The role of digital channels in healthcare professionals' decision-making process when purchasing MedTech products

Proces donošenja odluka u medicinskom sektoru je specifičan za svaku ustanovu, što usporava adaptaciju digitalnim kanalima u odnosu na ostale industrije. Međutim, digitalni kanali mijenjaju način rada novih generacija medicinskih djelatnika, koji sve više koriste samostalnije i inovativnije MedTech proizvode. U fokusu diplomskog rada je uloga digitalnih kanala u procesu donošenja odluka o kupnji proizvoda MedTech industrije, koje medicinski djelatnici integriraju u svoj svakodnevni rad. Rad detaljno analizira svaku fazu tog procesa, počevši od prepoznavanja potrebe za kupnjom pa sve do postkupovnog iskustva. Uz to, svaka faza povezana je s konkretnim aspektima korištenja digitalnih kanala od strane medicinskih stručnjaka. Glavni cilj diplomskog rada jest istražiti percepciju i omjer korištenja različitih digitalnih kanala u svakoj od faza donošenja odluke o kupnji MedTech proizvoda. Također, istraživanje se fokusira na identifikaciju najutjecajnijeg kanala koji medicinski djelatnici preferiraju ili smatraju najboljom praksom u procesu donošenja odluka o kupnji u svakoj od faza. Kroz ovu analizu, rad pruža preporuke o načinima kako poboljšati i prilagoditi te faze brzoj digitalizaciji i modernim trendovima u medicinskom sektoru. Empirijsko istraživanje o povezanosti i preporukama digitalnih kanala u svakoj od faza procesa donošenja odluke o kupnji provedeno je pomoću anketnog upitnika na uzorku od 32 ispitanika. Uzorak se sastoji od medicinskih djelatnika koji aktivno djeluju na području Republike Hrvatske. Analizom rezultata može se zaključiti da se proces razlikuje ovisno o ustanovi rada svakog medicinskog djelatnika te da se web pretraživači najznačajniji kanal u svakoj od faza donošenja odluke. Također, faktor sporijeg usvajanja digitalnih kanala u MedTech industriji mogao bi biti njihova važnost i rijetka kupnja većih i skupljih proizvoda, što produžuje proces odlučivanja. Unatoč tome, primjećuje se pozitivan trend uvođenja promjena od strane mlađih generacija liječnika, medicinskih sestara i tehničara. Njihova otvorenost prema digitalizaciji ukazuje na mogućnosti koje će se otvoriti za digitalni marketing u MedTech industriji u narednim godinama.The process of decision-making in the medical sector is specific to each institution, which is why the adaptation to digital channels is slower compared to other industries. With the new generations of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and the handling of increasingly autonomous and innovative MedTech products, the use of digital channels is also changing. This paper examines each phase of the purchasing decision-making process, from recognizing the need for purchase to the post-purchase experience. Furthermore, each phase is associated with specific aspects of healthcare professionals' (HCPs) use of digital channels. Hence, the subject of this thesis is the role of digital channels in the purchasing decision-making process of MedTech industry products used by healthcare professionals in their daily work. The aim of this thesis is to explore the perception and usage ratio of different digital channels in each phase of the MedTech product purchasing decision-making process. Additionally, the goal is to identify if there is an dominant channel that healthcare professionals accept or consider best practice in the decision-making process for each phase and to determine how they can be improved and adapted to rapid digitalization and modern trends. Empirical research on the importance of digital channels in each phase of the purchasing decision-making process was conducted using a questionnaire with a sample of 32 respondents. The sample consists of healthcare professionals actively working in the Republic of Croatia. Analyzing the results, it can be concluded that the process varies depending on the workplace institution of each healthcare professional and that web browsers are the most influential channel in each decision-making phase. Additionally, a factor contributing to the slower adoption of digital channels in the MedTech industry could be the significance of these products and the infrequent purchase of larger and more expensive items, which prolongs the decision-making process. Nevertheless, a positive trend of introducing changes is observed among younger generations of doctors, nurses, and technicians. Their openness to digitization indicates opportunities that will emerge for digital marketing in the MedTech industry in the coming years