Podcast: Pharmacohesion: Measurement

00:00:00:00 – 00:01:30:00
Matthew
Hi, I’m Matthew Dickinson, Managing Director of Dice Medical Communications. In this episode, we’ll discuss measurement as part of our Pharmacohesion model. I’m joined by Sandra and Rob—would you like to introduce yourselves?

00:01:30:00 – 00:01:39:00
Rob
Sure. I’m Rob Wilson, Creative Director at Dice.
Sandra
And I’m Sandra Laird, Director of Medical Education and Market Access.

00:01:39:00 – 00:02:36:00
Matthew
We’ve explored Pharmacohesion—our insight-driven model guiding strategy and execution. Now, we’re focusing on measurement, which fuels insights and completes the cycle. It’s a passion of mine because it shapes the impact of our work.
The key is setting metrics from the start, not just at the end. But just because something can be measured doesn’t mean it should be. Thinking about Pharmacohesion, what matters most to you both when measuring success for our clients?

00:02:36:00 – 00:02:57:00
Rob
For me, moving the needle is key. Creatively, my team and I want to know if we’ve made a real impact—if we’ve done a great job.

00:02:57:00 – 00:03:40:00
Sandra
A challenge is balancing lag versus lead indicators. Clients want increased awareness or market share—the lag indicators—but we can define how to achieve that from the start.
Lead indicators, like views, contacts, or message delivery, are crucial. They’re more than just activity; smart lead indicators truly matter.

00:03:40:00 – 00:05:46:00
Matthew
When we talk about Pharmacohesion—insights, strategy, and execution—strategy is key. We aim to influence beliefs and behaviors, not just track individual tactics.
Rather than focusing on views or clicks, we should ask: has our activity as a whole positively impacted patients or customers? A video getting 100 vs. 200 views doesn’t matter—what matters is whether we’ve shifted beliefs.
Click-through rates don’t define success; meaningful impact does. We help clients move beyond linear metrics to assess real influence. Yes, we can refine tactics, but the bigger question is: have we moved the needle?

00:05:46:00 – 00:06:05:00
Sandra
Measurement isn’t just quantitative—it’s also qualitative. Feedback from account teams on what’s effective is just as valuable as hard data.

00:06:05:00 – 00:07:10:00
Matthew
Absolutely, it’s a blend of both. We help clients articulate success internally—not just through numbers, but by understanding impact.
It’s not about how many attended an event, but who was in the room, what they took away, and how they engaged. Measurement should reflect the customer journey, not just stats.
As an agency, we constantly ask: Have we moved the needle? Has our work made an impact, especially in key regions or struggling areas?

00:07:10:00 – 00:07:30:00
Sandra
Measurement should be a tool for improvement, not a punishment. We’ve moved beyond outdated metrics like call counts to a more nuanced approach.
00:07:30:00 – 00:07:48:00
Rob
Exactly. It’s about using insights to shape the next step in the Pharmacohesion journey.

00:07:48:00 – 00:09:52:00
Matthew
Right. As a Veeva full partner, we help clients build dashboards and data points to track what works. Consistently refining our approach is key to improving communications and market impact.
With digital transformation, we have more opportunities than ever to assess effectiveness—if we focus on the right things. Too much effort goes into optimizing low-value tactics like banner ad clicks, when real impact comes from engaging, valuable content.
Ultimately, measurement is central to what we do. We always push for client feedback to refine our approach, ensuring continuous improvement.

00:09:52:00 – 00:10:14:00
Rob
Measurement can be motivating. A client recently told us sales had stagnated or dropped, and our response was, “Great—how do we turn that around?”

00:10:14:00 – 00:11:18:00
Matthew
Exactly. That insight helps us identify the issue—maybe clinicians are disengaged with outdated materials, and the brand feels stagnant.
Good measurement lets us spot these patterns and course-correct. We can track progress using the same metrics, ensuring real impact.
Sandra, in medical education programs—both promotional and non-promotional—what are some of the best measurement successes we’ve seen for clients?

00:11:18:00 – 00:11:52:00
Sandra
For both in-person and virtual events, we gather feedback on attendee experience, likelihood to return, and whether they’d recommend it to colleagues.
For me, that’s a key measure of success—if attendees found enough value to commit their time again, we’ve done it right.

00:11:52:00 – 00:12:32:00
Matthew
Agreed. We also track granular feedback on engagement, seeing which topics resonate most over time.
By correlating event feedback with online traffic, we can identify shifts in interest and optimize medical education programs accordingly.

00:12:32:00 – 00:12:53:00
Sandra
It all comes back to insight—identifying pain points and creating content that addresses real needs drives engagement and impact.

00:12:53:00 – 00:12:58:00
Rob
That’s the beauty of Pharmacohesion—it’s a continuous cycle.

00:12:58:00 – 00:13:57:00
Matthew
Exactly. For us as an agency, having a clear goal makes our work more meaningful—we’re not just creating for the sake of it, we’re driving change.
Our creative process is built on insight, strategy, execution, and defining success. We encourage clients to measure what truly matters, focusing on meaningful impact rather than vanity metrics.

00:13:57:00 – 00:14:21:00
Sandra
Some things are hard to quantify but still powerful. In the consumer world, brands invest in sponsorships for visibility and impact. While we don’t do that in pharma, intangible efforts can be just as valuable.

00:14:21:00 – 00:15:43:00
Matthew
Like sponsoring a congress—clients debate its value, but it’s about looking at the whole picture. We work with clients on success models, blending qualitative and quantitative measures.
Within a therapy area, we often collaborate with multiple stakeholders, each with different goals. Measurement and Pharmacohesion help ensure we’re all aligned, whether for commercial or non-commercial objectives.
Our role is to bring all that feedback together, creating a cohesive strategy. And, as you recently pointed out, Sandra, this process also drives new insights.

00:15:43:00 – 00:16:24:00
Sandra
Busy companies risk becoming siloed, with marketing, medical, and market access teams not always communicating effectively. We play a key role in aligning stakeholders, ensuring implementation and measurement reflect shared priorities. Medical insights are just as valuable as commercial perspectives, so taking a holistic view is essential.

00:16:24:00 – 00:17:13:00
Matthew
That wraps up our series on Pharmacohesion. Measurement is both the final and first step, as it drives insights. Thanks both for your input.
Ultimately, we should always ask: Are we moving the needle? Are we changing beliefs and behaviors? Everything we do should contribute to that goal. Pharmacohesion is our way of working, and we believe it’s how we make the biggest impact for our clients.