How does the Thomson Message Mapping SystemSM
work?
What proof is there that the TMMS system truly works?
What is the process used to build an objective analysis of
messaging?
How are the analysis results presented?
How does the Thomson Message Mapping SystemSM
work?
The Thomson Message Mapping System is an ongoing process that
evaluates knowledge in publicly available resources, from the point of view
of the prescribing clinician. This is the process by which the key ideas and
messages published about a product in journal articles, abstracts, monographs,
posters, and more, are identified, categorized, and quantitatively scored from
the point of view of the practicing clinician. The results can then be used
to assess the impact these messages will have on the attitudes and treatment
habits of clinicians.
For more information on the methodology behind the message mapping process:
TMMS
Methodology (PDF)
What proof is there that the TMMS system truly works?
To learn new ways to improve the value of publication planning and medical
writing, Astrolabe Analytica, Inc.* and the University of Alabama School of
Medicine at Birmingham performed a study of the reading habits of physicians.
Their findings were presented at the 64th Annual Conference of the American
Medical Writers Association in St. Louis, Missouri, October 2004 and at the
Annual Conference for the Alliance of Continuing Medical Education in San Francisco,
California January 2005.
This large study confirmed that clinicians continue to rely on the scientific
literature to learn about new drugs, advances in therapies, and new uses for
old products. The study also showed what clinicians value most as they read
an article.
Factors Influencing Interpretation of Medical Literature by Practicing Physicians
(in rank order):
- Quality of information presented
- How well key concepts are supported by data
- Quality of the journal
- Format of presentation
- Reputation of sponsor
- Reputation of investigators
- Commercial sponsorship
Knowing more about how clinicians interpret the literature can help improve
scientific communication efforts. For more information on this study:
Study
Results (PDF)
The
poster presentation (PDF)
* Since this study has taken place Astrolabe Analytica, Inc. has aligned
its businesses, solutions, and employees with Thomson Scientific
What is the process used to build an objective analysis
of messaging?
The TMMS utilizes a process which starts by focusing the customer's
information needs according to the therapeutic areas their products influence.
The process for building the foundation information for a new therapeutic area
on TMMS takes a few months. It starts with identifying the key sources
of information and defining what the range of publication dates of the information
sources. Sources include primary and review articles, abstracts and posters.
Thomson Scientific has a staff of reviewers who examine the content for relevance.
The user of the final product can access a list of everything that was reviewed
in this process. Source numbers are assigned to the information that is actually
used by Thomson Scientific and customers with subscriptions can access those
original sources.
Content deemed relevant by the reviewers is then forwarded to analysts who
assign an evidence-based score based on an assessment of key message attributes
look at:
- Science? .. Is the underlying science, methodology, and data relevant and clear? [Source Score]
- Credibility? .. How well is the message supported by the article?
[Message Factor]
- Format? .. Is the data comprehensively presented? [Article, monograph,
poster, abstract, etc.]
- Quality? .. Is the publication enhancing credibility? [JCR Impact Factor]
How are the analysis results presented?
The TMMS uses a unique, user-friendly, question-driven interface to
quickly guide subscribers to practical answers to their needs. The TMMS
has been designed for use by those in:
- Publication planning and included communications
- New business development
- Medical affairs as MSL support
The results of a TMMS analysis can be presented to colleagues and
management with the aid of more than 60 tabular and graphical formats.
The changing results of an ongoing TMMS analysis are made available
to you through a password-protected website, providing 24-hour access. This
allows your global team immediate access to up-to-date information regarding
your product and its competitors. Only a web browser is needed and no internal
IT support is required to implement the TMMS.
