According to the analysis, physicians currently participating in online physician communities should be of particular interest to pharma - as they write a mean of twenty-four more prescriptions per week than physicians with no interest in online physician communities. Additionally, the majority of physicians report that they expect pharma to monitor professional community sites and view this monitoring as a positive undertaking.
"With about 60% of physicians already using or interested in using physician online communities, it's the right time for pharma to look into the marketing and research opportunities offered by this channel," said Erika S. Fishman, author of the analysis and Director of Research at Manhattan Research. "Physician networkers' high prescribing rates and willingness to engage with pharma make them a valuable group to court."
Analysis Outline
Physician Online Communities: Physician Social Networking and the New Online Opinion Leaders
Who Is Using Physician Communities?
Physician Communities
- Sermo
- Medscape Physician Connect
- Other Physician-only Online Communities
- Specialty-specific Online Communities
- Student and Resident Online Communities
- Physician Communities within Social Networking Sites
What Does This Mean for Pharma and Others in the Healthcare Industry?
- Sermo for the Client
- Medscape Physician Connect for the Client
- Physician Opinion Regarding Pharma Involvement in Communities
Key Takeaways
For an excerpt from the analysis and more information about its contents, please visit: http://www.manhattanresearch.com/products/Research_Modules
/Physician/physician-online-communities.aspx
Accessing the "Physician Online Communities" analysis is immediately available to subscribers of Manhattan Research's Taking the Pulse® v8.0 market research and strategic advisory service. For more information about becoming a subscriber to this service and gaining access to the in-depth physician market data and analysis, visit http://www.manhattanresearch.com/products/Strategic_Advisory
/ttp/default.aspx
About Taking the Pulse® v8.0
Taking the Pulse® v8.0 is a physician study and strategic advisory service focused on how physicians use the Internet and technology in their practice and its impact on treatment decisions. Overall physician market data can be segmented into analysis of over 25 specialties. For more information, visit http://www.manhattanresearch.com/products/Strategic_Advisory/ttp/default.aspx
About Manhattan Research
Manhattan Research, a Decision Resources, Inc. company, is a leading market research and advisory services firm for global pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. For more information, visit www.manhattanresearch.com.
About Decision Resources, Inc.
Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at www.decisionresourcesinc.com.