How to Maximize Field Capacity

How many KOL engagements should an MSL team commit to in a year? Many Field Medical leaders still answer that question with back-of-the-napkin math, which leaves MSLs with goals they cannot trace back to the time they actually have.

In this Acceleration Point webinar, Scott Thompson (CEO, Acceleration Point), Linda Traylor (VP, Head of Global Medical Excellence, Acceleration Point), and Christine Jackson (Head of Medical Analytics, Acceleration Point) focus on the execution component of the MedImpact Model. The MedImpact Model is Acceleration Point's framework for defining the impact a Medical Affairs team intends to make, the contribution each team makes to that impact, and the execution needed to deliver it. The session walks through four steps: identify available field days, identify the activities that need reserved time, estimate full capacity for each activity, and set priorities. Full capacity is the number of times an MSL could complete one activity in a week if that activity were the only work the MSL did. Christine Jackson then demonstrates the Capacity Modeler, an Excel tool her team built to turn those inputs into monthly and annual goals for each MSL and for the full team. If your team's goals feel disconnected from the time MSLs actually have, this is the session to watch.

What You'll Learn

• Field Medical capacity starts at 260 weekdays, not 365 days, and shrinks once vacation, holidays, administrative time, and in-house meetings come out. Linda Traylor treats about 185 available days per year as a high figure in her experience, and the lowest she has seen a company calculate is in the 90s.
• The full capacity model estimates each activity on its own. For KOL engagement, the estimate counts preparation, the interaction itself, and CRM documentation as one unit.
• Priorities are set as a percentage of MSL time. In the demonstration, seven MSLs with 184 available days allocated 60 percent to thought leader engagement, 20 percent to HCP education programs, and 10 percent each to reactive responses and payer HEOR presentations. That produced about 18 thought leader engagements per MSL per month, or 221 per year.
• KOL and thought leader engagement typically takes more than 50 percent of Field Medical time. Linda Traylor says about 60 percent is what Acceleration Point sees across teams.
• A capacity model moves the discussion from assumed targets to adjustable logic. When a leader wants more HCP education programs, the model shows which activity gives up time. When digital or omnichannel support reduces invitation work, the model shows the capacity gained. As Scott Thompson puts it, "this page isn't magic, it is alignment."
• Team-level capacity supports the team's contribution to Medical Affairs impact, such as a planned number of insight-generating interactions per year. Individual MSL expectations are set between each MSL and the MSL's manager.

About Our Speakers

Scott Thompson is CEO at Acceleration Point. Scott Thompson works with Medical Affairs teams on how to define, measure, and communicate Medical Affairs impact, and Acceleration Point worked with more than 35 Medical Affairs teams on this topic in 2024. Scott regularly speaks with MSLs at Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) and MSL Society events.

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/medical-excellence/

Linda Traylor is VP, Head of Global Medical Excellence at Acceleration Point. Linda began her career in clinical and regulatory roles and has spent nearly 25 years in Medical Affairs, including time as a leader of MSL teams. Linda Traylor focuses on simple, practical frameworks for Field Medical planning and execution.

Connect with Linda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-traylor-76a467a/

Christine Jackson is Head of Medical Analytics at Acceleration Point. Christine leads the Acceleration Point team that handles the company's data-heavy projects, and her team built the Capacity Modeler featured in this webinar. Christine Jackson's focus is using data to confirm or refute common assumptions, including assumptions about how much a Field Medical team can do.

Connect with Christine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-jackson-230a4928/

FAQ

What is Field Medical capacity planning? Field Medical capacity planning is the process of calculating how many working days an MSL team has available and how many of each field activity the team can complete in that time. In this Acceleration Point webinar, Scott Thompson, Linda Traylor, and Christine Jackson present capacity planning as the execution component of the MedImpact Model, alongside defining Medical Affairs impact and each team's contribution.

How many days per year are MSLs available for field activities? Available field days start from 260 weekdays and drop once vacation, holidays, administrative time, and in-house meetings are removed. Linda Traylor considers about 185 available days a high figure in her experience, and the lowest she has seen a company calculate is in the 90s. For benchmark inputs, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that private industry workers averaged 11 paid vacation days after one year of service and 16 after five years as of March 2026, and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management lists 11 federal holidays for 2026.

What is the full capacity model for MSL activities? The full capacity model estimates each field activity on its own. For every activity, the team estimates how many an MSL could complete in one week if that activity were the only work, counting preparation, the interaction, and follow-up documentation. In the Acceleration Point demonstration, the weekly inputs were 10 thought leader engagements, 2 HCP education programs, 20 reactive responses, or 5 payer HEOR presentations.

How do Field Medical leaders turn capacity into MSL goals? Field Medical leaders turn capacity into goals by assigning a percentage of MSL time to each priority activity and applying it to full capacity and available days. In the webinar example, seven MSLs with 184 available days each allocated 60 percent of their time to thought leader engagement, which produced about 18 thought leader engagements per MSL per month and 221 per year.

How should capacity goals be shared with MSLs? Linda Traylor recommends walking MSLs through the capacity model in regular team meetings, alongside the team's medical strategic priorities. MSLs then use those priorities and time allocations for territory planning. Individual capacity and expectations remain a conversation between each MSL and the MSL's manager, while leaders use team-level capacity to plan the team's contribution to Medical Affairs impact.

Want to build a capacity model for your own Field Medical team? Request a copy of the Capacity Modeler.

About Acceleration Point Webinars

Acceleration Point webinars bring Medical Affairs and Field Medical leaders together to share practical insights, emerging strategies, and real-world perspectives on the challenges shaping the industry. Each session is designed to support the professionals driving scientific exchange, field medical excellence, and Medical Affairs transformation.

Browse all webinars and resources