In the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are four reasons why pharma execs should thank not just physicians, but the often neglected members of the family: NPs/PAs. Before diving into your Thanksgiving meal, read below how NPs/PAs help pharma marketing execs achieve their business goals.
Big Slice of the Prescription Pie
NPs and PAs write 41% of all U.S. prescriptions (over 2.6 billion) and recommend millions of over-the-counter therapies annually. NPs/PAs prescribe as often as MDs, have authority to buy medical items, sit on purchasing or formulary boards and are responsible for patient feedback. NPs/PAs are often sole providers in clinics and rural hospitals.
Getting Together:
NPs and PAs see over 2 billion patients annually and often have the closest relationships with patients.
While MDs spend, on average, as little as 7 minutes per patient, NPs/PAs report spending as much as 20 minutes with new patients and an average of 12-14 minutes on follow-up visits. In one CHCs study, NPs/PAs were more likely than MDs to provide health education services during patient visits.
Gracious Dinner Guests:
Studies found that NPs have a positive attitude toward pharmaceutical marketing efforts. According to the American Journal of Managed Care, 90% of NPs believe it is acceptable to attend lunch and dinner events sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry. Almost half (48%) stated they were more likely to prescribe a drug that was highlighted there. Overall NPs/PAs are more receptive to info provided by pharma and yield higher click-through rates.
Expanding Like Our Waists on Thanksgiving:
"Over 46,000 new NPs and PAs graduate and enter the healthcare system each year. Both the NP/PA professions are growing at ten times the rate of MDs. The number of scripts written by NPs and PAs more than doubled over the past five years.
Conclusion: don’t sit NPs / PAs (and nurses) at the kids’ table. Treat them as important guests by including them in your marketing campaigns.
