3 healthcare trends that every medical sales rep needs to watch in 2021

The $9.59 trillion global healthcare industry is ever-evolving. With each passing year, new trends come out on top, casting a shadow over what were the hottest trends. Keeping tabs on the latest developments can be tricky, so we’ve put together these top three healthcare trends that every medical sales representative needs to watch out for in 2021.

Telehealth

Covid-19 transformed the pharmaceutical market, and among many other changes, it pushed virtual care and remote medicine to the top of the agenda for many healthcare professionals.

Telehealth, telemedicine, digital medicine, e-health, whatever you want to call it, it’s on the rise, according to the 2020 Digital Health Consumer Report. The report shows that 2019 saw a 32% increase in the adoption of live video for telemedicine. Fast forward to 2020 - when the pandemic became the main talking point - and this digital health tool saw a 43% uptick in adoption. Technology is transforming the sales process in more ways than one, and telehealth is pegged as the future.

These figures paint a clear picture of where the healthcare market is heading and allude to how medical sales reps might need to adapt. On the topic of numbers, a top trends list would be incomplete without referencing data.

Data is king

It wasn’t long ago that data was crowned king, and it shows no signs of relinquishing control. Though the healthcare industry has been collecting patient information for some time now - pooling that data, using it to look for patterns and improve patient care - the industry is at inflexion. Predictions show that by 2022, the big data market within global healthcare could top $34.27 billion. So now more than ever, it's essential to create a data-driven approach – one of the top tips to becoming a successful medical sales rep.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified data analytics as having the potential to have an impact on “personal care, clinical care and public health, and related research”. In no uncertain terms, data is redefining the boundaries of medicine. Not only has it given medical sales reps more meaningful information, but it’s enabled the wider industry to tailor medicine to the individual.

Further breakthroughs in genomics

How many times have you heard that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t get the best results? If that’s the case across so many fields, why should patients be offered a treatment that has been designed to work for the masses? As scientists learn more about genomics, patients are getting that bit closer to a treatment plan that is personalised. Precision medicine is the process of modifying drugs that match the genetic profile of the individual. The concept came to fruition after the turn of the century, following the completion of the Human Genome Project.

What does all this mean for medical sales reps and their patients? A greater focus on precision medicine keeps patients in the driver’s seat when it comes to their healthcare needs. It’s a reminder that treatments should be targeted, based on an individual’s genetics, environment and lifestyle too. Medical sales reps cannot overlook the role of the patient, and as breakthroughs in genomics flood in, the shift toward personalised healthcare will be hard to ignore. This chance to make a difference is just one of the many reasons to work in medical sales.

Join IQVIA, and help us move healthcare forward

Our medical sales representatives, along with our team of other professionals, are united by the mission to improve patient care. And that means keeping up to date on the latest healthcare trends.

We use data and science to help our clients find better solutions for their patients. So, could a medical sales representative career could be right for you? If the answer is yes, then start your application today. Browse our latest medical sales representative jobs and join us on the journey.