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Is understanding the needs and behavior of healthcare providers on your to-do list for 2024? If so, you’re far from alone, with an EPG Health study finding collecting such insights is the No. 1 strategic HCP engagement priority for the coming year.

EPG surveyed 134 people working at pharma companies, as well as almost 300 HCPs and about 100 service providers, to understand how efforts to engage HCPs have changed in the two years since it last took the pulse of the market. Back then, the company, an IQVIA business, found “a shift in digital culture or mindset” was pharma’s top strategic priority.

Most, 75%, of pharma respondents reported progress on that priority in the latest survey. And, with their digital initiatives well underway, the medical affairs and marketing workers polled by EPG are now turning their attention to other activities.

EPG found 57% of pharma respondents will focus on “HCP insight (needs and behavior)” in 2024, making it the top priority for next year. HCP insight was followed on the list of priorities by improving customer experience, 47%, and optimizing content for digital consumption, 45%.

Per the survey, 24% of pharma companies comprehensively collate and analyze HCP engagement data, and 22% act on data insights. Fewer than 1 in 5 companies measure knowledge gain, behavioral change or impact in practice for most of their HCP education activities. EPG, which has a commercial interest in changing how pharma measures impact, sees the data as evidence of a need for change.

“Pharma recognizes there is still a long way to go, particularly around the use of data and understanding the true impact of its engagement activity. Without going beyond the basic reach and interaction metrics that many still use to determine impact, you cannot assess whether real value is being delivered for healthcare professionals,” Jonathan Macdonald, chief operating officer at EPG, said in a statement.

The survey also revealed changes in how pharma is trying to get information to HCPs. Medical science liaison activities overtook sales force as the most important channel for delivering scientific information to HCPs.