Physician Interest and Participation in Market Research

Willingness to participate in a market research study may be largely driven by the methodology involved. The vast majority express interest in online surveys and there has been a decline in the proportion who are willing to engage with qualitative research compared to pre-pandemic. This is especially true for research that involves travel or inconvenience for the physician.

Topic of the research can also be a key driver of interest in participation with the following being of greatest interest:

• research related to new or soon to be launched products
• topics that aim to understand physicians’ role in patient journey
• current use and perceptions of brands.

While methodology and topic are key drivers of participation, those are often the aspects of the research we cannot change. Other factors physicians consider are incentive amount, flexibility in terms of the methodology available as well as time to complete the research and receiving survey data after participation.

While it is not always possible to design the ideal study from a respondent point of view depending on the research objectives, by gaining a better understanding of the factors that motivate physicians to complete market research studies, we can help build more engaging and interesting research and ultimately motivate greater participation.