctors prefer an in-person interaction
to an online rep.
According to millennial doctors According to non-millennial doctors
a common
“like”
40%
48%
67%
In-person Online Rep
41%
11%

7. As with any audience, sweeping generalizations about
how to best connect won’t get you very far. What we
do know is that millennial physicians are entering their
practice at a time when the industry is experiencing
sea change – from broad healthcare reform, like the
Affordable Care Act, to vast shifts in the exam room with
the implementation of electronic health records.
We also know that, as with their consumer counterparts,
millennial physicians are inundated with information and
want help figuring out what it all means. Peers will likely
always take the top spot in this role, but with a fairly high
“approval rating” among millennial physicians, pharma
isn’t out of the game just yet.
If pharma is sensitive to the challenges and needs of millennial
physicians in their interactions – from promotional outreach to
adherence tools, and from medical communications to detailing –
they can create value and an authentic connection. Here’s our take
on a few of the ways it can be done.
COMMUNICATIONS
In an era where non-personal tactics have become increasingly
important, we still need to keep in mind millennial doctors’ desire
for two-way conversation and community. Using non-personal digital
tactics to drive towards a personal or more dynamic engagement
will be crucial for this customer as will fueling and facilitating
collaboration between their peers.
ADHERENCE OUTCOMES
Medication adherence is a large part of the patient outcome equation
that is often best solved with the type of collaborative approach
millennial physicians favor. Tackling the complicated adherence
problem requires a wide variety of partnerships – such as those
between patients and physicians, as well as between physicians and
pharma – in order to move the needle on patient outcomes.
MEDCOMMS
For millennial physicians showing a higher distrust of pharma
than their older counterparts, medical communications can be an
effective way to bridge the internal narrative around a disease state,
product, and portfolio to external experts. This is more than simple
validation of content and ideas; it’s about engaging the wisdom and
enthusiasm of scientific, clinical, and educational leaders in a cause.
SALES REPS
Sales reps must earn the trust of these younger physicians by
respecting, accepting, and appealing to the values of the
millennial generation. It will be important for companies to arm
reps with tools and programs that offer value in terms of patient
support and adherence, and demonstrate compelling outcomes
that can help create a positive patient experience and efficiency in
treatment decisions.
REPUTATION
Millennials have been dubbed the “purpose generation” and
many believe that business can be a medium for “higher good.”
Pharma companies can exceed this expectation and build lasting
relationships with the newest generation of practitioners by offering
adherence solutions, implementing innovative patient support
programs, and creating shared value for communities.
WHY THIS
MATTERS
FOR
MARKETERS

8. About the authors:
GSW is a full-service healthcare communications agency that goes beyond
advertising to create personalized brand experiences that involve, inspire,
educate, and activate people through ongoing brand journeys. Building
partnerships with pharmaceutical, biotech, and health-and-wellness clients
in 18 major markets around the world, GSW creates marketing solutions
through a comprehensive and wide array of services.
inVentiv Health PR Group helps launch brands and builds the
reputations of companies working to improve human health. With
an integrated approach to communications, inVentiv Health Public
Relations Group includes four agencies – Allidura Consumer, Biosector 2,
Chamberlain Healthcare PR, and Chandler Chicco Agency – that offer best-
in-class capabilities spanning public relations, digital and social media,
medical and scientific education, and analytics and measurement.
PALIO is an advertising agency that ignites brands in bold and beautifully
disruptive ways. The agency is known for elevating client’s brand stories
to communicate high science in meaningful ways, creating innovative
experiences that balance business objectives with audience goals and
engaging audiences across multiple channels.
The integration of advertising, public relations, and medical
communications agencies at inVentiv Health drives complete
communications solutions that build corporate and brand value and
deliver on the bottom line.
GSW, inVentiv Health PR Group, and PALIO are all powered by inVentiv
Health, a global professional services organization designed to help
the biopharmaceutical industry accelerate the delivery of much-needed
therapies to market.
SPECIAL
REPORT
To discuss this exclusive report and its implications further, reach out to
a representative from GSW, PALIO, or inVentiv Health PR Group.
HOW ARE YOU
ENGAGING WITH
MILLENNIAL
PHYSICIANS?
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR.

9. GSW
500 Olde Worthington Road
Westerville, OH 43082
T: 614.848.4848
contactus@gsw-w.com
INVENTIV HEALTH PR GROUP
450 West 15th Street, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10011
T: 212.229.8400
prgroup@invevntivhealth.com
PALIO
450 West 15th Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10011
T: 212.849.9455
EXCLUSIVE REPORT FROM GSW, PALIO,
AND INVENTIV HEALTH PR GROUP
MILLENNIAL|MINDSET
Methodology
The millennial physician survey was conducted by Fuel Insights on behalf of inVentiv Health. There were 100 millennial (ages 26-36) physician respondents and 100 non-millennial (over 36
years old) physician respondents to the online survey fielded in the U.S. between April and May 2016.