76% of HCPs are asking for more patient-friendly digital materials

76% of Healthcare Practitioners (HCPs) say patient-friendly digital educational materials would be the most helpful support for patient conversations that pharma teams could provide. This highlights a major shift in how digital value is judged, from volume of content to practical utility in the consulting room.

HCPs do not browse pharma platforms habitually; they engage "at the point of need". A moment where pressure can be high and time short. 

Our new report, the “Value-Gap, ”based on independent research with HCPs across 3 markets, shows that engagement is strongest when it supports specific clinical tasks like decision-making or answering patient questions, rather than commercial interactions like contacting sales reps. Consequently, platforms are only revisited if they help clinicians work more efficiently, while content that fails to support action is quickly filtered out.

HCPs do not browse pharma platforms habitually; they engage "at the point of need". A moment where pressure can be high and time short. 

Our new report, the “Value-Gap, ”based on independent research with HCPs across 3 markets, shows that engagement is strongest when it supports specific clinical tasks like decision-making or answering patient questions, rather than commercial interactions like contacting sales reps. Consequently, platforms are only revisited if they help clinicians work more efficiently, while content that fails to support action is quickly filtered out.

According to our research, utility is defined by how quickly an HCP can find what they need and apply it. This specifically means:

• Fast access to credible evidence: HCPs want to check data or guidelines immediately without navigating "marketing build-up".

• Support for patient questions: Clinicians need resources to address inquiries influenced by online information.

• Translation tools: Resources that help translate complex clinical data into patient-friendly understanding are highly valued.

Patient behaviour is directly shaping what HCPs need from pharma.

• 66% of HCPs say patients frequently (sometimes, often, or very often) ask about treatments they have seen online.

• 78% report that patient requests or preferences influence prescribing decisions.

• Utility extends beyond the clinician: The most valuable digital assets are now those that support the clinician–patient interaction, helping HCPs validate and contextualise the information patients bring to them.

Time is the scarcest resource in clinical practice, with nearly half of HCPs (49%) stating they simply do not have enough time to engage with digital pharma content. Consequently, clinicians are asking for a specific balance between speed and substance. They need summaries and clear structures to assess relevance in seconds, but they also require immediate access to full reports and formal documents when deeper scrutiny is needed. Things need to be more efficient.

But efficiency does not mean "dumbing down"; oversimplification erodes trust just as much as information overload does, meaning the goal is fast understanding without ever sacrificing scientific depth.

To bridge the value gap, pharma companies need to shift their focus from running campaigns to building practical tools. This means designing platforms around real clinical tasks, such as diagnosis, treatment decisions, and patient conversations, rather than internal brand structures. Beyond standard education, HCPs are looking for resources that support ongoing care, such as adherence tools and symptom checkers. Success in 2026 will come from balancing these needs: using clear hierarchies for quick reading while ensuring the full evidence base is always just one click away.

Read the full report to see how utility, patient influence, and clinical efficiency are redefining digital engagement, and which tools HCPs actually want from pharma.