With the tablet maturing as a device and adoption by pharmaceutical sales forces at near-universal levels, physicians give most tablet details middling ratings, according to the new ePharma Physician 2013study from healthcare market research and advisory firm Manhattan Research.

While 54 percent of physicians participating in the ePharma Physician^® 2013 study agreed that tablets make meetings with company representatives more valuable than those without the devices, there's clear room for improvement. Biopharma firms must understand where tablets can add pizzazz to a detail – animations of a novel mechanism of action, for example – and make sure they haven't overlooked basics like intuitive navigation and responsive design.

That's one of a number of opportunities for biopharmaceutical company engagement of physicians identified by the study, for which Manhattan Research surveyed 1,831 US physicians online in Q2 2013. Key findings are summarized in a white paper,Technology and Touchpoints for Physician Engagement in a Time of Change. Among them are:

• Where reps misstep in the tablet "sales dance" and how to master it
• How physicians use pharmaceutical company product sites and the need for manufacturers to move beyond the Brand.com to reach healthcare professionals online
• What physicians want from pharmas as they struggle to adapt to a fast-changing healthcare landscape roiled by the rise of Accountable Care Organizations and implementation of the Affordable Care Act

"In the three years since the iPad's debut, pharmaceutical firms have put tablets in the hands of nearly all of their sales representatives," said Vice President of Research Monique Levy. "The challenge now lies in creating compelling content and crystalizing learning moments that physicians expect and the devices excel at."