Medical Science Liaison Services Excellence: Generating Value for Diverse Customer Groups Within the Medical Device Industry

Concerns about compliance and legal limitations are forcing companies to re-examine how their medical science liaisons and internal medical staff must work to build strong relationships with key customer groups and decision-makers.

Best Practices, LLC, has conducted research that seeks to examine how MSLs can provide greater value through their work with internal stakeholders and with external decision-makers and leaders.

Specifically, this primary research identifies valuable insights into MSL services structure as well as the roles and responsibilities of these services. The study offers powerful insights that you will be able to use in the organization and deployment of your MSLs. Additionally, the new report will provide information on how the roles of MSLs are evolving in the changing pharmaceutical environment and how regulatory concerns are affecting the MSL landscape.

Study Snapshot

The report is based on research and information provided by eight Medical Device executives from 8 different companies.

Key Findings

MSLs Expected to Work More Regularly with Other Internal Groups: Sales Reps and Professional Relations/Advocacy are the two groups that will be served most regularly (59 and 38%, respectively from survey). Surprisingly, 25% of companies say they do not serve Payer Services, but a number of companies said they have specially trained MSLs to serve this role. Those companies tout it as an important service.

Limited Fear of Losing Access to KOLs: A little more than one-third of companies say they see a high risk of KOL’s home institutions curtailing MSL access to such opinion leaders. Some did point out that some MSLs are becoming “too commercial” in their touch points and that could negatively impact access if it continues.

Regulatory Bodies Will Make It Harder to Work with or See KOLs: Of all the potential risk factors listed in the survey, this one caused the most alarm. Forty-one percent view a “high risk” and 34% view this as a “medium risk” Only KOL's home institution limit their ability to see MSLs garnered a higher combined risk score.

• Project Overview
  • Business Issue and Corporate Challenge
  • List of Participating Companies
  • Universe of Learning – Participants
  • Pathways To MSL Services Excellence
  • Making MSL Services Work Across Diverse Customer Groups Requires
  • Some Differentiation
  • Experienced Executives Advocate Flexibility & Willingness to Fine-tune
  • Medical Services As Needed
  • Laser-like “Customer” Focus Breeds Viability
  • What Differentiates the Better Companies
• MSL Services Key Insights
• Key Opinion Leaders Management
• MSL Internal Services and Activities
• MSL Services and Payer Education and Support
• MSL Services and Hospital/Health Care Access
• Emerging Trends and Mitigating Risks
• MSL Services and Physical Education
• MSL Services and Patient Education and Advocacy Support
• MSL Group Structure and Oversight
• MSL Activities Throughout Life Cycle
• MSL Services: Best Practices and Voices from the Field