July 8, 2026
Jerry Arbittier
One of my favorite sessions at the recent Insights Association Ignite Healthcare conference wasn’t about AI or the latest technology. It was a panel discussion with four physicians who regularly participate in pharmaceutical market research.
I walked away encouraged.
The physicians genuinely enjoy participating in surveys. They like hearing about new medications, appreciate having their opinions heard, feel they’re contributing to better healthcare, and, of course, value being compensated for their time.
That’s good news for an industry that depends on physician feedback to make informed decisions.
As the conversation continued, though, a different story began to emerge. Even physicians who regularly participate described experiences that often feel more frustrating than they should.
What Frustrates Physicians About Survey Participation
The physicians in the panel discussion shared a familiar list of pain points, including:
- Why do they have to answer the same qualification questions over and over again?
- Why spend 10 or 15 minutes completing a screener only to discover at the very end that they don’t qualify?
- Why are so many physician surveys filled with repetitive grid questions and exercises that quickly become tedious?
- And why do so many surveys take much longer than advertised?
None of these comments was particularly new. Most people who work in pharmaceutical market research have probably heard some version of them before. What struck me wasn’t the feedback itself. It was who was giving it.
These weren’t physicians who had sworn off market research. These were physicians who still participate, who care enough about the industry to travel to the Ignite Healthcare conference and share their experiences.
It made me wonder about the physicians we never hear from. How many have quietly decided that participating just isn’t worth the effort anymore? And how many valuable perspectives are we missing because the experience simply asks too much of people whose time is already incredibly limited?
We spend a lot of time discussing response rates and recruitment challenges, but I can’t help wondering how often we stop to ask whether the respondent experience is contributing to both.
When Respondent Experience Becomes a Research Problem
It’s easy to think of respondent experience as an operational issue. But once it begins influencing who chooses to participate and who doesn’t, it becomes a research problem.
Every unnecessary frustration slightly reduces the likelihood that a physician will participate again. Over time, those small losses compound, making recruitment more difficult and potentially skewing who remains willing to participate.
Improving physician experience is not solely about shortening surveys. It is about orchestrating the right combination of recruitment, survey design, technology, and respondent engagement to ensure physicians feel their expertise is respected. As our discussions at the Ignite Healthcare conference highlighted, solving today’s healthcare research challenges requires more than speed alone. It requires thoughtful orchestration across the entire respondent journey that ultimately benefits the quality of insights themselves.
Let’s Continue the Conversation
Ultimately, improving physician surveys isn’t just about creating a better respondent experience. It’s about producing better pharmaceutical market research. As an industry, we have an opportunity to rethink what physician participation should look like. If we can create experiences that genuinely respect physicians’ expertise and time, everyone benefits, from respondents to sponsors to ultimately patients themselves.
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Want more market research best practices information?
Contact Jerry Arbittier at jerry.arbittier@aops.us or 917-327-0533, or visit https://getaops.com/ to learn more today!