A common challenge faced by medical affairs teams is the overemphasis on activity-based metrics while underestimating the importance of impact measures in KOL engagement (see our blog on impact measures for KOL Engagement). While activities are crucial for gauging team effectiveness, focusing too heavily on them can lead to a lack of impact measures. In this blog, we explore how to strike the right balance by introducing coaching measures that enable individual field team members to plan and managers to coach effectively, ultimately leading to improved impact over time.
Want to learn more about measuring thought leader engagement? Check out our in-depth guide on overcoming common challenges.
To drive effective coaching in KOL engagement, medical affairs teams should incorporate three types of coaching measures: capacity measures, quality measures, and outcome measures. These measures help teams determine whether they are focused on the right activities, assess effectiveness, evaluate resource allocation, and identify ways to improve their impact.
Capacity measures help teams maximize the number of opportunities they have to make an impact. Examples of capacity measures include the number of engagements, the number of unique HCPs engaged, the number of programs conducted, and the number of sites supported. These measures help assess whether the team engaged in enough activities to make a difference. These capacity measures should align with the goals aligned to in your capacity model (see blog on capacity modeling).
Quality measures focus on what teams did with the opportunities they had. These measures evaluate whether the team engaged with the right people on the right topics and whether the discussions were of strategic importance. Additionally, quality measures assess the frequency of learning from insights observations during engagements, the balance of engagement channels, and the utilization of materials used.
Outcome measures gauge the results of the team's efforts. These measures include relationship indicators such as Net Promoter Score or other service scores, advocacy measures, and engagement measures. By tracking these outcomes, teams can better understand the effectiveness of their KOL engagement strategies and adjust accordingly.
Incorporating coaching measures into KOL engagement strategies is crucial for medical affairs teams looking to optimize their impact and drive better outcomes. By focusing on capacity, quality, and outcome measures, teams can communicate progress toward their desired impact and identify areas for improvement. As Acceleration Point works with KOL engagement teams, we provide coaching support and teach teams to utilize these measures to communicate progress effectively, ultimately unlocking the potential of medical affairs teams and driving better results.
Defining and measuring success for Medical Affairs teams can be challenging due to factors like a lack of alignment on what success looks like, inadequate metrics, and limited resources. To unlock the impact of Medical Affairs, teams must first establish a shared vision of success and focus on implementing key metrics.
The use of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions can enable Medical Affairs teams to efficiently collect and analyze KOL data to enhance their engagement strategies. By leveraging CRM solutions, teams can increase their productivity and generate insights to create impactful KOL engagement plans. Learn more about maximizing impact reporting on KOL engagement.