The Rise of Workflow Intelligence in Pharma Market Research

During a recent routine office visit, my primary care physician greeted me, asked a few questions, and then -- almost immediately -- turned to his computer and began typing. The interaction didn’t stop, but the center of attention shifted.

The computer screen became a third participant in the room.

This moment reflects a structural change in medicine. Care still happens between two people, but the EHR now mediates the encounter. Decisions about diagnosis, treatment, coverage, and follow-up are increasingly shaped by what appears -- and what is required -- on that screen.

For pharmaceutical insights leaders, this shift demands a new kind of understanding. For decades, our discipline has excelled at uncovering why physicians choose therapies: beliefs, motivations, and attitudes. The psychology of the doctor. But today, belief isn’t enough. A physician may want to prescribe -- and still not do so -- if the workflow makes it difficult, unclear, or time-consuming.

The insight we must embrace:

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Adoption is no longer only a matter of attitude. It is a matter of workflow.

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The data tells the story

Studies show physicians spend roughly 4.5 hours per day in the EHR. Primary care physicians spend ~36 minutes per patient visit engaging with digital tasks -- often extending into evenings. And team structures matter: clinics with pharmacy technicians and strong order-entry support spend significantly less time per visit in the EHR.

This matters for pharma not because we control the EHR -- we obviously don’t -- but because clinical decisions are shaped by the digital ecosystem in which they now occur.

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The old insights model is no longer enough

Traditional HCP research focused on:

• Motivations and mental models
• Perceptions of clinical evidence
• Questions, barriers and objections
• Messaging resonance

Those remain essential -- but today they explain only part of the adoption journey. The modern care environment introduces new friction points that research must illuminate:

• What information the EHR surfaces at decision time
• Where insurance or documentation requirements slow execution
• Which staff handle access, labs, education, medication administration, and follow-up
• What digital prompts compete for attention

Intent to prescribe is not the same as ability to execute.

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The new imperative: Workflow Mapping

To support modern launch and brand growth, insights teams need a new research capability: Workflow Mapping -- a structured method to understand how treatment decisions unfold inside the EHR and through the clinical team.

This includes:

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1) Mapping the digital journey

• Which EHR screens clinicians view when considering therapy
• What triggers -- labs, scores, alerts -- influence decisions
• Where prescribing logic or order sets sit in the interface
• How prior authorization steps appear and when they arise

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2) Understanding team roles

Execution is often distributed across:

• Nurses conducting triage and chart prep
• Medical assistants capturing history
• Pharmacy techs managing refills and prior auths
• Care coordinators arranging follow-ups

If we only include physicians in marketing research, we miss the real execution mechanics.

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3) Identifying friction points

Common barriers include:

• Time to locate guidelines or dose information
• Unclear coverage requirements
• Documentation burdens for medical necessity
• Competing EHR alerts recommending other therapies

These often explain adoption gaps better than attitudes alone.

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4) Defining the moments that matter

Instead of asking “What message will persuade the physician?” the new question is:

“What information is required, by whom, and at what point in the workflow?”

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What insights teams must do differently

To build Workflow Mapping into standard insight practice, teams should:

• Conduct EHR-context interviews and simulations
• Observe real care environments when possible
• Include nurses, MAs, and pharmacy staff in research
• Analyze and map the steps from diagnosis → decision → order → follow-up
• Test support tools not just for clarity -- but for workflow fit

This is not abandoning traditional research; it’s expanding and deepening it to reflect reality.

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A new definition of actionable insight

In the coming era, the most valuable insights won’t only sound like:

“Physicians believe X, so we should say Y.”

They will sound like:

“At step 3 of the visit, the clinician needs Z data point, the nurse queues the order, and the pharmacist triggers coverage review — so our support must fit that moment and those users.”

Brand success will belong to those who support the care process, not just speak to the prescriber.

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The takeaway

The screen didn’t replace the relationship; but it does reshape the decision moment.

For pharma, the imperative is clear:

Stop studying only the prescriber. Start studying the workflow.

Insight leaders who master workflow intelligence will guide smarter launches, build better support programs, and earn a place in the digital ecosystem where care truly happens.