Many leading pharmaceutical companies recognize the need to explore different means and mechanisms to supply physicians and their patients with samples of prescription medications. This is especially true since many physicians have restricted access to the sales reps that traditionally helped order and restock samples as part of their detailing visits. While some companies have made substantial forays into the world of physician e-sampling, usually as a supplement to traditional sampling, others have done less in this area. This is important when you consider that 30 percent of patients in the United States are more likely to fill a prescription after initially receiving a sample from a physician. This study identifies and documents current practices and trends in physician e-sampling and explores the rationale for different tactical approaches to sampling and what constitutes success in physician e-sampling.

1. 0
Current & Future Trends in
Physician E-Sampling
%
Managing For Superior Sales, Access,
Service & Cost Benefits
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Physician E-Sampling Process Management BEST PRACTICES,®
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2. Table of Contents
Project Overview
Key Insights & Findings
Origin and Strategy of Physician E-Sampling
Sample Program
Launching and Managing Physician E-Sampling
System
Technology and Applications to Enable Physician
E-Sampling Systems
Measuring and Managing Physician E-Sampling
System
Appendix
Additional Quotes 1
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About PhysicianPractices Management
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3. Business Issue & Corporate Challenge
Best Practices, LLC designed this research study to identify and document current
practices and trends in Physician E-Sampling across the biopharmaceutical industry.
Background:
Benchmark how pharmaceutical companies organize their efforts in Physician E-Sampling
Identify common organizational structures, budget structures, and measure management processes
Gain insight into trends, challenges, and lessons learned in serving this market
Field Research & Insight Development:
Interviewed leaders in Physician Sampling at top
Pharma companies INFORM
INFORM
Use Insights To Inform &
Engaged 31 external executives & 22 companies
Inspire Physician E-
Segments composed of 16 different therapeutic
areas including diabetes/metabolic, cardiology,
Sampling Strategy
respiratory, oncology and others
BEST PRACTICES,
2 ®
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4. Universe of Learning: Companies Participating
in Study
Thirty one research respondents from 22 companies participated in this project. The
majority of companies in this study represent United States operations, with 9 of the
top 21 pharmaceutical companies surveyed.
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5. Job Titles & Levels of Participants
The range of titles suggests that Physician E-Sampling is evolving to be an integral
part of sales and marketing organizations. A third of the research participants hold
Vice President or Director leadership roles in their companies.
Vice President Channel Marketing Manager
Vice President, Managed Care Country Sales Manager
Executive Director Marketing Manager
Executive Director, Managed Markets Associate Director, Field Support
Sr. Global Product Manager
Area Sales Manager
Sr. Brand Manager
Area Manager
Sr. Manager Samples Operations
Sr. Executive Sales Professionals
Sr. Manager Sales
Sr. Manager
Sr. Product Manager
Director, Global e-Business Market Manager, Managed Care
Director, Sales Specialist Manager, Hearing Healthcare Programs
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6. Framework for Presenting Physician E-Sampling S Insights,
Opportunities & Pitfalls
This report utilizes performance benchmarks and field research to harvest many of its
insights and observations. They have been organized into the following summary
framework for discussion, planning and improvement purposes.
8. Employ Multi- 1. Align E-Sampling
factor Scorecard To with Sales &
Guide Improvement Marketing Strategy
7. Manage for Access, 2. Place E-Sampling
Service, Sales & With Right
Cost Benefits Physician E- Therapeutic Areas
Sampling
6. Call Plans Drive 3. Choose Right
Insights & Outsourcing /
Sample Distribution Insourcing for
Volumes Opportunities Lifecycle
5. Technology Enables 4. Place E-Sampling
Greater Productivity & Management in
Flexibility Appropriate Group
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7. Key Findings & Insights – Physician E-Sampling
Trends & Drivers
Physician E-Sampling is well established across many companies and therapeutic areas. It
has become a key marketing and sales tactic in recent years.
Physician E-Sampling Is Now An Established Tactic: Sales reps are still the primary
sampling channel -- but Physician E-Sampling is growing and maturing. As sales resources shrink,
companies look for efficient ways to access physicians. In the benchmark class at large, 1/3 of
sampling has moved to Physician E-Sampling with 2/3 still delivered through sales reps. However,
more companies are supplementing rep-based sampling with Physician E-Sampling and a few
companies have moved to 100% Physician E-Sampling . For most, the Physician E-Sampling
system is a field tactic coupled with individual products, therapeutic area or lifecycle. It is not yet a
broad-based company-wide strategy among larger companies.
Physician E-Sampling Reaches Across Therapeutic Areas: Physician E-Sampling has
been seeded across multiple therapeutic areas – including diabetes and most other large chronic
care areas. Physician E-Sampling has been in place for five or more years at many companies. Yet
¼ of the benchmark class is new to this channel. Physician E-Sampling innovation seems to be
stimulated simultaneously by difficulty reaching physicians, sales resource limitations and
evolving specialty models.
Key Drivers of Physician E-Sampling Systems: Most companies implement Physician E-
Sampling to address issues such as shrinking sales force and restricted access to physicians. In
field commentaries, benchmark partners further spotlighted four principle benefits to Physician E-
Sampling programs: (1) support increased sales, (2) increased physician access, (3) cost-
effectiveness, and (4) helps build relationships.
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8. E-Sampling Requests Dependent on Therapeutic
Area Served and Companies’ Sales Structure
Physician E-Sampling sample volume seems to reflect therapeutic areas served and market size. For
example, immunology, metabolic and Gastrointestinal products often employed higher Physician E-
Sampling sample volumes. Companies that ship high Physician E-Sampling sample volumes (more than 300
Physician E-Sampling samples per month) tend to manage their own Physician E-Sampling programs.
Q. How many Physician E-Sampling sample requests are typically processed on a monthly
basis?
More than 1000
Monthly Sample 0-100 Monthly
Requests, 26% Sample
Requests, 30%
75th Percentile 1,250
Mean 1,307
Median 500
25th Percentile 100
501-1000 Nearly one in five companies
Monthly Sample indicated that sample requests and
Requests, 14% processing were dependent on
101-500
brands, therapeutic areas and
Monthly Sample
Requests, 30%
product type.
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9. Sales Representatives are Still the Primary Sampling
Mechanism but Physician E-Sampling is Growing
As sales resources shrink, companies look for efficient ways to access physicians. In the
benchmark class, only 1/3 of sampling has moved to Physician E-Sampling from sales
reps. However, more companies are supplementing rep-based sampling with Physician E-
Sampling and a few companies have moved to 100% Physician E-Sampling.
Q. Overall what percentage of your company's brands are supported by Physician E-Sampling versus
sales rep sampling at your company?
Average DTP vs Sales Rep Sampling Physician E-Sampling
75th Percentile 30
DTP Sampling, Mean 29
29%
Median 20
25th Percentile 10
Sales Rep Sampling
Sales Rep 75th Percentile 90
Sampling, 71%
Mean 71
Median 80
• Physician E-Sampling :
30% 25th Percentile 70
n=26 • Sales Rep Sampling: 70%
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Physician E-Sampling Process Management BEST PRACTICES, ®
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10. Physician E-Sampling Shipments to Reps
Lacks Set Timelines
Most companies have no set frequency in shipping Physician E-Sampling samples to
reps. Participants indicated that the frequency of shipment primarily depends on
therapeutic area and call plan objectives.
Q. “How often do you ship samples to your sales reps?”
No set
80%
frequency
Do not ship
samples to 8%
sales reps
Bi-Weekly 8%
Other 4%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
n=26
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Physician E-Sampling Process Management BEST PRACTICES,®
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11. Physician E-Sampling Innovation Focuses on
Supplemental Approaches
Field interviews spotlighted how various companies are adding new approaches that supplement their
existing computer-based Physician E-Sampling systems.
VOICES FROM THE FIELD: COMMENTS FROM FIELD MANAGERS & LEADERS
Additional Approaches To Complement Existing Systems
•“We have a tele-sampling program where Physicians are called and asked if they would
like samples. We have an Electronic Sample request (ESR) program where sample
requests are initiated by representatives and then electronically sent to the vendor for
fulfillment.”
•“We use email requests, fax programs and a telesales team to conduct our Physician E-
Sampling program.”
•“Right now we do not have the technology for sales representatives in the field to order
requests through a tablet/PDA. We can place orders on our tablet ordering system in
Siebel, but you need an internet connection to complete the order.”
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12. 75% See Physician E-Sampling Program as
Helpful to Sales and Marketing Efforts
Most find Physician E-Sampling to be helpful; however, only one in five companies
“strongly agree” that their companies Physician E-Sampling programs contribute greatly
to their Sales and Marketing efforts. Physician E-Sampling appears well seeded -- but not
fully mature in the field.
Q. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
“The Physician E-Sampling program positively contributes to the marketing and sales within your
company.” 75% agree that
Physician E-
Sampling provides
Strongly Agree 21%
positive support
for sales and
marketing.
Agree 54%
Neutral 21%
Disagree 4%
Strongly Disagree
n=29
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Physician E-Sampling Process Management BEST PRACTICES,®
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13. About Best Practices, LLC
Best Practices, LLC is a research and consulting firm that conducts work based on the simple, yet profound
principle that organizations can chart a course to superior economic performance by studying the best
business practices, operating tactics and winning strategies of world-class companies.
Best Practices, LLC
6350 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200,
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
www3.best-in-class.com
For more information contact:
919.4037.0251
best@best-in-class.com
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Physician E-Sampling Process Management BEST PRACTICES, ®
LLC