What we learned from Medical Affairs leaders

In June of last year, our wives suggested that we develop a software application for Medical Affairs. They believed that Medical Affairs organizations need applications which are specifically designed to showcase the value of Medical Affairs. Since our company had little experience in pharmaceuticals, we conducted 50 interviews with Medical Affairs leaders at 20 companies to research how their teams deliver value to the organization. Next, we leveraged this research in developing an initial version of our application.

In our interviews, we asked the leaders questions such as:

1.  What do you believe are the best quantitative and qualitative metrics to measure the performance of your MSL teams?

From Medical Affairs leaders, we learned the value of MSL teams lies in sharing actionable insights which generate medical value. As expressed by the senior director of MSL excellence at a global pharmaceutical company:

“We believe it is meaningful and mutually beneficial interactions with thought leaders which generate medical value for the organization. Examples include having a thought leader assist with clinical trial site selection or share perceptions on treatment decision making processes.”

Accordingly, we’re developing ways to present actionable insights in clear, interactive charts which Medical Affairs leaders can easily share with the rest of the organization.

2.  If you could solve one key issue to make your team’s work easier, what would it be?

We learned that Medical Affairs teams find it difficult to stay current with the volume and sources of critical information (publications, research, etc.). In the words of an MSL at a midsize pharmaceutical company:

“I have to scan through psychiatry journals even though it’s not my primary focus. I don’t want to miss something, because otherwise the thought leader will think you’re not on top of it.”

As a result, we built a smart knowledgebase for disease states that is organized by topic, so Medical Affairs teams don’t have to visit multiple websites or search email folders. We’ve also made this information accessible via iPads and iPhones, as well as laptops.

3.  What are the most important data insights that you’d like to track but are unable to track today?

We discovered a compelling need to identify patterns across what MSL teams are seeing in the field. As explained by a vice president of Scientific Affairs in California:

“It’s straightforward to understand an individual thought leader’s perceptions over time, but it’s difficult to determine perceptions across thought leaders, particularly across thought leaders in different regions or settings.”

In response, we developed custom analytics to monitor changes in thought leader perceptions. We monitor your key metrics and proactively let you know if there’s a material change. This way, you’re always up-to-date on emerging medical trends.

How we developed kernel for Medical Affairs

“Reductionism can expand our vision and give us new insights into the nature and creation of art. These new insights will enable us to perceive unexpected aspects of art that derive from the relationships between the biological and psychological phenomena.”

-- Dr. Eric R. Kandel, 2000 Nobel laureate in medicine

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in insights. One example was the revelation that anti-cancer therapies such as Herceptin can target a specific protein, as opposed to all actively dividing cells. Like a catalyst for knowledge, insights can accelerate the sense-making process, so you learn faster and can apply this knowledge to actionable, evolutionary steps.

In 2012, we developed a software application which delivered insights for technology companies. With a presence in six countries, our customers included 23andMe, LinkedIn and Tribune.

In 2014, our spouses suggested that we develop an application for Medical Affairs (my wife works in Medical Affairs at a large pharmaceutical company and my co-founder’s wife works in pediatric oncology at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford University). Our spouses believed there was an unmet need within Medical Affairs for custom applications.

Since we had little experience in pharmaceuticals, we conducted interviews to research how Medical Affairs delivers value to the organization. After speaking with Abbvie, Genentech, Novartis and others, we learned:

1. Medical Affairs teams typically use CRM systems to collect medical insights
2. Teams find it difficult to stay up-to-date on current research and trends
3. MSLs find it challenging to demonstrate the value of field intelligence

In September, a director of MSL field operations shared this insight:

“At the moment, our only option is CRM which was designed for Commercial. But we’re not salespeople, we’re scientists…and we need a better way to showcase the value of Medical Affairs.” 

As a result, we decided to focus exclusively on Medical Affairs. In June, we found our first customer, a multinational company in Japan. In July, we found our second customer, a midsize company in California. In each case, our customers had been seeking a solution like kernel for years.

Today, we’re delighted to announce that kernel is now live. With two customers and four on our waiting list, we’ve made a good start. However, this is only the beginning as we intend to improve kernel further. So when we share new product ideas with you, it comes from a sincere desire for your feedback. Our goal is to build a valuable application that you love.