News & Views
New Survey Results Reveal Communications Preferences Among Nurse Practitioners (NP) and Physician Assistants (PA)
HealthLink Dimensions Publishes Findings From Its Inaugural Research Study Of Physician Extenders
ATLANTA, Ga., November 28, 2023 – Atlanta-based HealthLink Dimensions, which has the nation’s largest audited healthcare provider database, announced the release of its highly anticipated report on the communication preferences of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs), collectively known as “physician extenders.” The report gives pharmaceutical manufacturers, hospitals and health systems, and other healthcare enterprises valuable information about how to best reach these professionals on the front lines of patient care. Among many industry insights, the report showed that 49% of respondents identified email as their preferred way to get information and that two-thirds of respondents allow medical sales representatives at their place of work.
Despite the increasing number and influence of physician assistants and nurse practitioners, their attitudes and opinions have rarely been studied. Nevertheless, understanding physician extenders' preferences can dramatically impact how companies communicate with these caregivers, who frequently decide what medications to prescribe or which doctors to refer patients to. The newly published report gives insights into how they gather and review information and which methods of communication they prefer when contacted by organizations seeking to get their attention.
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“Nurse practitioners and physician assistants play a crucial role in patient care. Understanding their communication preferences is essential for organizations seeking to engage with them effectively,” said Amar Duggasani, CEO of HealthLink Dimensions. “Our research provides a wealth of information to guide communication strategies, so our clients can connect with nurse practitioners and physician assistants in the manner they prefer and deliver messages that resonate.”
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The Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant Communications Preferences Report follows HealthLink Dimensions’ release of the 2023 HCP Communications Report, which analyzed physicians’ communications preferences. Both reports revealed that providers of all types – whether doctors or physician extenders – prefer email communications over all other message formats. In addition, two-thirds of nurse practitioners and physician assistants reported they read most emails on their smartphones. Perhaps most importantly, the majority of respondents, almost two-thirds, say they write as many prescriptions and refer as many patients to specialists, or more, than their physician colleagues.
HealthLink Dimensions' clients welcomed the insights in the survey results of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. One client from a healthcare marketing agency said, “HealthLink Dimensions’ report confirmed our hypothesis that nurse practitioners and physician assistants are just as pivotal as physicians in prescribing and providing referrals. Learning that email is their preferred communication is a game changer for our marketing strategies”.
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The survey was developed and administered by HealthLink Dimensions communications team, and the results were tabulated by the company’s data scientists, technologists, and customer experience partners.
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The 30-question survey was sent to more than 35,000 NPs and PAs. HealthLink Dimensions estimates the results have a less than 5% statistical margin of error. The company used its audited database, the largest of its kind in the nation, to reach survey respondents. The list includes more than 1.2 million doctors and 600,000 nurse practitioners and physician assistants, of which HealthLink Dimensions has email addresses for the vast majority. In addition to its provider and hospital data, HealthLink Dimensions offers email deployment and programmatic advertising solutions to its clients, which include 11 of the 15 largest pharmaceutical companies in the United States.
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To learn more about HealthLink Dimensions, please contact Meieli Sawyer at (305) 668-0070 or msawyer@weinbachgroup.com.
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About HealthLink Dimensions
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HealthLink Dimensions is the nation’s top choice for healthcare provider data used by hospitals, life sciences, and health insurers, including 11 of the 15 largest pharmaceutical companies. The company helps clients connect and digitally engage with healthcare providers using the nation’s largest database of its kind – sourced from multiple resources and audited by third-party verifier, BPA Worldwide. HealthLink Dimensions is a leader in triple-validated data, cross-verifying email addresses through three independent channels.
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Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company has been recognized as one of America’s fastest-growing private companies on the Inc. 5000 list for five consecutive years. www.healthlinkdimensions.com.