Woburn, Mass. – May 21, 2008 – InfoMedics, Inc., the patient feedback company, today announced the results of a survey assessing consumers’ opinions toward seeking and discussing health information via online tools such as forums and networking communities.
The results demonstrate that the pharmaceutical industry would be well advised to approach branching into Web 2.0 marketing by focusing on responding to consumers’ needs and concerns. Not surprisingly to healthcare industry watchers, 91% of respondents turned to the internet as a source of health information. In breaking down this overall number into more specific preferences, InfoMedics found that more than wanting to just socialize online about health issues, consumers desire reliable advice from online health communities:
• 47% of survey respondents were most interested in tips for managing their health conditions
• 40% valued information about treatments that other people with the same condition had tried
Additionally, contrary to concerns that consumers perceive pharma and pharma-sponsored information negatively, 60% of respondents expressed that they did not care who sponsored a health information tool as long as it was helpful to themselves and other patients.
Of all respondents, 72% expressed interest in online health communities and discussing their health and treatment with others. The breakdown of their preferences was as follows:
• 14% were interested in using the social element of an online health community to help with their treatment plans
• 23% were interested in support and feedback from other patients
• 35% were open to the idea of networking with other patients, but preferred to keep the majority of their health discussions with their physicians or caregivers
The number of respondents who preferred to mainly discuss their health with their physicians indicates patients’ trust in their physicians’ guidance and opinions. It also alludes to the fact that healthcare concerns can be highly personal in nature; healthcare has long been characterized by privacy, from patient-physician interactions to regulatory and research and development practices.
“We’ve seen that physicians are increasingly strapped for time, and they along with other healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies are searching for effective and convenient outlets to provide health, drug and treatment information and personalized care that patients need and want,” explains Gene Guselli, CEO, InfoMedics. “InfoMedics’ survey found potential for Web 2.0 applications to offer patients a platform to learn about the individual medical conditions and treatment of concern to them without requiring patients to leave their comfort zones of anonymity or discussing their health with people other than their physicians.”
By proceeding conservatively into Web 2.0 with an understanding of what patients need, pharma marketers can reach and help patients, supporting them in their personal treatment and health journeys.
Other key findings:
• Respondents’ reliance on physician input increased in proportion to their ages, as only 15% of 18 to 24 year olds preferred to keep most health discussions with their physicians, compared with 32% of 25 to 34 year olds, 37% of 35 to 44 year olds and 46% of 45-54 year olds.
• 73% of women valued the ability to network with others to discuss their health compared with 27% of men.
• 58% of respondents preferred to research health information sites and health communities to judge the best one for themselves.
Survey Methodology
Respondents who opted-in to receive survey mailings from survey provider Zoomerang were invited to participate in InfoMedics, Inc.’s 2008 “Social Media in Healthcare” survey, which ran from April 29 and April 30, 2008. 220 individuals completed the survey with the following demographic breakdown: 44% of respondents were male; 56% female; 58% were between the ages of 18 and 44 and 42% were between the ages of 45 and 84.
About InfoMedics, Inc.
InfoMedics, Inc. is the only pharmaceutical services provider that delivers clear, actionable patient feedback to physicians; this feedback is designed to improve patient-physician communications while providing brand insight to pharmaceutical manufacturers. Patient feedback assists physicians at the point-of-care to optimize treatment outcomes and improve medication compliance. InfoMedics' programs facilitate the communication channel between physicians and patients around the prescribed pharmaceutical brand, enhancing product awareness and accelerating market share growth.
InfoMedics works with the world’s top 15 pharmaceutical companies. The company’s programs increase average brand prescribing by 40% and deliver an average ROI of 4:1.
For more information, please visit www.infomedics.com.
Contact:
Ariane Doud
Matter Communications for InfoMedics
978-499-9250 x239
ariane@matternow.com
www.matternow.com
Amy Weickert
InfoMedics, Inc.
781-904-4512
aweickert@infomedics.com
www.infomedics.com
|
|
|
Bio-Rad Launches Two Bio-Plex Pro Wash Stations
