Even before COVID-19 made global headlines, patients have long relied on patient resources for information on a wide range of medical treatments and topics.

Healthcare providers (HCPs) can better inform the public about new medical discoveries and advancements by making patient information more easily accessible and digestible. Patients and HCPs with open communication are more likely to see positive outcomes from treatment, and patients are more likely to benefit from truly patient-centered care.

A Three Whiskey survey found that high-quality patient information also helped pharmaceutical companies build trust with doctors.

The survey, which gathered information from 883 self-identified healthcare providers in the U.S. found that patient materials - such as printable flyers and websites - play an important role in treatment practice. The survey also examined differences in attitudes between specialists and primary care physicians regarding the perceived trustworthiness of pharmaceutical-provided patient resources.

In addition, the survey looked into the role of patient resources in educating patients about the COVID-19 vaccination.

The biggest takeaways:

• Both U.S. and U.K. HCPs value patient resources, especially when it comes to providing information to the public about treatments and services such as the COVID-19 vaccination.

• The production of patient resources should take into account generational differences in order to produce materials in preferred formats.
• A patient resource must serve to help build and maintain a relationship with an HCP.

The survey also provided the following valuable insights:

Generational differences in trust toward pharmaceutical companies

The survey found that gen Z was the least trusting of pharmaceutical companies, while baby boomers and millennials have the most trust when it comes to pharma-provided patient materials. Uncertain HCPs, particularly those of older generations, present a clear opportunity for pharmaceutical companies to build trust by developing more useful and appropriate patient resources.

Hard copy materials still hold significant importance

Diverse formats are required to meet the needs of healthcare providers. The survey found that printable formats are the most popular among HCPs, with nearly a third preferring printable flyers for patient resources, with websites the next most preferred, followed by PDFs.

Surprisingly, millennial providers prefer printable leaflets, whereas baby boomers opt for electronic formats such as websites, PDF documents, and smartphone apps. Among the generations surveyed, more than a quarter of baby boomers are avid smartphone app users.

Colleagues and Google Search are important resources for finding patient information

The most common methods used by HCPs to find pharma-provided patient resources are through colleagues recommendation and Google search. The survey found that 35% of respondents learned about resources from colleagues, while 30% used Google to find them. Patients were the third most common source of information.

What are the most important topics for HCPs?

The most valuable topics for HCPs include treatment options, drug information, and disease management. 

Meeting HCP needs in these areas requires high-quality, trustworthy resources that are both easy to use and accessible for patients.

Download the full report for more insights.