Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) are vital to the success of the products they support (1). Gathering actionable insights has become critical for field Medical Affairs, and there is increasing pressure to get it right. In fact, in a 2023 global survey conducted by the Medical Science Liaison Society (MSL Society), 91% of MSLs and MSL leaders shared that “there has been significantly increased pressure on MSLs to gather Actionable Insights from KOLs/HCPs” (2). Over the last few years, the MSL Society has conducted Gathering Actionable Insights training programs with over 70 pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and diagnostic companies in 15+ countries. Conducting these programs has revealed essential strategies and practical tips to improve this process. The following are some critical issues that must be addressed when gathering meaningful and relevant actionable insights. I will also provide specific recommendations for MSLs and MSL Leaders to address each critical issue.
Clearly Define Actionable Insights
A significant challenge observed is the need for a clear definition of actionable insights. Many teams struggle to define actionable insight for their team. This ambiguity often leads to collecting irrelevant data that does not contribute to strategic decision-making.
Issue: Lack of Definition
MSLs might gather a large volume of data without a precise definition, but only a small portion may be actionable. This inefficiency can result in missed opportunities to influence strategic decisions.
Tip for MSLs: Use Checklists and Guidelines
Develop checklists and key insight questions to assist during engagements with KOLs. These tools can provide a structured approach to gathering data, ensuring that engagements align with the criteria for actionable insights.
Tip for MSL Leaders: Establish a Clear Definition
Work with their team to create a standardized definition of actionable insights. This definition should focus on information directly impacting the medical strategy, clinical practice, or patient outcomes. For example, actionable insights might include new trends in KOL prescribing behaviors that influence treatment protocols.
Understand the Medical Strategy
A deep understanding of the medical strategy for the products supported is crucial for gathering relevant insights. Multiple surveys conducted by the MSL Society have revealed that many MSLs don’t fully understand the medical strategy for the products they support. In fact, a 2024 survey revealed that 57% of MSLs do not have a clear understanding of the medical strategy for the product they support (3). This lack of understanding hinders their ability to recognize and gather relevant insights that support strategic goals.
Issue: Insufficient Knowledge of Medical Strategy
MSLs who don’t fully understand the medical strategy for the products they support will struggle to identify relevant insights. As a result, collected and reported information will not support the organization’s strategic objectives.
Tip for MSLs: Deep Dive into the Medical Strategy
Frequently discuss the medical strategy and scientific priorities with management to maintain an in-depth understanding. This should include the product’s target patient populations, competitive landscape, and relevant clinical data. Regular updates and briefings from medical affairs leadership can help MSLs keep updated about strategic changes.
Tip for MSL Leaders: Align Insights with Strategic Goals
Ensure that the insights collected align with the medical strategy. For instance, if the medical strategy focuses on expanding use in a specific patient demographic, MSLs should prioritize gathering insights related to that group.
Overcome Challenges in Recognizing Actionable Insights
It is critical to identify and overcome the challenges of recognizing actionable insights. Many MSLs have reported needing help understanding the medical strategy for the products they support and recognizing actionable insights.
Issue: Difficulty in Identifying Actionable Insights
MSLs often can’t distinguish actionable insights from general information/observations from KOLs due to a lack of clear guidelines on what defines an insight on their team and a lack of insight-gathering training.
Tip for MSLs: Practice and Feedback
Although dreaded by some MSLs, role-playing and feedback sessions can help them sharpen their skills in recognizing actionable insights. This continuous improvement ensures MSLs can effectively discern valuable and relevant information during their engagements with KOLs. It’s critical for MSLs to continually demonstrate their ability to interpret and discuss clinical data effectively with KOLs (4).
Tip for MSL Leaders: Provide Clear Definitions and Training
Develop a clear definition of actionable insights, and how they relate to the medical strategy for the product(s) the team supports. Regular training sessions help MSLs stay updated and improve their skills in gathering relevant insights.
Enhance Reporting and Sharing of Insights
After insights are gathered, it is crucial to effectively report and share them within the organization. Many teams struggle to convince internal stakeholders of the value of the insights gathered by MSLs.
Issue: Difficulty in Reporting and Sharing Insights
An effective system for reporting and sharing insights captures valuable information and maximizes its potential impact.
Tip for MSLs: Use Technology for Insight Management
Leverage technology and data analytics tools to streamline the process of gathering, analyzing, and reporting insights. Implementing a centralized system for tracking insights can improve consistency and make it easier to extract actionable information.
Tip for MSL Leaders: Communicate Impact Stories
Consistently communicate to the MSLs on their team the impact of the insights they report. Sharing success stories where insights led to significant strategic decisions can motivate MSLs and reinforce the importance of their work.
Implications of Not Addressing These Issues
Failing to address these critical issues can have significant negative implications. Without clear definitions, MSLs can not gather meaningful and relevant data, which leads to wasted resources and missed strategic opportunities. A lack of understanding of the medical strategy will likely result in MSLs gathering information that does not align with strategic goals, potentially hindering the product’s success. Challenges in recognizing and reporting actionable insights can lead to a lack of meaningful data for strategic decision-making, reducing the effectiveness of MSLs. Finally, ineffective reporting and sharing processes can diminish the perceived value of insights gathered by MSLs.
Conclusion
By addressing these critical issues—defining actionable insights, understanding the medical strategy, and recognizing and reporting insights—MSLs can significantly enhance their effectiveness in gathering actionable insights. Based on lessons from over 70 companies, these strategies will help MSLs contribute more effectively to their organization’s strategic goals and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
For MSL leaders seeking to enhance their MSL team’s skills in gathering actionable insights, the MSL Society offers a unique customized Gathering Actionable Insights training program. The program empowers MSLs with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to excel in identifying, composing, and communicating actionable insights, thereby enhancing their impact on medical strategy and operational excellence. Learn more here: https://themsls.org/identifying-communicating-kol-insights-training/
References:
- Dyer, S. J. (2023). The Medical Science Liaison Career Guide: How to Break Into Your First Role (2nd ed., p. 236).
- Increased Pressure To Gather Insights Survey. 2024 MSL Society.
- Gathering Actionable Insights Survey. 2024 MSL Society.
- Dyer, S. J. (2024). Medical Science Liaison Job Application Tracking & Interview Self-Evaluation Journal (1st ed., p. 131).
About the author:
Samuel Dyer, MD, PhD
Dr. Samuel Dyer is the CEO of the Medical Science Liaison Society and has over 25 years of international MSL experience. During his career, he has managed MSL teams and operations in over sixty countries across the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand. He has facilitated the successful launch of pharmaceutical and medical device products for both Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies and small biotechnology companies.
Dr. Dyer has coached, interviewed, and reviewed the CVs of countless aspiring MSLs. His insights and guidance have resulted in hundreds of aspiring MSLs successfully breaking into their first roles.
While leading the MSL Society, he has conducted MSL training programs for over 75 pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies in more than 15 countries. Dr. Dyer has also written extensively on the Medical Science Liaison profession, including numerous published articles, benchmark studies, and reports. He has been the keynote speaker and moderated numerous international conferences on various MSL–related topics, including creating teams, management, MSL training, proper utilization of MSLs, global trends, and the KPIs and metrics used to measure MSL performance. Dr. Dyer has also served as a resource and consultant on several MSL–related projects for several organizations, including McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company.
Dr. Dyer has an MD from Washington University (Health & Science) School of Medicine, a PhD in Health Sciences from Touro University, a Master’s degree in Tropical Biology (where he studied in the Amazon) from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of the State of New York. Dr. Dyer also completed a certificate program for Executive Leadership and Strategy in Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology at the Harvard Business School.
Dr. Dyer is the author of the multi-award-winning and Amazon #1 Best Seller, The Medical Science Liaison Career Guide: How to Break into Your First Role (https://amzn.to/4aoYcZp). The book is the first and only step-by-step guide on how to break into the MSL profession and it has received multiple prestigious awards, including:
- 2024 Winner of the American Legacy Book Awards in the Business: Careers category.
- 2024 “Gold Award” Winner – Literary Titan Book Awards in the Career category.
- 2023 “Best Book” Winner – Pinnacle Book Achievement Award in the Career Development category.
He is also the author of the Medical Science Liaison Job Application Tracking & Interview Self-Evaluation Journal (https://amzn.to/49n6MGR).
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