Healthcare is a dynamic and continuously evolving industry, and at its forefront stands The Rounds, a pioneering digital platform dedicated to enabling efficient, secure, and personalized knowledge exchange among Canadian healthcare professionals (HCPs). In a candid conversation on The PharmaBrands Podcast with Neil Follett, Tim Rice, CEO of The Rounds, shared his journey from a seasoned career at Novartis to steering the transformative growth of a tech startup.
From Novartis to Startup: A Bold Leap
Tim spent over 16 years at Novartis, building a stellar career across various domains, including sales, medical education, and brand management. However, a chance encounter with a board member at The Rounds prompted a dramatic shift in his trajectory. "I always had an entrepreneurial bug," Tim admits. This bug, coupled with a belief in The Rounds' mission to bridge gaps in physician access and education, inspired him to join the three-year-old startup.
The Challenges and the Vision
When Rice joined The Rounds, the company was still finding its footing. Membership was a fraction of what it is today, and the revenue model was unclear. He recalls restructuring the company down to three employees, a move that tested his resolve. “I asked the board for a year to turn things around, and we plugged away—focused on core areas and grew, one employee at a time.”
Pandemic: A Turning Point
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional healthcare engagements, yet for The Rounds, it became a defining moment. As in-person field force activities stalled, HCPs turned to digital platforms like The Rounds for education and collaboration. Membership surged, and the platform's ability to connect industry brands with physicians became invaluable.
At its core, The Rounds is built with physicians in mind. Ensuring that HCPs have access to the right information, on their terms, in a meaningful way is central to the platform’s design. This approach extends to all aspects of the platform, including engagement with Life Science companies. By prioritizing the physician experience, The Rounds ensures that industry content—from brand updates to patient support programs—is presented in a way that is both relevant and valuable to HCPs. “When we take the physician’s perspective first, we create meaningful engagement,” says Rice. This philosophy not only strengthens trust with HCPs but also enhances the value of industry collaborations.
Value Proposition: Why HCPs and Life Science Organizations Choose The Rounds
Rice emphasizes the platform’s dual advantage:
- For HCPs: A verified, secure space to engage with peers, thought leaders, and credible brand and disease state information—on-demand.
- For Life Science Clients: A compliant, targeted way to engage physicians, providing both reach and depth beyond traditional methods.
The Future of The Rounds
Looking ahead, The Rounds aims to advance HCP education through AI integration and expanded industry collaborations. Innovations like deep-linking solutions ensure seamless access for HCPs, while single sign-on capabilities streamline engagement.
As Rice aptly puts it, “Physicians want credible places to go to. We are one of those credible places.”
Disclaimer:
The content and opinions expressed in this article are derived from “The PharmaBrands Podcast” featuring Tim Rice. All rights remain with the podcast owners.
