What companies need to know about trends in physicians and consumers' use of the Internet

An understanding of the present and future market trends surrounding eHealth is vital in order for the pharmaceutical industry to develop effective multi-channel marketing strategies. It is advisable for stakeholders to invest in targeted initiatives that meet the specific information needs and support the decision making processes of the large numbers of physician and consumer groups online.

Physicians are primarily using the Internet to access educational resources and high quality information. Pharmaceutical companies that provide online resources that help physicians practice medicine more efficiently and effectively will attract return site users and foster brand loyalty.

It is important to identify how often consumers access the Internet. Marketing initiatives can be developed to accommodate varying levels of usage. For example, tools such as risk-assessment surveys or dosing calendars, and disease and product information can be offered in a printable format so frequent Internet access is not necessary.

A promising trend towards gaining voice among prescribers is to reach them online, though not through Internet-enabled mobile technologies but instead through their home computer. One-half of physicians in the US and the EU and one-third of physicians in Japan access the Internet for work-related purposes from home at least 50% of the time.

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