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5 min

What are medical professional panels and how do they work

A 5-minute read on what medical professional panels are and how they work

GrapeData
Sep 8, 2022
Healthcare
B2B market research
B2C market research

Introduction to medical professional panels

Panel-based medical data sourcing methods are becoming more popular, but only a few companies have the resources to implement them.

The benefits of panel-based medical data sourcing methods are many, but they can't be used by everyone. In this article, we'll look at what medical professional panels are and how they work. We'll also explore some key questions about the use of these panels from both sides of the equation: healthcare institutions that use the data and contributors that provide it. 

What is a medical professional panel?

A medical professional panel (MPP) is a group of people who are asked to share information about their health, lifestyle, and other factors. The information shared can also be about suppliers, healthcare workers, or other decision-makers in healthcare. Panels work to connect healthcare professionals with companies that need their input.

Some uses of the information gathered from MPP include:

  • Developing new drugs and vaccines for diseases that affect the whole population
  • Testing whether existing drugs work better than others
  • Gathering sentiment on mental health professionals from a section of the population

For instance, the Care Quality Commission in the UK runs a survey to examine the experiences of people who use mental health services. 

In fact, healthcare expert networks also function in a similar way. For an in-depth read on 3 types of healthcare experts, have a look at our blog page.

How does it work?

Medical professional panels are made up of medical professionals who participate in surveys for specific research purposes. These surveys gather data on a variety of health topics, including treatment satisfaction and patient experiences with certain drugs or procedures.

The information is compiled into a panel and used to create reports that are then published by the pharmaceutical companies that sponsor the research. The panel members receive compensation for their participation in these studies.

Who can participate in a medical professional panel?

  • Physicians
  • Nurses
  • Dentists
  • Pharmacists
  • Other healthcare professionals (nurse practitioners, physician assistants, etc.)

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and a medical professional panel can conclude many other people.

How does the medical panel collect data?

When a contributor provides data to the panel, they are able to collect it by asking their own patients about their experiences with your product. The panel gathers all of this information and shares it with the contributor. This is how medical professional panels work! For a guide on how GrapeData works, check out our "How it Works" page for more information.

Where can the data be used?

The data collected from these panels is used for two purposes:

  • To supplement existing health and demographic data, like birth certificates and health statistics.
  • To help make decisions about providing medical care to patients. For example, if a patient has a chronic condition but is currently doing well on their medication, they may not need additional treatments or regular checkups at this time. However, if their condition worsens, the panel's data could indicate that it would be appropriate for them to be seen by a doctor more frequently. This helps doctors plan so that they can meet patients' needs without wasting resources on unnecessary visits or interventions.

Additionally, these panels can also help improve general population health by informing public policy about how best to address clinical conditions within certain populations (e.g., diabetes among Native Americans).

Where does the data come from?

Medical professional panels are a helpful tool for companies looking to understand their customer base better. They are based on a variety of sources, such as surveys and questionnaires answered by customers. The information gathered can answer questions such as: their age, location, sentiment on care received, etc. 

How is the data used and shared?

Medical professional panels usually store data securely. However, it’s a good idea to check with the panel about compliance practices. For more information on how we manage our compliance practices, you can have a look at our compliance manual on our website. 

The benefits of panel-based medical data sourcing methods are many, but they can't be used by everyone.

Panel-based data sourcing methods are the most common method of obtaining reliable, accurate medical information from patients. They help you collect valuable insights into your existing patient population and can be used by many different people across your company.

However, panel data is not suitable for everyone. The benefits of these panels can only be realised if you have access to a large enough sample size and an engaged user base that is willing to participate in surveys or other forms of research. Moreover, panel sources are often limited by what they actually provide: if you need information on patients who haven't been in contact with your practice recently (e.g., due to long hospital stays), then this type of data may not be suitable for you.

At GrapeData we have a platform of more than 300k contributors, for providing high-quality data from multiple sources. For an initial call, please feel free to reach out to our sales team who’d be happy to guide you through our previous projects. 

Summing up medical professional panels

Medical professional panels are a great way to get high-quality data that is tailored to your needs. They're also more affordable than traditional data sources, making them useful even for small companies or startups. However, these panels aren't suited for everyone - if you need lots of data points from many different sources at once, then this might not be the best option. However, one good thing is that GrapeData specialises in finding nice healthcare populations so that your projects cover as much data as possible. 

For sourcing high-quality data from healthcare professionals, GrapeData has got you covered. If you'd like to see how we can help you, please shoot us an email at sales@grape-data.com.

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