HCP Prescribing Trends Research
Analytics data have made it easier and faster to identify HCP prescribing trends, but understanding the specific factors driving these prescribing patterns (i.e., the root cause) often remains challenging.
For instance, when a company’s product is losing market share to a specific competitor among a specific HCP customer subset, there is a need to supplement analytics with a qualitative inquiry to achieve a detailed understanding of why this occurring.
Through 3rd-party agreements, prescriber-level IQVIA data allow us to recruit the specific HCPs that exhibit the prescribing trends of interest.
These studies can be one-time “spot” studies or they can be recurring HCP tracking studies.
The spot studies, intended to elucidate an emergent strategic problem, often demand a quick turnaround. From RFP to final deliverable, we can complete these HCP prescribing studies within 3-4 weeks, largely because we excel in our recruiting dedication and resourcefulness.
The HCP tracking studies provide brands team with ongoing and up-to-date strategic insight on HCPs’ perceptions and behaviors in the competitive landscape.
The tracking studies are typically composed of 3-4 annual “waves.” For each “wave” of the tracking study, there are a set of standard and recurring questions, but a new set of questions are also integrated that capture the team’s most immediate strategic interests.
These HCP tracking studies are similar to quantitative ATU (Awareness Trial Usage) or AAU (Awareness Attitude Usage), but they provide deeper insights on what is shaping HCPs’ evolving perceptions and behaviors.
To accurately track and assess changes, the HCP tracking studies involve mostly the same set of respondents during each study wave.
However, a small proportion (15-20%) of less thoughtful HCP respondents are replaced each wave.
As the study waves progress, the HCP respondent sample is refined to a more thoughtful and perceptive group who provide a distinctively useful perspective on key current and expected future changes in the treatment landscape.
Our HCP tracking studies, in this sense, extend beyond the typical scope of market research studies and into the realm of business intelligence.
Insights from these spot and tracking studies allow marketing and sales teams to stay nimble—quickly adjusting their approach to preempt counterproductive prescribing trends and maximize favorable downstream business opportunities.
Frequent Questions
What is the difference between a "spot" study and a tracking study?
Spot studies address an emergent strategic problem with a fast turnaround — we can typically deliver from RFP to final deliverable in 3-4 weeks. Tracking studies are recurring, typically run in 3-4 annual “waves,” with a mix of standard recurring questions and new questions reflecting the team’s current strategic interests.
How do you identify which HCPs to recruit for a prescribing trends study?
Through third-party agreements, we access prescriber-level IQVIA data, which lets us recruit HCPs who actually exhibit the specific prescribing trend or pattern the client wants to understand.
How is this different from quantitative ATU or AAU tracking?
It’s similar in structure and cadence, but provides deeper, qualitative insight into what is actually shaping HCPs’ evolving perceptions and behaviors — the “why” behind the trend line, not just the trend itself.