Switzerland (Head Quarters)

IDR Medical Switzerland
Austrasse 95, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland
T: +41 (0) 61 535 1109

UK

IDR Medical UK
Unit 104 Eagle Tower, Eagle Tower
Montpellier Drive, Cheltenham, GL50 1TA
T: +44 (0) 1242 696 790

USA

IDR Medical North America
225 Franklin Street, 26th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02110, USA
T: +1 (0) 617.275.4465

Understanding How Decisions Are Made in Healthcare

Qualitative market research plays a critical role in understanding how decisions are made across complex healthcare environments. At IDR Medical, we go beyond surface-level feedback to uncover the behaviours, trade-offs, and real-world constraints that shape adoption—generating insight that directly informs product design, positioning, pricing, and commercial strategy.

We apply a range of qualitative methodologies, each designed to capture different types of insight depending on the research objective.

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Our Qualitative Research Methodologies

Our qualitative research can be conducted in-person or remotely, depending on the objectives, audience, and market context.

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In-Depth Interviews

In-Depth Interviews

In-depth interviews provide deep, one-to-one insight into how healthcare professionals think, decide, and behave in real-world settings. They are particularly effective for exploring complex decisions where individual perspectives and experiences matter.

 

Key Activities

  • One-to-one moderated interviews
  • Semi-structured discussion guides
  • Use of targeted stimuli

Outcomes

  • Detailed insight into decision drivers
  • Nuanced understanding of behaviours
  • Rich, qualitative data
Focus Groups

Focus Groups

Focus groups capture shared and contrasting perspectives, revealing how opinions are shaped and influenced by others. They are well suited to exploring perceptions, testing ideas, and understanding how views evolve through discussion.

Key Activities

  • Moderated group discussions 
  • Structured guides and exercises
  • Exploration of group interaction

Outcomes

  • Insight into group dynamics
  • Range of aligned and divergent views
  • Spontaneous, interactive feedback
Ethnographic Research

Ethnographic Research

Ethnographic research captures real-world behaviour in context, revealing what stakeholders do—not just what they say. It is particularly valuable where workflows, environments, and behaviours influence outcomes.

Key Activities

  • Observation in clinical environments 
  • Shadowing clinicians or patients during routine activities
  • Documentation of workflows, processes, and device interactions

Outcomes

  • Behavioural and contextual insight
  • Identification of unmet needs
  • Real-world evidence of practice
Online Insight Communities

Online Insight Communities

Enables researchers to engage with participants over an extended period, allowing ideas and experiences to be explored in greater depth. This approach encourages reflection and interaction between participants, often revealing insights that emerge over time.

Key Activities

  • Moderated discussions conducted through secure online platforms
  • Structured tasks, polls, and feedback exercises
  • Iterative moderator probing across multiple discussion waves

Outcomes

  • Longitudinal insights
  • Evolving perceptions over time
  • Continuous qualitative feedback
Diary Studies

Diary Studies

Capture experiences as they occur, rather than relying on retrospective recall. Participants document behaviours, decisions, and challenges over time, providing a detailed view of real-world journeys and interactions with products or services.

Key Activities

  • Participant-recorded entries
  • Structured prompts
  • Digital capture tools

Outcomes

  • Real-time behavioural data
  • Insight into routines and journeys
  • Time-based experience tracking
Concept & Usability Testing

Concept & Usability Testing

Evaluates how potential users interpret, interact with, and evaluate new solutions. By observing real user interactions, researchers can identify usability issues, areas of confusion, and opportunities to improve product design before launch.

Key Activities

  • Evaluation sessions conducted face-to-face or remote
  • Presentation of concepts, prototypes, or interfaces
  • Tasks simulating real use

Outcomes

  • Evidence on usability and design issues
  • Feedback on product features and perceived value
  • Inputs for product refinement 
Expert Advisory Boards

Expert Advisory Boards

Bring together leading clinicians and subject-matter experts to provide strategic input on emerging technologies, treatment pathways, and market opportunities. These sessions are often used to challenge assumptions, test strategic directions, and gather high-level expert perspectives.

Key Activities

  • Structured advisory sessions conducted face-to-face or via virtual workshops
  • Presentation and discussion of concepts, strategies, or clinical challenges
  • Moderated expert dialogue and facilitated debate

Outcomes

  • Strategic insights from recognised clinical experts
  • Independent validation or challenge of key assumptions
  • Inputs to inform innovation strategy, product development, and market positioning

How We Approach Qualitative Research

Our qualitative research is designed around decision-making, not just exploration. We focus on understanding how stakeholders behave in real-world contexts—capturing the trade-offs, constraints, and influences that shape behaviour.

Qualitative research is often used ahead of quantitative studies to explore key themes, develop hypotheses, and define the variables to be tested at scale. 

We structure every study around clear business questions, ensuring insight is directly linked to commercial decisions such as positioning, pricing, and go-to-market strategy.

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Stakeholders We Engage

We conduct research directly with the stakeholders involved in healthcare decision-making, capturing their perspectives, behaviours, and real-world experiences.

Clinical Stakeholders

Frontline decision-makers in patient care and technology adoption.

Physicians and surgeons, radiologists, cardiologists and other specialists, general practitioners, specialist nurses, allied healthcare professionals, laboratory managers, and clinical experts and key opinion leaders.

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Commercial & Operational Stakeholders

Responsible for evaluating value, managing budgets, and implementing solutions

Procurement teams, value analysis committees, hospital administrators, operational managers, finance and commercial leads, and IT and digital stakeholders responsible for integration and delivery.

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Leadership & System Stakeholders

Shaping strategy, funding, and access within healthcare systems.

C-suite leaders, clinical directors, payers, reimbursement bodies, and healthcare system stakeholders influencing investment, access, and long-term adoption.

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Contact our team for a proposal

If you’re looking to uncover hidden insights and turn them into tangible, strategic recommendations, IDR Medical can help.

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