By: Susan Boydell | sboydell@barlowmccarthy.com
Like many of you, I’ve been hearing a lot about how artificial intelligence is going to transform sales, outreach, and physician relations. Naturally, I thought the best way to explore the topic would be to ask AI to write a blog about it. After all, if AI is going to change the way liaison and sales teams work, it should at least be able to explain itself.
To its credit, the AI did a pretty good job. It talked about using data to identify referral patterns, drafting follow-up messages, summarizing visit notes, and helping teams see opportunities that might otherwise be hidden in the noise. In other words, many of the same things health systems are already experimenting with today.
But here’s the funny thing. While the technology can organize information and surface insights, it still can’t replace the core of what makes physician relations work. Relationships are built through trust, context, and conversations that don’t always follow a script. AI might help you prepare for the meeting, but it won’t shake the physician’s hand or understand the nuance behind a hesitant referral pattern.
What we’re seeing is that the most effective teams aren’t choosing between technology and relationships. They’re learning how to combine them. AI can help teams see patterns, prioritize opportunities, and operate more strategically, while experienced liaisons bring the judgment, curiosity, and credibility that move relationships forward.
At Barlow/McCarthy, we spend a lot of time helping organizations navigate moments like this. New tools and technologies create opportunities, but they also raise important questions about how physician relations teams operate, how data is used, and how strategy evolves.
If you’re thinking about how physician relations, liaison work, and emerging technologies like AI fit together in the years ahead, we’d be glad to talk. Reach out to the team at Barlow/McCarthy (info@barlowmccarthy.com) to start the conversation about calibrating your program for the next generation of physician relations.