pharma social media listening: benchmarking innovative practices in the healthcare industry

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Best Practices, LLC Strategic Benchmarking Research & Analysis

Pharma Social Media Listening:

Benchmarking Innovative

Practices in the Healthcare Industry

BEST PRACTICES,

®

LLC

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY……………………………………………………3

Research Overview……………………………………………………………..4

Participating Companies………………………………………………………7

Key Findings & Insights…………………………………………………….….8

DETAILED RESEARCH FINDINGS

1. Pharma Social Media Listening Programs & Practices……...........19

Program Ownership……………………………………………..22

Websites Monitored & Data Types Gathered………………..23

Vendors & Outsourcing………………………………………....33

Evaluating Program Benefits……………………………….....36

2. Key Insights into Program Approval & Effective Monitoring……..41

Approval Groups & Framework……………………………….42

Adverse Events Tracking & Reporting…………………….…46

Steps for Gaining Listening Approval……………………….52

About Best Practices, LLC……………………………………….……..56

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Research Background & Objectives Online disease state discussion among patients, physicians, caregivers and other key customer groups is flourishing across both established and emerging online channels. Recognizing the value potential of this online discussion, savvy healthcare companies have launched innovative Social Media Listening programs to capture critical market insights.

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Key Topics Examined:

High-Performing Social Media Listening

Programs

Program Governance & Ownership

Websites Monitored

Data Types Gathered

Evaluating Program Benefits

Use of Outsourcing & 3rd-party Vendors

Gaining Social Media Listening Approval

Adverse Events Management &

Compliance

Innovative Strategies & Tactics

Study Overview

Research Objective: This Best Practices, LLC

benchmark study is designed to help healthcare

companies improve their Social Media Listening (SML)

programs to capture maximum patient and market

insights while maintaining strict compliance.

This research delivers crucial benchmarks from

industry-leading companies on key Listening activities,

platforms, websites monitored, data gathered, approval

processes, and Adverse Events reporting and

management. Market Research, Digital/Social, Multi-

Channel and other Marketing leaders can use this

research to enhance the value delivered to brand via

online Listening.

Methodology: Best Practices, LLC engaged 15

Digital & Social Marketing and Market Research eladers

at 15 large global healthcare organizations in deep-dive

interviews to capture qualitative insights.

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Benchmark Class:

Representatives from 13 leading healthcare companies participated in this study via deep-dive

interviews. Six of the top 10 largest pharmaceutical organizations are represented in this research,

and more than half of all respondents work at the director level or above.

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Universe of Learning: 13 Top Companies Participated in Study

- Executive Director, Market Research

- Director, Digital & Social Media, Global

Business Innovation &

Strategy Realization

- Director, Global Oncology,

Business Analysis & Information

- Director, Global Strategic Analytics

- Director, Multi-Channel Analytics

- Director, Market Research

- Director, New Media & Marketing Ops

- Associate Director, Global Market Insights

- Senior Digital & Activation Manager

- Senior Manager, eServices

- Digital Lead

- Manager, Business Intelligence

- Manager, eStrategy

- Manager, Market Research

- Manager, Social Media

Job Titles of Interviewed

Study Participants:

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Key Findings 1: Industry Snapshot of Social Media Listening

The following key findings and insights on Social Media Listening emerged from this study.

Social Media Listening (SML) Is Happening throughout Most of Pharma: Most

companies participating in this study (85%) are currently doing some form of Social

Media Listening.

Market Research or Digital Groups Lead Listening: The SML program is generally

owned by either the Market Research function (at 58% of total organizations) or by a

Digital / IT group (42%). Large Pharma organizations are much more likely to task

Market Research with SML management responsibility, while a Digital group is more

likely to lead Listening at Mid-Cap Pharma, Biotech or Medical Device organizations.

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INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT: SOCIAL MEDIA LISTENING

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Patient Forums & Prominent Social Media Websites Are Most Heavily Monitored: Listening programs tend to monitor both Patient Forums (100% of companies) as well as major

Social Media websites like Facebook (91%) and Twitter (82%). Most companies do not limit the

total number of websites its Listening group can monitor.

Top Listening Goal = Rapid Market Insights at Brand or Disease State Level: All

surveyed companies seek to capture brand-specific market/patient insights, with another 91%

gathering data at the disease state level. Approximately 1/3 of companies also use Listening for

competitive intelligence purposes.

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LISTENING TACTICS & GOALS

The following key findings and insights on Social Media Listening emerged from this study.

Key Findings 2: Listening Tactics & Goals

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How Pharma Listening Works: A Process Snapshot

Listening Program

Market Research

Brand Team

Digital / Social

Vendor

Insights Delivered:

Agency

IT

Analytics

Patient Adherence

Patient Journey Mapping

Brand Awareness & Loyalty

Sentiment Analysis

Issues & Objection Handling (for Physicians)

Misinformation Levels

Patient Forums

Social Media Websites

KOL blogs

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The infographic below provides a rudimentary depiction of how critical market and patient insight information flows into a healthcare organization as a result of Social Media Listening. Third-party vendors cull targeted data from online channels, delivering raw data to market research or Digital teams who then process it for brand teams.

Common Data Sources:

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Listening Fills in Gaps around Patient Experience to

Improve Physician Interactions

“We use it to influence what we say to the physicians because if the patients are asking these questions or have these particular concerns or there's a particular side effect, for example, that may be more troublesome than others. We will provide material to the doctor, like help guide materials to physicians so that when the patient is prescribed with that particular drug, the doctor can tell you, ‘Look, some people may experience diarrhea with this product and here are some things you can do to help with that. Here’s your brochure from the manufacturer to help with that particular side effect.’

So it will help in that way. It's often objection handling in some ways - issue mitigation.

And then the other thing is how much misinformation is out there. That's a little bit more difficult, requires a little bit deeper analysis.”

-Digital Lead

Listening can fill in critical business gaps around:

Patient adherence

Brand awareness, reputation & sentiment

Product misinformation

“Picking out cherries” (e.g., case studies, patient journey)

Issues & Objection Handling (for Physicians)

Physician insights

Listening provides a series of benefits, filling in critical business knowledge gaps around patient adherence, brand awareness, and physician discussion. Some companies also examine the amount of misinformation which surrounds their products in online discussion, and then adjust their product planning and strategy accordingly.

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Legal & Regulatory Are Primary Gatekeepers for

Listening Approval

Functions Involved in Listening Approval Process:

91%

(n=11)

Customer Insights

Clinical

Marketing / Commercial

Medical

Digital / Social

PV / Safety

Regulatory

Legal

55%

36%

27%

18%

72%

18%

18%

Large Pharma Paradox:

• Large companies generally maintain enough staff and resources to do the type of sophisticated, large-scale Listening that yields the most valid data and offers the most compelling case for program approval

• However, Legal groups may prove more cautious, and compliance standards more strict, at these same large companies

Q. Which functional groups are involved in the approval process for launching Social Media Listening?

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On average, companies require Listening approval from some 2.9 functional groups. Legal is the chief gatekeeper for Listening (conferring approval at 91% of companies), followed by Regulatory (72% involved) and Pharmacovigilance (55%).

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Most Listening Is Project-Based, Providing Answers

to Specific Questions

“It's not like a systematic approach with other market research - I don't generate a regular report. I'm more picking out cherries where you think, "Okay, this is a good example of what is said on a daily basis," to give to people who are in the position to either make decisions or make an analysis of the product. It's a qualitative feedback."

-Manager, Social Media

“We do a quick snapshot for maybe a

month - and then in six months usually pre-

and post-launch just tend to be the most

important periods. It's mostly around key

mainstreams of information and attitudinal

stuff.”

-Digital Lead

“We haven't even attempted to think of ongoing monitoring. We're looking at projects tied to basic one-time things: snapshot in time, interesting bits of a question, something like that, not ongoing monitoring.”

-Director, Business Analysis & Information

Companies deploy Listening tactics most often on a project-by-project basis. Common goals include providing a rapid snapshot on brand awareness or “picking out cherries” of a qualitative nature to share back with brand leaders. Ongoing, systematic Listening across brands and business units is less common.

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Best Practices, LLC 6350 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200

Chapel Hill, NC 27517

www.best-in-class.com

About Best Practices, LLC

Best Practices, LLC is a research and consulting firm that conducts work based on the simple yet profound principle that organizations can chart a course to superior economic performance by studying the best business practices, operating tactics, and winning strategies of world-class companies.

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pharma social media listening: benchmarking innovative practices in the healthcare industry

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