“If your segmentation strategy still revolves around deciles, you’re playing checkers in a chess match.”
Physician-level data (PLD) revolutionized the way pharma thinks about its customers.
It didn’t just tell us who was writing prescriptions—it told us how, when, and why.
Suddenly, marketers had behavioral breadcrumbs: prescribing cadence, switch patterns, time-to-treatment, and more.
It wasn’t just data—it was context.
But here’s the truth: while most commercial teams now have PLD, far fewer know how to use it to its full potential.
The First Era: The Reactive Years
In the beginning, PLD was used primarily retroactively.
It helped validate campaigns, justify headcount, and redraw territory lines.
It was less about insight, and more about insurance.
“Did this region perform?”
“Who are our top prescribers?”
Useful questions—but rooted firmly in the rearview mirror.
Today: The Predictive Pivot
The game has changed.
The most forward-thinking organizations aren’t using PLD to explain the past.
They’re using it to anticipate the future—and drive action.
Treatment-Ready Targeting
Instead of blanketing high-decile prescribers with messages, we can now:
- Identify physicians who have a growing pool of diagnosed but untreated patients.
- Spot drop-offs from claims or diagnostic codes that suggest a need for re-engagement.
That’s no longer just audience building—it’s timely, clinically relevant activation.
Behavioral Segmentation That Works
- Potential adopters who write competitor products but show openness to change.
- Diagnosers who identify the disease but defer treatment—leaving room for education and nudging.
- Referrers who don’t prescribe but heavily influence treatment decisions.
- Loyalists who need tailored access support to stay engaged.
Instead of segmenting by volume alone, we can segment by opportunity.
Sales + Media + Market Access Alignment
When PLD drives segmentation, it doesn’t just feed your field force.
It becomes the backbone of:
- Non-personal promotion (NPP) strategies,
- Dynamic field targeting,
- Payer pull-through initiatives.
One source of truth. Multiple execution channels. Tightly orchestrated.
What’s Next: PLD Meets AI
Now, here’s where it gets exciting.
Layer AI models on top of PLD, and you move from who is likely to prescribe to:
- When they’ll act,
- What type of intervention will make a difference,
- Which message (peer influence, payer update, clinical trial data) will have the most impact.
This isn’t just more prediction—it’s smarter, more surgical engagement.
Done right, it means <strong
