Defining Insights.

BACKGROUND: Insights, when acted upon, can result in positive changes to the business, for HCPs, and ultimately for patients. Medical Information, as a customer facing function, is one of the groups that generate insights. Data and insights across different functions of an organization need to be compiled to provide a comprehensive view. The purpose of this paper is to develop a shared definition of insights and to provide a working guidance for the insight process. METHODS: Two surveys were conducted of the phactMI membership first to establish a shared definition of insights and then to benchmark current insight process. From this data and the shared experience of the working group a proposed guidance was developed. RESULTS: The developed definition of an insight is "An insight is the deeper understanding of the why behind trends of information that lead us to determine if an action is warranted". For the most robust outcomes, insight identification needs to be a cross functional activity. The proposed structured approach can be leveraged and customized for any organization and include the following five steps: INvestigate, Scrutinize, Identify, Take Action, and Enlighten (INSITE). CONCLUSION: The INSITE process provides a simple framework that should become routine for all Medical Information colleagues who are leading the work around insights. The process should be shared across all functions that participate in the insight generation process. This is another area where Medical Information can demonstrate leadership and highlight their value to the organization.

Healthcare Professionals' Perceptions of Infographics Within Medical Information Response Letters.

BACKGROUND: In a continuing effort to provide innovative formats of presenting medical information in a digestible and comprehensive manner, infographics were created and included in select standard letters created by the Medical Information team. METHODS: Qualitative and quantitative feedback on the ease of comprehension, flow, layout, and value of infographics within Standard Response Documents (SRDs) was obtained from healthcare professionals (HCPs). A qualitative survey (n = 47) was conducted to assess the ease of comprehension and effectiveness of infographics. The qualitative market research consisted of 25 individual 60-min phone interviews with HCPs focused around two SRDs. RESULTS: It was found that 87% (n = 41) of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the infographic was easy to comprehend. Additionally, 85% (n = 40) of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the infographic was useful in answering their product question. It was found that most HCPs (20/25) appreciated the presentation of the infographics and found them visually appealing. Additionally, most agreed that the infographic provided content that was sufficient in addressing their product inquiries and impactful for clinical decision making. CONCLUSION: Infographics have proved to be a valuable resource within response letters to address HCP inquiries and provide an option to pharmaceutical companies to evolve the way medical information is presented.

Pharma Collaboration for Transparent Medical Information (phactMI) Benchmark Study: Trends, Drivers, Success Factors, and Value of Globalization in Medical Information.

BACKGROUND: Over the past decade, biopharmaceutical companies have been progressively establishing global frameworks across their capabilities. It is well recognized that the Medical Information (MI) department is a key externally facing function that needs to maintain a consistent focus on optimizing its capabilities of addressing product medical inquiries worldwide. METHODS: In the United States, a consortium named Pharma Collaboration for Transparent Medical Information, phactMI, a collaboration of pharmaceutical company MI departments dedicated to supporting health care professionals in their commitment to provide quality patient care, has provided a forum to benchmark and share best practices across the companies. In May 2017, phactMI conducted a survey inclusive of 25 biopharmaceutical companies to gain insight into the globalization of respective MI departments and relevant trends. RESULTS: We found increased trends in various aspects of globalization across large, mid, and small size companies, and identified key drivers for success. Overall, 16 of the 25 companies had globalized their MI department, 5 had only partially globalized, and the remaining 4 had not globalized. CONCLUSION: The findings of this survey will further help inform the MI community as to globalization approaches for a successful outcome.