# Introduction he paper was aimed to understand the need gaps and the potential opportunities that are available in the marketing/promotional initiatives for the medical fraternity. This was done by conducting a primary market research which involved face-to-face interviews with the physicians of different specialities. 11 specialities of doctors were chosen to have holistic and a representative result/feedback. Along with the initiatives the doctors were asked to give feedback on the performance and effectiveness of sales representatives, where the doctors preference of how sales reps should approach the doctors could be mapped. Feedback on the digital initiatives, the technology based advancements in the engagement approaches by the pharmaceutical companies. Author ?: e-mail: rajeshkumarrx32@gmail.com II. # Literature Review Many countries have measures in place to limit advertising by pharmaceutical companies. In India, the direct to user/consumer advertisement i.e. "Patient" is not allowed according to the law. Hence the promotion and advertisements are channelized towards the doctors, as they have a direct relationship with the patients. The Pharmaceutical firms communicate and send the message about their products to the Patients Via Doctors. This is accounted as "Marketing to healthcare providers". ? Marketing to health-care providers takes three main forms: activity by pharmaceutical sales representatives, provision of drug samples, and sponsoring continuing medical education (CME). ? The pattern has evolved witnessing a shift from these traditional initiatives to the new age digital initiatives. ? However, a blend of traditional practices and the newer initiatives pertaining to the technology and advancement is the most practised and followed in the pharmaceutical system. ? Pharmaceutical companies have their distinct customers: "DOCTORS", hence every pharmaceutical firm engages the physicians with a host of promotional tools. ? The basic intent behind these tools is to build a long term relationship with the doctors in order to ensure continuous business and support from the doctors towards their firm. ? While the companies make efforts and positively influence doctors, such initiatives highly encourage doctors to prescribe their drugs marketed by their sales representatives. Interpretation: ? From the above picture it can be inferred that, Educational/Academic initiatives are the most preferred initiative accounting to 88% (Ranked 1) and Patient Engagement initiatives are perceived as most important by 12% of the doctors. The Consultancy services stand at 10% followed by Brand promotional tools are ranked most important by 4% of the doctors and finally Special services are marked as important by 3% of the doctors. Which initiative influences your prescription behavior the most (Kindly tick the most relevant option)? # Interpretation: While in terms of usefulness of the initiative, again Educational initiatives and Patient Engagement appear to be most influential initiatives.79% of the physicians consider the educational/ academic initiatives the most useful and thereby play a role in influencing the prescription and 43% of physicians consider patient engagement initiatives most useful. The Consultancy services are considered as most useful initiative by 12% of the doctors. The Special Interpretation: ? Product literature was perceived as Clinical updates: regarding the drugs and studies on it about various types of reactions, efficacy etc. The Clinical updates (51%) are considered most useful to recall brand name, followed by 25% of Visual aid/e-detailing. 19% of Product samples, 5% of Clinical brand reminders. Feedback on Consultancy to Pharma Companies 5. In Consultancy to Pharma Companies given a choice, which initiative would you prefer the most? (Rank in an order of 1 to 3 for each). # Interpretation: For Consultancy services, PMS (41%) most preferred followed by Advisory Board meetings (40%). Feedback on Special Services: 6. Doctor, amongst the various Special Services which initiative is the most preferred by you? (Rank in an order of 1 to 5 for each). Interpretation: 68% Doctors prefer gifts of clinical utility, followed by 14% of them preferring planned tours and vaccations. 8% of them prefer Gifts for general utility. 6% each for Gifts for special occasions and festive occasions. # 40% Feedback on Sales Representatives 7. Amongst the various factors to assess the sales reps, which factors do you consider most important (rank in an order of 1 to 6 for each)? # Interpretation: The doctors perceive Communication skills (43%) followed by Product knowledge (26%) as most important factors to assess sales representatives. 20% of the physicians perceive regularity of visits the most important. 9% of them expressed that scientific knowledge as a important parameter. 2% building customer relations and 2% problem solving ability. consultancy agreements should be done in order to engage and attract the interested physicians. 6. E-detailing being the preferred medium, improve the proficiency of the sales reps for e-detailing. 7. Mobile apps for doctors can be launched with regular drug updates, apps with access to complete drug information and access to latest journals. # Section VIII: Feedback on ![](image-2.png "") Marketing/Promotional Initiatives by Pharmaceutical Companies -"Doctor's Perspective"CME'S attended per month by the physicians:09%Textbooks, Subscription of journals, research articles157%44%15%7%7%4%6%1% 1%CMEs/Doctor Group Meetings19%49%24%4% 1% 1% 1%International Conferences9% 218%10% 29%12%22%7%7%13%Year 20206% 1% 3% More than National/Regional Conferences 29% 10%18% 13% 18%16%32% 13%13% 19%12%22%10%Year 2020 Year 202044 Global Journal of Medical Research Volume XX Issue VII Version I ( D D D D ) B79% 58% Very helpful 24% ? Among the Patient Engagement initiatives, Patient Awareness programs (51%) and Patient Education material 43% 21% 43% 6% 12% 9% 12% 59% 30% 1% 32% 24% 3% 6% 36% Extremely helpful Moderately helpful Slightly helpful Not at all helpful Interpretation: 1% 4% 1% 1% 4% 1% 7% 7% 16% 1% 15% 13% 3% 15% 24% 9% 22% 25% 25% 22% 7% Online Certification 51% 9% 10% courses CME in alliance with Global Doctor Association International/Foreign Speaker Program (ISP) Rank1 Rank2 Rank3 Rank4 Rank5 Rank6 Rank7 Rank8 34% 22% 18% 10% 6 to 8 Upto 2 2 to 4 8 to 10 Interpretation: 51% 41% 6% 38% 31% 16% 9% 24% 43% 1% 4% 35% Patient awareness programs Patient education material Disease detection camps ? Interpretation: 6% 15% 21% 59% Digital/Social Media Campaigns Rank1 Rank2 Rank3 Rank443 Global Journal of Medical Research Volume XX Issue VII Version I ( D D D D ) 45 Medical Research Volume XX Issue VII Version I ( D D D D ) B Global Journal of10% (41%) are considered most important to build connect/influence the patients. The Disease detection camps and 4 to 6Digital/social media campaigns have bagged 6% each.> 106%© 2020 Global Journals? The usefulness of the initiatives towards the up gradation of the knowledge has seen highly fragmented response pattern. In Edu./Academic initiatives, Textbooks, Subscription of journals, research articles(57%) and CMEs/Doctor Group Meetings(19%) are considered most important to upgrade scientific knowledge. If the top two ranks are considered as the parameter, The Edu/academic initiatives are considered as most important to upgrade the scientific knowledge accounting to 72% of the physicians and followed by CME's with 68% of the doctors. The International conferences were considered as most useful by 27% of the doctors. Followed by national conferences and other online initiatives.2. Talking about CMEs, how many invitations do you receive for a CME per week? Out of those invitations, how many do you prefer to attend?CME's Invitation per month:Feedback on Patient Engagement Initiatives:3. Doctor, amongst the Patient Engagement Activities, according to you which initiative is important to build your connect/influence the patients? (Rank in an order of 1 to 4 for each)Feedback on Brand Promotional Tools: 4. Amongst the various brand promotional tools which tool helps you recall the brand name the most (rank in an order of 1 to 4 for each)? Marketing/Promotional Initiatives by Pharmaceutical Companies -"Doctor's Perspective" Marketing/Promotional Initiatives by Pharmaceutical Companies -"Doctor's Perspective"12. What are your expectations from a knowledge sharing app in your clinical practice?Gifts of clinical utility68%13%2%17%Expectations from Knowledge sharing app8% No time for mobile applications/Not prone to use apps 44% 14% General Utility Gifts 18% 4% 36% 33% Not at all useful17%17%6% Apps with regular updates on Drug 21% 12% Gifts for Special Occasions ?32% Slightly useful29%14% 16% Apps with Drug Details: MOA, side effects, contraindications 6% 36% 6% Planning for Domestic Tours/ Vacations / ? 78% Moderately 15% useful Apps which are User Friendly39%26% 20% 15% 42% 12% 3% 9% 2% 2% 3% 3% 26% 8% 24% Rank1 Rank2 Rank3 21% 6% 6% 22% Rank1 Rank2 Rank3 Rank4 45% 39% 24% 27% 42% Rank5 22% E-detailing 61% 14% Rank6 Rank4 Rank5 Reasons for preferring e-detailing over print Eco-friendly/Saves paper Saves Time Visually effective Easy to understand Informative references available Convenient Informative Graphically explainative Technical advancements Informative graphs available More than 3/4th of the doctors preferred E-detailing over Print medium. Product Knowledge Communication Skills Regularity of Visits Scientific Knowledge Building Customer Relations Problem Solving Ability Gifts for Festive Occasions Interpretation: 9. Compared to the traditional detailing, can you give us a satisfaction score for E-Detailing on the following 20% 6% 12% 21% 3% 6% 3% 21% 2% 5% 6% 27% 44% 38% 25% 27% 41% 34% 45% 13% 20% 25% 5% 14% 2% 4% 7% content clinical reminders tools are the least preferred. 2% Use of Scientific Reference/Graphs Total Time taken for detailing Visual Comfort/Visibility of CiplaMed App Pastest App Epocrates App NbN2 App attend 1 CME. 4. At patient level, Physicians prefer more of patient awareness programs, and less disease detection camps. 5. To recall brand names, Clinical Updates are most helpful, followed by Visual aid/ E-detailing, while In-invitations per month, while only 44% of the doctors parameters, (1 is least satisfied and 5 is most satisfied). Print Both Mobile apps names recalled by the doctor Medscape App Medline mobile App by -Sun Pharma, Glenmark, Intas, Zydus, Cipla, Abbott, Femme Health, Aresto, Nestle, USV Knowledge Genie App Up to date App 1 mg App 1% 22% 35% Apps which include Patient awareness and knowledge Apps Which gives Scientific Knowldege Update Apps with Drug Details 24% 17% Mobile apps Social media campaigns Apps with Disease specific information Apps which give access to latest Journals/research articles Would prefer Google, E-mails and SMS for updates Insights After a comprehensive research and analysis about the various promotional/engagement initiatives involved in the sector of marketing and advertisement done to the health-care providers, it is observed that: 1. Among all the initiatives, Edu./Academic initiatives have taken the majority of importance followed by Patient engagement initiatives. However, other services like special services didn't get a considerate importance. 2. In the Education/Academic initiatives, the top initiatives like Textbooks, Subscriptions of journals, research articles and CMEs/DGMs are perceived relatively more important. 3. Around 78% of Physicians receive more than 2 CME 10. VII. Recommendations 1. Within Education/academic initiatives, Latest Journals subscriptions and research articles should be provided regularly to ensure continuous literature up gradation. 2. 50 Global Journal of ( D D D D ) Year 2020 Medical Research Volume XX Issue VII Version I ( D D D D )47 Year 2020 Global Journal of Medical Research Volume XX Issue VII Version I ( D D D D ) B Global Journal of Year 2020 49 Medical Research Volume XX Issue VII Version I ( D D D D ) B14% 6. Among the consultancy services, PMS is the most 34% Understanding the unique selling proposition of brand preferred initiative.13%25%14%11% 7. Sp. Services tools like clinical and general utility gifts 32% Medical representative's comfort/proficiency of use are mostly preferred.21%18%18%Very satisfied 8. For Sales reps factors, communication skills is Satisfied Neither Satisfied nor dissatisfied ranked the most important factor.DissatisfiedVery dissatisfied9. ~75% of Physicians prefer E-detailing over print Interpretation: detailing.© 2020 Global Journals © 2020 Global JournalsB © 2020 Global Journals Marketing/Promotional Initiatives by Pharmaceutical Companies -"Doctor's Perspective" B © 2020 Global Journals Marketing/Promotional Initiatives by Pharmaceutical Companies -"Doctor's Perspective" B © 2020 Global JournalsMarketing/Promotional Initiatives by Pharmaceutical Companies -"Doctor's Perspective" © 2020 Global JournalsMarketing/Promotional Initiatives by Pharmaceutical Companies -"Doctor's Perspective" * E-Detailing: Keyways for Successful Implementation of Digital Technologies in the Pharmaceutical Marketing StefanBalkanski Ilkogetov 2019 Promotion and Marketing Communications. 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