65% of oncologists hard to see--an argument for non-personal promotion including email

I just read that ZS Associates has the 7th toughest interview process in the country. Since they're hiring nothing but the best and brightest, their opinions carry some weight.

So I read with interest a post on Pharmalot today citing a ZS study which found that oncologists are the toughest specialty for pharmaceutical representatives to see. Other specialties are tough too.

What's interesting is the trend: In 2008, ZS found only 17% of oncs were hard to see. Part of this, as ZS cogently notes, is the proliferation of onclology products over the past 5 years, each with an eager sales force banging on the doors of onciology practices across the fruited plain.

However another factor is involved as well: the fact that more and more practices restrict rep access.

To me, this marked increase in hard to see and no-see physicians is a forceful argument for using more non-personal promotion, including email. MMS recently surveyed physicians and found over 60% prefer to receive information about pharmaceutical products via email, whereas only 20% preferred sales reps. This may be in part due to the fact that they CAN'T see reps due to organizational restrictions.  

Here's a link to the PharmaLive piece about the ZS study:

http://www.pharmalive.com/oncologists-continue-to-shun-sales-reps-more-than-other-docs?cid=nl.phrm01

Here's a link to the MMS survey about physician information delivery preferences:

http://www.mmslists.com/email_2012/mms_2013_survey_results.pdf