How pharma can balance remote and in-person activities in Japan

Understanding how COVID-19 has shifted the workplace for HCPs—both in terms of how and where they provide patient care but also how they engage with pharma sales reps—can help drug manufacturers determine the right timing and channel for their drug-related promotional activities and provide the right support. Japan’s healthcare system is experiencing many of the same challenges that other regions of the world are facing, but to a lesser degree: fewer patient visits and a reduction in treatment initiation, gradual reliance on telehealth and ongoing patient concerns about contracting COVID-19 in transit or at the healthcare facility. 

We surveyed nearly 600 healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Japan about their pandemic-related concerns and challenges. Strict in-person visit restrictions, especially in hospitals with more than 200 beds (HP), are expected to persist even though many HCPs still prefer face-to-face interactions in certain situations. The insights we drew from the survey paint a clear picture of how companies can evolve the commercial model to better suit HCPs' current needs.