Current and Future Trends in Physician E-Sampling: Managing for Superior Sales, Access, Service & Cost Benefits

Industries Profiled:
Health Care; Pharmaceutical; Diagnostic; Biotech; Chemical; Manufacturing; Medical Device; Consumer Products


Companies Profiled:
abbott; GlaxoSmithKline; Genzyme; Ipsen; Celgene; Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals; Astellas; Ther-Rx; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Amylin; MSD; Hospira; RECKITT BENCKISER; Genentech; Roche; Sandoz; Merck; Bayer

Study Snapshot

This report explore best practices in the use and management of physician e-sampling as a means “to obtain access” to prescribing physicians. The report benchmarks how pharmaceutical companies organize their sampling efforts and explores the alignment of activities with specific goals for these approaches, such as the percentage of physicians served through physician e-sampling, volume of samples direct shipped, sampling methods (direct orders, vouchers, etc.), peripheral activities (e.g., physician signatures, temperature monitoring), budgets, and performance metrics.

The report also offers broader qualitative insights into the trends, successes, and pitfalls associated with these efforts as well as strategic implications for physician access and other elements of the commercial model.

Key Findings

Physician E-Sampling Is Now An Established Tactic: Sales reps are still the primary sampling channel -- but Physician E-Sampling is growing and maturing. As sales resources shrink, companies look for efficient ways to access physicians. In the benchmark class at large, 1/3 of sampling has moved to Physician E-Sampling with 2/3 still delivered through sales reps. However, more companies are supplementing rep-based sampling with Physician E-Sampling and a few companies have moved to 100% Physician E-Sampling . For most, the Physician E-Sampling system is a field tactic coupled with individual products, therapeutic area or lifecycle. It is not yet a broad-based company-wide strategy among larger companies.

• Physician E-Sampling Reaches Across Therapeutic Areas: Physician E-Sampling has been seeded across multiple therapeutic areas – including diabetes and most other large chronic care areas. Physician E-Sampling has been in place for five or more years at many companies. Yet ¼ of the benchmark class is new to this channel. Physician E-Sampling innovation seems to be stimulated simultaneously by difficulty reaching physicians, sales resource limitations and evolving specialty models.
• Key Drivers of Physician E-Sampling Systems: Most companies implement Physician E-Sampling to address issues such as shrinking sales force and restricted access to physicians. In field commentaries, benchmark partners further spotlighted four principle benefits to Physician E-Sampling programs: (1) support increased sales, (2) increased physician access, (3) cost-effectiveness, and (4) helps build relationships.

• Participants 4
• Key Findings 6
• Origins and Strategies of Physician E-Sampling Programs 12
• Launching and Managing Physician E-Sampling Programs 21
• Technology Applications to Enable Physician E-Sampling Systems 30
• Measuring & Managing Performance for Physician E-Sampling Systems 38
• About Best Practices 46