The Challenges of Medical Communications in the Digital Age With Ana Bozas
 |  |  |  |
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.
Our guest today is Ana Bozas, Director of Scientific Publications and Medical Communications at Ipsen. She joins us to discuss the evolving landscape of Medical Communications and the need for the industry to adapt to modern HCP preferences.
Guest at a Glance
Ana is a Director of Scientific Publications and Medical Communications at Ipsen. She describes herself as an energetic crusader: Give her a mission and set her loose on the problem! Ana enjoys achieving goals through rigorous research, planning, and expert engagement. She is a self-starter and highly flexible in her scientific interests. Ana has a PhD in the genetic engineering field of Biochemistry with over 11 years of experience that spans across stem cell research, in-vitro toxicology, and Medical Communications.
Host at a Glance
Wesley Portegies is the CEO and Founder of MedComms Experts, an agency that creates effective Medical Communications 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.
- Connect with Wesley Portegies on LinkedIn
Hot Takes and Key Highlights
- 11:46 – Balancing Accuracy with Simplicity in Medical Communications
Navigating complex information delivery is challenging. In regulated industries like healthcare, accuracy is vital, because the information we share can impact human lives. However, to ensure our communications have an impact it’s key to balance simplicity with substance. Offering options—infographics for quick insights, podcasts for commuters, graphs for visual learners—tailors information to HCP consumption preferences. Navigable videos cater to diverse interests, allowing viewers to skip to relevant sections. Customizing content enhances accessibility without overwhelming the reader. It’s about empowering individuals to choose their depth of engagement, ensuring comprehension while respecting their time and preferences.
“The challenges that healthcare professionals face are time constraints and information overload. And so, one of the key things that we need to do is make sure that the content that we’re providing is concise and easily consumable by the HCPs. So, really short and to the point, because that allows them to preview the material quickly and then save it for later review.”
- 22:45 – Closing the Feedback Loop Between Pharma Companies and Stakeholders
Ana explains that there are several methods for gathering information and feedback. She prefers direct dialogue with colleagues to discuss findings from the field and their preferences. The shift to virtual conferences during the pandemic prompted a reconsideration of traditional practices like abstracts and posters. Feedback from peers revealed limited interest in virtual formats, preferring in-person interaction. Others utilize interactive content and analytics to gauge audience engagement. Combining multiple approaches—videos, podcasts, and interactive posters—allows for comprehensive data collection. However, direct communication remains invaluable in providing nuanced insights beyond the quantitative metrics.
“If you have five different ways of putting your information out there, then you look at who clicked, how many seconds they stayed on it, and which section they viewed from which page. That’s one way of collecting information. It’s the low-hanging fruit, but not enough. I need to hear the person talk.”