Discover how healthcare professionals (HCPs) stay informed, what influences treatment decisions, and the factors shaping trust, engagement, and content consumption in 2026.
Healthcare professionals are becoming more selective about where they consume information and what they trust. The report reveals the channels, content formats, and information sources shaping engagement today, helping pharmaceutical and medical device marketers optimize content, channel, and sponsorship strategies.
What content influences treatment decisions?
Peer-reviewed content remains the most influential source for treatment decisions, cited by 79% of HCPs. CME/CE content and clinical guidelines follow closely behind, while industry-produced content trails significantly. Explore the content formats that have the greatest influence on clinical decision-making and patient care.
Where do HCPs go to stay current?
HCP attention is increasingly concentrated around trusted educational and evidence-based resources, with CME/CE leading all sources for staying current. The report also reveals the growing influence of trusted professional environments, with 85% of HCPs more likely to visit websites affiliated with a medical or nursing society.
Drivers of credibility and engagement
Evidence continues to be the strongest driver of credibility. Half of HCPs say independent peer-reviewed research and clinical data citations add the most value to sponsored content. The report identifies the environments most likely to drive action, with online medical journal sites and society member sites generating the highest engagement rates for sponsored messaging.
AI's impact on HCP content consumption
While AI-generated content gains attention, healthcare professionals remain selective in how they evaluate it. Peer review continues to play a critical role, with 78% saying AI-generated articles would be more trustworthy if they underwent peer review.
Learn how HCPs evaluate AI-generated content and what builds trust in AI-assisted communications.
What you'll learn
- Where HCPs go to stay current on clinical developments and specialty news
- Which content types have the greatest influence on treatment decisions
- What makes sponsored content more credible and engaging
- Which channels generate the strongest engagement and action rates
- How concerns about misinformation are influencing content consumption
- Why society-affiliated environments continue to earn HCP attention
- How HCP perceptions of AI-generated content are evolving
- Strategic recommendations for content, channel, and sponsorship planning
Download the report
Benchmark your content, channel, and engagement strategy against the latest healthcare professional preferences, trust signals, and content consumption trends.