Challenging the Status Quo in HCP Omnichannel Communications

The Preference Paradox: Is Your Pharma Content Failing to Reach Time-Poor HCPs?

In an increasingly competitive and noisy digital healthcare landscape, a pharma company’s core mission, improving patient outcomes,is directly linked to its ability to influence HCP clinical behaviour. Yet, reaching busy clinicians with the right message at the right time is harder than ever before.

Is the industry still relying on traditional methods that no longer cut through?

In our recent webinar, ‘How to meet your Physicians where they are online – Challenging the Status Quo in HCP Omnichannel Communications’, a panel of global experts challenged conventional wisdom, dissecting the key communication failures and the necessity of a bold strategic re-evaluation.

The discussion featured:

• Liisa Caliendo, Senior Vice President of Global Product and Marketing at Medscape.
• Michael Brandreth, Senior Vice President of Global Sales at Medscape.
• Justin Freid, Chief Media & Innovation Officer at CMI Media Group.
• Kelly Smith, Chief Executive of Health at Four.

Here are the most pressing challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry today and how our experts frame the problem:

1. The Omnichannel Identity Crisis

The term ‘omnichannel’ has become so ubiquitous that some argue it is nearing a “redundant description”. While it implies a seamless, integrated approach, many products or offerings misuse the term, sometimes calling a mere two-channel approach ‘omni’ and thereby diluting its true meaning.

The challenge: How do we move away from a “shopping list of different channels” and towards a model that genuinely centres on where HCPs are choosing to spend their time? And, in a globally restricted environment, what capabilities must the industry evolve and improve to drive better integration and orchestrated experiences?

2. The Time Poverty and Digital Noise Crisis

HCPs operate under overwhelming schedules and demanding clinical environments. This, combined with a deluge of content released online, creates a severe “time poverty crisis” that makes it extremely challenging for physicians to find the information they need.

The challenge: If physicians are inundated, especially from the industry’s historical over-reliance on a ‘push’ model (e.g., Rep-sent emails), how can pharma ensure its critical information is actually absorbed? What communication preferences are being ignored, and how can we put the individual doctor back in the driving seat?

3. The Quest for Trust

The pharmaceutical industry’s mission to improve patient outcomes hinges on building and maintaining a trusting relationship with the HCP. However, pharma is often not viewed as an independent source of information, making the path to trust more difficult.

The challenge: In an era of content saturation, HCPs face a challenging search for credible, unbiased, and clinically relevant information. How can a brand ensure its messages are fair and balanced, and what role do third-party Sources of Authority play in bridging the trust gap, especially when the industry’s “Build Build Build” approach to consent is often seen as pharma-centric?

4. The Reach and Segmentation Hurdle

Effective strategies require advanced audience segmentation that takes into account factors beyond demographics, such as affinity, promotional sensitivity, and patient population. However, the temptation to over-segment can be a logistical trap.

The challenge: Where is the line between precise segmentation and creating an unrealistic content burden due to approval requirements? Furthermore, how do you consistently engage and attract the “hardest-to-reach” HCPs, those in previously inaccessible or highly specific digital environments?

The Way Forward: Practical Takeaways Await

This panel discussion went beyond framing the problems and provided actionable insights. The ultimate takeaway? Whether you’re in one channel or several, focus on ensuring your message is clear, succinct, and respectful of the doctor’s time—because the worst thing you can do is get in front of a doctor and give them information they don’t need.

To discover the practical solutions, frameworks, and technology blueprints shared by our experts from Medscape Extend, CMI Media Group, and Four, watch the recording of the webinar today.

Meet the participants:

Medscape:
Liisa Caliendo – Senior Vice President of Global Product and Marketing
Liisa Caliendo is a highly accomplished marketing and communications leader with over 15 years of experience in global product and marketing roles. She is currently the Senior Vice President of Global Product and Marketing at Medscape, where for the past 12 years she has successfully built a US and global team and strategy to lead digital innovation in the healthcare space across commercial and medical affairs divisions. Liisa holds a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology, and prior to joining Medscape she was selected for a fellowship at the CDC, led data product creation at Elekta (an oncology EMR and medical device company), and worked as a consultant at IQVIA. 

Michael Brandreth – Senior Vice President of Global Sales
Michael started his career with the Financial Times Group as a market and media analyst, before spending over a decade working for advertising agencies helping create several award-winning digital campaigns.

Spotting an opportunity to put his communication planning skills and experience to use in a completely different industry sector, he moved into healthcare publishing and spent a number of years at M3. In 2015, he joined WebMD/Medscape, where he now heads up the Global Commercial & Medical Affairs team. Michael works closely with healthcare organisations to drive real, measurable changes in clinical practice through a mix of promotional and educational programmes.

CMI Media Group:
Justin Freid – Chief Media & Innovation Officer, CMI Media Group
Justin works at the intersection of people, technology and data to fuel growth. During his tenure at CMI, he has been instrumental in the growth of the company’s award-winning media capabilities and guides the evolution of the agency’s services across the globe. By keeping a pulse on consumer behavior and advancements in technology, he readies the agency to take advantage of the ever-changing landscape. 

Prior to joining CMI Media Group, Justin held positions at various SaaS tech start-ups and performance focused advertising agencies. Justin is widely recognized for this thought leadership, and has been honored as a MM+M 40 Under 40, PharmaVOICE 100 and PM360 ELITE.

Four:
Kelly Smith – Chief Executive, Health
Kelly is chief executive of our health sector services and has 20 years’ experience leading teams and driving innovation. She is a leading healthcare strategist in developing UK and global integrated healthcare professional and patient-centric campaigns. Kelly has continued to push the boundaries by creating cutting edge and outcome driven routes for pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, wellbeing brands and charities.