Survey on DX in Medical Information Provision, About 700 Physicians Responded
Which companies do doctors rate in terms of 'DX for medical information'? The following are the results of a survey conducted by Nikkei Research in November 2023 on registered users of Nikkei Medical Online, operated by Nikkei BP.
Calls for specific improvements such as 'compliance'
| Rank | Name of company |
|---|---|
| 1(1) | Pfizer |
| 2(2) | Takeda Pharmaceutical |
| 3(6) | AstraZeneca |
| 4(5) | Chugai Pharmaceutical |
| 5(3) | Daiichi Sankyo |
| 6(7) | Astellas Pharma |
Compared to the previous survey conducted in March last year, the top companies remain the same. The response rate was only 5.8% for Pfizer, which ranked first, and 4.9% for Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, which ranked second. Only the six companies listed in the table have a response rate of more than 3%. All of these companies are large in size, and there is an undeniable tendency for them to rank higher the more medical departments they have a relationship with.
We also asked the doctors about the evaluation points of their medical information DX initiatives. The majority of doctors cited 'quality and quantity of information', such as 'the latest information is provided' (44.9%) and 'necessary information is covered' (38.8%). This was followed by 'a system that can listen to doctors' needs and make improvements' (31.2%) and 'established digital compliance' (27.5%). Compared to the previous survey, the number of respondents stating 'established compliance' has increased. It would appear that many doctors are beginning to demand specific improvements from companies to make them 'usable DX'.
Mutual understanding between 'medicine and industry' to improve the quality of healthcare
We also asked respondents to answer freely in a descriptive form about 'the most important point in promoting DX in the provision of medical information'. We have picked up a few of these points below.
| 'To be able to provide the information we need in real time, while promptly providing drug information' | (40s, gastroenterology) |
| 'We will promote DX after gathering the needs of the frontline' | (under 30s, gastroenterology) |
| 'Mutual understanding between medical professionals and manufacturers' | (under 30s, radiology) |
| 'It is a question of how far the scope of personal information protection extends. 'Ideally, cloud-based information management would be ideal, but how far can it go with insurance treatment? It is a pipe dream to introduce it to all small and medium-sized medical institutions' | (40s, radiology) |
| 'Support system needs to be solid' | (50s, orthopaedic surgeon) |
| 'Companies should create a system that is useful for diagnosis and treatment based on big data collected from medical institutions' | (60s+, gastroenterology) |
| 'Not being concerned about the benefits to the company' | (50s, neurosurgery) |
| 'DX is essential as there is a shortage of staff' | (50s, gastroenterology) |
| 'At the end of the day, it comes down to people' | (50s, gastroenterology) |
| 'Reduce the number of MRs' | (under 30s, nephrology) |
| 'Show the benefits of DX for patients based on evidence' | (under 30s, respiratory medicine) |
There is a strong scepticism towards DX, particularly among elderly doctors, and many of these opinions go further, such as 'protection of patient information' and 'introduction costs'. There were also notable calls for listening to the voices of the medical frontline and working together to make improvements. It seems that many doctors, who are feeling the impact of work style reform first-hand, are beginning to see DX as a 'personal matter'. I read the comment about "reducing the number of MRs" as an "ironic" message that medical information DX will not evolve unless the current situation of relying on MRs is forcibly changed.
As mentioned in the first part of the column, manpower shortages in the medical field will become increasingly serious in the future. In order to maintain and develop the quality of healthcare in this context, it is essential to improve the work of healthcare professionals and to make DX more sophisticated in order to support doctors' decisions. What is also important is that DX is not an 'objective' but a 'means'. The 'purpose' must be not to improve work efficiency, but to 'improve the quality of healthcare' and 'improve patients' quality of life'. For this to happen, it is essential that the medical community, which deals with patients on a daily basis, and the industry, which supports the role of doctors, cooperate with each other.
We must also consider a system to ensure that medical information DX effects reach not only large hospitals, but also small and medium-sized medical institutions. The whole country should urgently investigate and verify this, with a view to reforming the healthcare system itself. I felt this strongly as I read and understood the real voices of doctors.
