Promotional medical education has for decades been a fixture of pharmaceutical marketing. In its “traditional” form, sales reps from a drug company invite physicians to a live, in-person meeting to listen to a key opinion leader discuss a medicine. The value from the physicians viewpoint is learning about a new medicine and to network with colleagues and a prominent speaker. And, the value to the drug maker is the educational impact that comes from a credible speaker and interactions with ones peers.
No longer is patient education a static, one-dimensional tool for disseminating health information. It is a dynamic way to engage patients that ensures a win-win for all parties. The face of patient care is changing, and with it so too must the way the industry engages with this critical audience. No longer is patient education a static, one-dimensional tool for disseminating health information, it is a dynamic way to engage patients and practitioners to ensure a win-win for all parties — the patient, the practitioner, and the pharmaceutical company manufacturing a therapy.
Meeting the continuing medical education (CME) needs of physicians by offering desirable, quality programs remains a challenge for providers of CME. The Accreditation Council of Continuing Medical Education requires that physicians be involved in the entire process of developing CME programs, from needs assessment through evaluation. This paper highlights results from a statewide study of Pennsylvania physicians that demonstrated ways in which programs can be developed and marketing strategies enhanced.
Promotional medical education, the value of traditional promotional medical meetings is also being eroded as the costs of attending them begin to exceed the benefits. Increased administrative burden, Open Label Payments requirements, and the ability to access high-quality information about new medicines online, through institution-provided education or through for-credit CME all contribute to the shifting value equation.
