Welcome to Level Up!
Welcome to the first edition of LevelUp, where I share actionable insights at the intersection of medical affairs, leadership, and strategic brand management. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an emerging leader in the healthcare industry, this newsletter is designed to empower you with ideas, trends, and tools to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.
In this issue, we’re tackling a critical topic for leaders in Medical Affairs: how to demonstrate the value of your function within the broader organization.
Medical Affairs has evolved into a strategic partner in driving brand and therapy success, but communicating its value to key stakeholders—executive leadership, commercial teams, and R&D—remains a challenge. Today, I’ll share practical considerations and a framework to help Medical Affairs leaders quantify and showcase their impact effectively.
Why Demonstrating Value Matters
Medical Affairs operates at the intersection of science, strategy, and execution, but its contributions are often less visible compared to commercial or R&D teams. This can result in underinvestment or misalignment with broader organizational goals.
By proactively demonstrating value, you:
Secure Leadership Buy-In: Ensure continued investment in resources, tools, and personnel.
Drive Cross-Functional Alignment: Highlight how Medical Affairs enables success for R&D, commercial, and access teams.
Elevate Organizational Perception: Position Medical Affairs as a critical function for achieving patient-centric and business outcomes.
Key Considerations for Demonstrating Value
Define the Metrics That Matter
Focus on KPIs that resonate with your audience. These could include:HCP Engagement Metrics: Number of scientific exchanges, advisory board participation, or digital engagement rates.
Scientific Contributions: Real-world evidence studies, publications, or data generation initiatives that address unmet needs.
Impact on Brand Success: Support during product launches, lifecycle management contributions, or therapy adoption rates.
Tailor Communication to Stakeholders
For executive leadership, highlight how Medical Affairs drives ROI, improves HCP trust, and addresses unmet patient needs.
For commercial teams, showcase how insights from Medical Affairs inform brand strategy or enhance field effectiveness.
For R&D, emphasize how you provide critical feedback to shape clinical trial designs or pipeline prioritization.
Adopt a Forward-Looking Approach
Move beyond reporting past successes. Focus on your strategic vision, how you’re enabling innovation, and the future opportunities Medical Affairs can unlock.Showcase Cross-Functional Collaboration
Demonstrate how Medical Affairs bridges gaps between teams, fosters alignment, and ensures scientific integrity in business decisions.
A Framework for Showcasing Value
Here’s a three-step framework you can adapt to your organization:
Define the Narrative:
Identify the key contributions of Medical Affairs that align with organizational priorities.
Develop a clear, compelling story that connects your team’s efforts to patient and business outcomes.
Quantify Impact:
Use measurable data to support your narrative. Examples include:
Advisory board insights that directly influenced brand positioning.
HCP engagement metrics linked to increased therapy adoption.
Real-world evidence studies that supported new label indications.
Deliver the Message:
Create targeted dashboards or reports tailored to leadership, commercial, and R&D audiences.
Use visuals like infographics to simplify complex data.
Leverage live presentations to communicate impact during key meetings or planning sessions.
Real-World Example: Building a Case for Value
Let’s say your team supported a successful product launch. Here’s how you can showcase value:
Narrative:
“Medical Affairs enabled a seamless launch by providing critical HCP insights and educational initiatives that drove early adoption.”Metrics:
20 advisory boards conducted pre-launch to refine positioning.
10 peer-reviewed publications highlighting key clinical data.
1500 new scientific engagements with HCPs for new data discussions
75% HCP satisfaction with educational resources during the first quarter post-launch.
Delivery:
Present a launch impact dashboard with visuals showing HCP engagement and adoption trends.
Include qualitative testimonials from research partners or cross-functional leaders.
Closing Thoughts
Medical Affairs is uniquely positioned to shape organizational success, but its value must be actively demonstrated and communicated. By aligning your metrics, narrative, and delivery to stakeholder needs, you can elevate the function's perception and secure its seat at the strategic table.
What are your biggest challenges in demonstrating the value of Medical Affairs? I’d love to hear your thoughts—reply to this email or connect with me on LinkedIn.
