Over the years, many companies with sophisticated systems and tools have promised pharmaceutical companies that the need for more information in the form of either qualitative or quantitative medical affairs metrics is key to a company’s success. Additionally, these new tools look to automate processes like investigator initiated studies (IIS) or the grant and publication planning processes within medical affairs. However, we need to be cautious about over-utilizing sophisticated, overpriced systems and ask ourselves what value do they really bring?

Medical Affairs Metrics Don’t Make Great Teams

More often than not, senior management focuses on medical affairs metrics such as the number of HCP interactions over the last quarter or the number of publications and investigator initiated studies that a medical affairs department has published or approved. These measures are influenced by so many outside variables that their meaning is very subjective. Additionally, the data is only as good as the information entered into the system. And we all know that old adage… garbage in garbage out…

We can look to scientific research methods as a robust example of how to accurately collect information in ways where we can draw reasonably reliable conclusions on effectiveness. Before we make a conclusion on a scientific hypothesis, we mine data, pulling from bibliometric resources, case studies, logic models, and peer-reviewed journals. Then we conduct economic and statistical analyses before deciding whether or not to reject our hypothesis.

Partial data can be worse than no data at all because it is often misleading.

Great Leaders Define Great Teams

True effectiveness will not be driven by sophisticated tools and scores of medical affairs metrics… but by people. And it starts with leaders. Great leaders. Those who inspire others; those who can bring out the best in an individual. And this spirit of connection is powerful. It can help unify the team’s purpose. The number one factor driving an organization’s effectiveness is how well the team trusts each other. If the team knows that the leader has their backs, they will go that extra mile.

So, let’s put the brakes on sophisticated analytical tools, systems, and dozens of medical affairs metrics… and let’s get back to the basics. Trust. Communication. Connection. Integrity.