Unlocking the Potential of MSLs in Engaging HCPs: Learn from Michael Moore
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Episode Summary
Welcome to the Transforming Medical Communications podcast brought to you by MedComms Experts. I am your host, Wesley Portegies. This podcast explores the dynamic landscape of Medical Communication strategies, innovations, and challenges. We aim to facilitate insightful conversations that contribute to advancing effective Medical Communications practices.
Michael Moore, Senior Medical Science Liaison (MSL) and Head of Field Medical Training and Development at Theranica Bio-Electronics, joins us to discuss the vital role MSLs play in educating and engaging healthcare professionals. In this episode, we’ll cover the power of storytelling and strategic questioning in driving effective Medical Communications and delve into the assessment and measurement of MSL impact. We’ll also explore the future of Field Medical and get Michael’s unique perspective, shaped by his passion for scientific communications and journey from academia to MSL.
Guest at a Glance
Michael Moore is a world-class MSL. He has presented data on numerous topics to healthcare professionals (HCPs) throughout the United States and is known as an engaging, effective storyteller. To quote one of his professors at Texas A&M, “Dr. Moore is an outstanding ‘explainer’ of all things biochemistry — the best student in this regard that I have had work in my lab over the past 30 years. He is very friendly with people and can put them at ease. He considers what they know (and don’t know) and can adjust his narrative accordingly.”
Host at a Glance
Wesley Portegies is the CEO and Founder of MedComms Experts, a company that creates effective Medical Communication strategies for pharmaceutical companies. Wesley is an experienced entrepreneur, starting his first company at 19 years old and building multiple successful companies from scratch. Driven by a passion for medical communications, Wesley has over 20 years of experience in the medical industry—both agency and industry side.
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Hot Takes and Key Highlights
- 04:01 – Good Communicators are Empathetic People
Michael explains that good communicators frequently wonder if their words make sense to the person they’re speaking with. For instance, is your audience missing a certain context because they’re not biochemists? If so, you need to check in with them to see if they understand the broad concept before you drill down a mile deep into granular — and often complex — detail. Hence, empathy is a big part of good communication. Additionally, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) are clinicians and, as a result, are always busy. They get paid to see patients, and finding space in their busy schedule and communicating effectively requires you to be empathetic and put yourself in their position.
“You need empathy to communicate effectively with healthcare professionals. MSLs need to do their research and understand their interests and motivations so we can tailor our messages and make them more relatable. It’s all about being empathetic, concise, creative, and captivating in our communication.”
- 30:37 – The Power of Strategic Questions in Effective Medical Communications
Michael highlights the difficulties and challenges faced in being an effective medical communicator. He emphasizes the role of asking strategic questions that prompt the busy HCPs to have an “aha moment” around the value that you are communicating. To achieve this, it’s vital to train the MSL team to identify and ask powerful questions during their interactions with HCPs and other medical professionals. Field Medical leadership can also provide resources and guidance in developing strong questions based on insights.
“I think training sessions on the power of questions and how to ask incisive and strategic questions would be beneficial. It’s all about helping MSLs effectively gather valuable insights from their interactions.”