Momentum and Mindset
The energy was palpable at the 2025 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Global Annual Meeting. Conversations were expansive, workshops immersive, and the questions being asked were less about what Medical Affairs can do and more about how it must evolve to meet the future.
MAPS has always had this character, but what felt different to me this year was the urgency. AI is no longer theoretical. Metrics continue to be challenged in resource-constrained environments. Field teams are navigating heightened expectations, internally and externally, in an omnichannel world.
From my perspective, the following were the three most resonant themes from MAPS.
- GenAI Gets Real in Medical Affairs
- Value Shifts from Activity to Impact
- Defining Omnichannel with Purpose
For both emerging biotech companies and established global organizations, the call is to build Medical Affairs capabilities that are not only scientifically credible and operationally sound — but also agile, tech-enabled, and measurable in their impact.
1. From Buzz to Business: AI Gets Real in Medical Affairs
One of the most prominent and widely discussed themes at MAPS was the accelerating role of generative AI (GenAI). Gone are the days when AI lived only in innovation labs or tech showcases. Today, we’re seeing real deployment of GenAI tools across use cases such as medical writing, content modularization, insight synthesis, and omnichannel enablement.
Many organizations are moving beyond “pilot mode” and toward thoughtful implementation, which can reduce time spent on repetitive tasks without compromising scientific integrity. For example, reference-checking tools are beginning to incorporate GenAI and vision models to verify data across charts and tables with over 80% accuracy, significantly reducing manual workload while maintaining high standards for compliance and quality.
But here’s the nuance that emerged at MAPS: while the tools are advancing, value doesn’t come from automation alone. It comes from intentional use — from clearly defining where GenAI fits, how humans stay in the loop, and what outcomes are being targeted. There’s a growing recognition that AI is a partner, not a replacement. The organizations gaining momentum are those that build AI into their workflows thoughtfully, aligning technology decisions with stakeholder needs, business priorities, and internal governance structures.
This is prompting important questions that teams must now answer not just in theory but in practice: What work requires judgment? What can be accelerated without compromising quality? How do we upskill our teams to engage meaningfully with AI tools?
2. Redefining Value: From Activity to Impact
Just as technology is reshaping how Medical Affairs teams operate, measurement continues to be a focus of the discussions at MAPS.
The shift away from activity-based metrics — counting interactions, presentations, or documents — continues to mature toward measuring outcomes such as changes in HCP behavior, improvements in patient access, or shifts in scientific perception tied to Medical’s engagement efforts. (Obviously, each company needs to consult its compliance team for guidance.)
For example, we heard from teams that are tracking a ±15% swing in HCP perception of scientific leadership as a result of Medical-led initiatives. Others are linking MSL engagement to downstream actions, such as inclusion in clinical guidelines or increased use of biomarker testing. In short, we continue to evolve assessments of not only what we did but what changed as a result. We are challenged, though. Unlike metrics that can be assessed in near real-time in other parts of the organization, the impact of our efforts takes more time to have an effect.
Nonetheless, this has real implications for how Medical Affairs prioritizes its work, allocates resources, and builds the case for future investment.
To meet this new standard, teams are evolving their measurement frameworks in three key ways:
Continuing to Evolve Beyond Volume Metrics
The number of touchpoints or deliverables is no longer the primary indicator of value. Instead, leading teams define success in terms of influence — how their work changes understanding, drives adoption of evidence, or fills clinical gaps. This means developing KPIs that reflect impact over activity and are tailored to specific strategic objectives. However, organizations will need to be patient in understanding realization of these objectives can take time.
Embracing 360° Evaluation
Measurement is becoming more holistic. Teams are combining internal performance data (e.g., MSL effectiveness, scientific content usage, sentiment mapping) with external feedback from HCPs, patient groups, and payers. These “outside-in” inputs bring a richer understanding of Medical Affairs’ credibility and relevance in the real world. When triangulated with internal metrics, they create a fuller picture of true impact.
Localizing and Customizing Metrics
What works in one region or therapeutic area may not translate elsewhere. Good global organizations are better at adapting their metrics to reflect local healthcare dynamics. For example, the perception of scientific leadership may carry more weight in one region, while access-related outcomes may be more relevant in another. Metrics must be as dynamic and diverse as the environments Medical Affairs serves.
3. Omnichannel with Purpose
The third central theme from MAPS was the growing complexity, yet opportunity, of omnichannel engagement in Medical Affairs, which continues to accelerate its own vision for how to reach, engage, and support stakeholders in an environment where scientific exchange (emphasis on exchange — gathering and sharing information) happens across multiple, interwoven touchpoints — in-person, virtual, and digital.
Done well, omnichannel enhances the value of Medical interactions by ensuring each touchpoint is not only tailored but builds on the last interaction, and no opportunity for a highly specific, relevant connection or education is missed.
At MAPS, several important insights emerged about how Medical Affairs teams are approaching omnichannel in smarter, more strategic ways:
Integration, Not Duplication
True omnichannel is not just about adding digital tools to traditional field engagement — it’s about integrating them. Teams are rethinking how MSLs, digital content platforms, medical information channels, and CRM systems can work together to deliver cohesive, personalized experiences to HCPs. This means modular content that can be reused and repurposed, digital listening tools that inform engagement strategy, and workflows that connect the field to real-time insights.
Supporting the Evolving Field Role
As the channels of engagement expand, so do the expectations of field teams. MSLs are now being asked to act not just as scientific experts but also as connectors within an omnichannel ecosystem. They need access to the right content, clear guidance on how to use digital tools, and a sense of how their interactions fit into the broader healthcare practitioner journey.
Closing the Insight Loop
Omnichannel engagement is not just about outbound communication. It’s also about capturing and responding to insights from the field. Leading organizations are setting up systems to feed HCP feedback and sentiment back into a broader universe of information that can direct content planning, timing of engagements, and channel selection. The result is greater agility — Medical Affairs teams can refine strategy based on real-time data rather than retrospective analysis.
Ultimately, omnichannel is not a technology story — it’s a design and workflow story. Medical Affairs has the opportunity to lead by designing scientific engagement that is insight-driven, responsive, and impactful. Those who succeed will not only increase the reach and timeliness of their messages but also the depth of their relationships by not just responding to but (with the help of technology) predicting HCP needs.
Where Do We Go from Here?
Across all three themes — AI, measurement, and omnichannel — what stood out at MAPS was not just the speed of change but the growing clarity of purpose.Medical Affairs teams are no longer just responding to change; they are helping shape what comes next. That includes rethinking internal workflows, investing in new capabilities, and advocating for Medical’s role as a strategic driver of scientific value.
For both emerging biopharma companies building their Medical infrastructure and established teams looking to evolve, the message is the same: this is a moment to step forward boldly. Not everything needs to be done at once — but now is the time to define the vision, prioritize where to start, and put the systems in place to scale with purpose.
Questions for you and your team:
Does your company have a position on using AI to evolve work products?
What is your comfort with AI in business practices? Would you consider taking a course?
To stay current, are you following Medical Affairs resources, such as MAPS, etc.?
Is it time to hold a working session with your colleagues to expand the collective knowledge base and work together to define a vision?