Ever since there were Doctors and makers of medicines there has been a partnership of sorts between them. The modern pharmaceutical sector invests huge sums of money and time in developing life changing treatments and medicines, but doctors remain the gatekeepers to patients. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) get to know patients on a daily basis but mostly do their best work when science provides them with safe and effective medicines.  

It's a partnership of necessity.   

But could it also be a partnership of choice? 

How Diamonds Became Pyramids 

For thousands of years the first medical personnel gathered herbs, bark and roots, and called on the spirits to cure all ailments. But as science started to add research and rigour to the process, alchemists and experts increasingly took on the role of discovering medicines and treatments.  

As the science of medicine became increasingly specialised and sophisticated this partnership became essential. The pharmaceutical industry became the undisputed experts in the technology, biology and engineering of healthcare. And Doctors continued to be the real-world experts on the patient and the journey of their pathology and treatment. Neither could be effective without the other.  

But the world has continued to develop and become increasingly complex. To manage the complexity of some Pharma / HCP communications a specialised industry has grown from the media world, calling themselves Medical Communications.  

Combining Medical Affairs levels of clinical and scientific expertise with marketing savvy and awesome project management capability, Med Comms now organise most of the larger, more formal events such as conferences, workshops and advisory boards. 

Finally, at the apex of the pyramid sits specialist learning consultancies such as Excel Communications. Interestingly, Excel has spent more than 35 years developing confident, engaging speakers amongst the staff and managers of both Pharma and Media companies. We also originated from the healthcare industry so already had very close working knowledge of GPs, nurses, pharmacists and hospital doctors.  

It only became a matter of time before all this came together in the ultimate pyramid partnership. 

Jewel In The Crown 

The insight, skills and knowledge required to communicate effectively and efficiently is critical at every juncture. Field Medical need to be able to engage with HCPs who, in turn, must communicate with patients and peers.  

For all their expertise, Med Comms are not, and wouldn’t claim to be, experts in training and developing communication skills in others. Instead they work with trusted partners such as Excel.  

Often medical meetings are therapy aligned or may even be designed around new data, new medicines or new licensed indications. Med Comms organise the participants, the venues and the messaging in close collaboration with their pharmaceutical client. All this ensures that the right people have the right information at the right time.  

They then bring in the learning experts who coach the KOLs so that they can cascade the new information to their peers in a confident and professional, engaging and memorable fashion. This is made all the more impactful as the training, practice and feedback can all use the new data that’s being published. Which, in turn, reinforces their understanding and fluency with the science and the research.  

It’s not all about what you present but how you present it that leaves a lasting impression on any audience.  

What is critical is that, when you are upskilling your teams and KOLs, the training is tailored to their needs, your organisational goals and the audience.  

If in doubt reach out to a bespoke learning consultancy such as Excel Communications who have specialised in this field for more than 35 years. Just get in touch with us for a no-commitment conversation about how your partnership can work even more effectively.