How To Improve the Medical Material Review Process

During a recent webinar, Acceleration Point showcased how they partnered with a top-10 pharmaceutical company to revamp and optimize its Medical Material Review (MMR) process. A Medical Material Review process is the structured workflow pharmaceutical and biotech companies use to review, approve, and track promotional and non-promotional materials before release. This case study revealed the significant challenges within many traditional review systems and how Acceleration Point's approach led to a change in their review process and improvement across several key metrics. Key themes from the webinar include creating a culture of continuous improvement, reducing expedited reviews, and refining the overall material review process. Watch the full webinar here.

Key Takeaways:

• A top-10 pharmaceutical company partnered with Acceleration Point to redesign its Medical Material Review (MMR) process.
• Expedited reviews dropped 16% after the team addressed root causes like unclear submission timelines.
• Weekly agendas, roster reviews, and a centralized communication inbox brought structure to the review workflow.
• MMR coordinators shifted from task-tracking to acting as strategic partners in the review process.
• The redesign focused on continuous improvement, not a one-time fix.

Create a Culture of Continuous Improvement

One of the biggest shifts in the company's MMR process was fostering a culture of continuous improvement. This cultural transformation wasn't just about refining processes but about instilling a mindset across the organization. Continuous improvement became a core principle that drove the team to constantly evaluate and enhance their methods.

"There are three non-negotiable things that must be put into place to achieve these types of outcomes. Improve the process, provide actual support, and you cannot do the first two unless you build a culture of continuous improvement." - Jeffrey Tucker, Director of Client Operations, Acceleration Point

This culture allowed for ongoing feedback loops, regular process evaluations, and consistent training for all stakeholders. It created an environment where small, incremental changes were consistently made to improve workflow efficiency and maintain a high level of service.

Reduce Expedited Reviews

A major challenge in the MMR process is the overwhelming volume of expedited reviews. Expedited reviews often result from poor planning and create unnecessary pressure on both the reviewers and the process. Reducing the number of expedited reviews is crucial in managing high review volumes and avoiding burnout within the review team.

"There were challenges to see the reviews or where the material resided within the process. And it was only getting more complicated when you had new product launches that came on top of the regular volume." - Jeffrey Tucker

By addressing root causes, such as lack of proactive planning and unclear submission timelines, Acceleration Point reduced expedited reviews by 16%. This proactive approach not only eased the workload on the review team but also improved the overall efficiency of the review process.

"We empowered our coordinators to categorize what the expedites were, and then we communicated that to the therapeutic area lead, so they understood why 80% of their materials were considered expedited," - Jeffrey Tucker

Improve the Overall Review Process

One of the most important aspects of the transformation was creating a streamlined and organized review process. At the heart of this effort was improving communication and building a strong system for tracking progress. The MMR coordinators played a critical role in ensuring that the process ran smoothly, acting not just as taskmasters, but as strategic partners who facilitated the entire review workflow.

The first big step to improving the medical material review process is getting organized. Weekly agendas and roster reviews were implemented to create more structure around what materials needed to be reviewed. They also created a centralized inbox to track communication, reducing confusion and creating greater transparency to follow the progress of their submissions.

By implementing structured tracking tools, the team was able to monitor each version of the materials being reviewed, improving accuracy and capacity planning. Jeffrey Tucker, Director of Client Operations at Acceleration Point, explained how central this tracking is to the process: "Our coordinators are constantly updating those trackers… they live in those trackers."

The new review process was more than just about efficiency—it was about empowering the team to manage their workload better and improve collaboration between stakeholders. Tucker shared the importance of fostering this partnership: "The coordinators are not just telling people what needs to be done, they are active participants in helping the process move forward."

Conclusion

The case study presented highlights how we helped a leading pharmaceutical company transform its Medical Material Review process through strategic improvements and cultural shifts. By focusing on continuous improvement, reducing expedited reviews, and streamlining the overall process, the company saw tangible benefits in efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction.

This case study is a testament to how process improvement and proactive planning can alleviate the common problems faced by many medical review teams today. If your team is facing similar challenges, Connect with our team for support in creating a more efficient and productive Medical Material Review process.

FAQ

What is a Medical Material Review (MMR) process? An MMR process is the structured workflow pharmaceutical companies use to review, approve, and track promotional and non-promotional materials before they're released, typically involving Medical, Legal, and Regulatory reviewers.What causes expedited reviews in an MMR process? Expedited reviews are often caused by poor planning, unclear submission timelines, and reactive workflows that push materials through review under time pressure.How can a company reduce expedited reviews? Addressing root causes such as unclear submission timelines and lack of proactive planning can meaningfully reduce expedited review volume. One pharmaceutical company reduced expedited reviews by 16% using this approach.What role do MMR coordinators play in the review process? MMR coordinators track material versions, manage centralized communication, and act as strategic partners who help move the review process forward, not just administrators who track tasks.

Further Reading:

• Dedicated Process Management: Centralized and Communicative → https://www.accelerationpoint.com/resources/dedicated-process-management-centralized-and-communicative/
• Why Artificial Intelligence Revolutionizes the Insights Process for Medical Affairs → https://www.accelerationpoint.com/resources/why-artificial-intelligence-revolutionizes-the-insights-process-for-medical-affairs/
• Four Reasons Medical Affairs Leaders Are Investing in MSL Systems → https://www.accelerationpoint.com/resources/investing-in-msl-systems/