Working with Medical Inquiry (MedComms)

Medical Inquiry for Vault MedComms provides a compelling, complete solution for content and case management with no third party integrations needed. Medical Inquiry has three core capabilities:

  • Ingesting inquiries (via UI, email, and/or API)
  • Assembling documents into a response package
  • Fulfilling inquiries directly from MedComms

You can manage cases and case contacts, define priority-based service level agreements (SLAs), automatically generate standard response cover letters, assemble electronic response packages, and directly fulfill inquiries via email.

Viewing Medical Inquiries

When you click the Medical Inquiry tab, you can choose to view Cases or Case Contacts. Cases contain all information about a request for information, while case contacts contain all contact information for the person who requested the information.

To view an individual case or case contact’s details page, click on its Name. You can also Search, Filter, or Create Custom Views.

Creating a New Case

Depending on your Vault’s configuration, the steps for creating a new case may vary. If your Admin has enabled the Case Intake form, you can enter details for the case, case contact, and case request from a single form. If your Admin has configured the Medical Inquiry user interface, you can use it to capture the inquiry.

To create a new case:

  1. From the Medical Inquiry tab, select Cases.
  2. Click Create.
  3. Optional: Enter the Requestor. This is the person who is calling or sending an email, for example, a doctor’s administrator.
  4. Enter the Case Contact. This is the doctor, pharmacist or other medical professional requesting the information. If the person requesting the information isn’t listed as a case contact, you’ll need to create a new case contact.
  5. Optional: Enter the Case Origination Channel. This is the method of contact.
  6. Enter the Case Priority, which determines how quickly the case contact must receive a response.
  7. Optional: If your Vault uses the Case Intake form, and you also wish to create a Case Request, proceed to the Case Request panel.
  8. Click Save, or, to create another case, click Save + Create.

Response Contacts

If configured by an Admin, you can populate the Response Contact field on the Case Response and Case objects. When populated, Vault sends the case response email to this address. If the Response Contact is present but empty, Vault defaults back to the email in the Case Contact field.

Adding Adverse Events

When creating a case, you can also capture core details of an Adverse Event associated with the case. Note that an Admin must configure the Case object page layout to include the Event section.

Creating a New Case Contact

You can create a new case contact by navigating to Medical Inquiry > Case Contacts and clicking Create. Alternately, you can create a new Case Contact record from the Create Case screen by selecting Create Person and then selecting the Case Contact subtype. Enter the person’s contact information, then click Save. You can also create new cases and case contacts from Business Admin.

Adding Associated Contacts

You can add additional email addresses for a Case Contact as Associated Contacts in the Associated Contact section of a primary Case Contact record. You can include these addresses as CC or BCC recipients on case response emails or as different Response Contacts.

Adding Case Contacts with OpenData

When configured by an Admin, you can search OpenData to create Case Contact and Associated Contact records. Using OpenData, you can search for healthcare professionals using names, NPI, specialty, and more. You can also search OpenData for existing case contacts to update applicable Case Contact and Address records.

To create a case contact using OpenData:

  1. Click the binoculars in the Case Contact field.
  2. Using the search bar and filters, enter information on the HCP.
  3. Click Search.
  4. Select the result closest to your search terms.
  5. Click Confirm.

When importing an HCP from OpenData, Vault creates a Case Contact, Associated Contact, and, if present, a Person Address record. Vault manages this Case Contact record, preventing potential conflicts if an HCP’s details are updated on the Case Contact record in the future.

You can continue to manually create case contacts by clicking Create under the Case Contact field. You can also search for existing Case Contact records in Vault by entering the person’s name in the Case Contact field.

Adding the Case Request

The Case Request stores information about the inquiry. To add a Case Request to a Case:

  1. From the Case Detail page, click the Create button in the Case Requests panel. If your Vault uses the Case Intake form, you may skip this step and create the Case Request at the same time as the Case.
  2. Select the Product.
  3. Select the Request Category.
  4. Enter the Request Details. This is a summary of the questions asked or information requested by the Case Contact.
  5. Optional: Select the Preferred Response Method.
  6. Optional: If your Vault uses the Case Intake form and you wish to also create a Case Response, proceed to the Case Response panel.
  7. Click Save.

You can add multiple case requests to each case. For example, a case contact might need information about both efficacy and dosing for the same product or have questions about multiple products that were asked in the same conversation with a call center agent.

Assigning a Case

From the Case Detail page, click the Actions menu and select Assign Case. You can select the assignee from the list or search using their name or email. Click Start when you’re done selecting. Assigning a case starts the Case Assignment workflow.

Responding to a Case

When you are assigned a case, it will appear in the Tasks tab. Open the Case by clicking on its Name, click the Accept button, then click Complete.

Adding the Case Responses

If your Vault uses the Case Intake form, you can add the Case Response Type in the Case Response panel of the form, then proceed to step 4 below:

  1. From the Case detail page, select a Case Request.
  2. Click the Create button in the Case Responses panel.
  3. Select a Response Type from the picklist in the pop up, then click Continue.
  4. Click Save. From the Case Request page, click on the name of the Case Response, then click Edit.
  5. Click the Create button in the Add Fulfillment Documents panel. Select the document to include and the order in which you would like the document to appear in the response package, then click Save, or click Save + Create to add more documents.

Generating a Cover Letter

You can create a cover letter by clicking Generate Cover Letter in the Actions menu on the Case Response detail page.

Generating a Response Package

You can complete the following tasks from the Actions Menu on the Case Response detail page:

  • Generate Cover Letter creates a form letter to the case contact with details about the response package.
  • Email Response sends the response package to the case contact. Note that Email Response is only available if the Case Response Type is Email and if you have either generated a response package or if you have entered Response Notes.
  • Generate Preview Response Package allows you to see what the response package will look like before you actually generate one and allows you to preview non-steady state documents.
  • Generate Response Package creates the final version of the response package and requires that the cover letter and all fulfillment documents are in a steady state. Vault sends the final response package to the case contact and allows you to view the cover letter and response documents.
  • Change Type allows you to change the method of response. For example, you could change a response from fax to email.

Adding Recipients to Case Responses

You can CC or BCC additional email addresses by adding them in the CC/BCC section. You can also set a centralized email address as the Reply To address. Note that an Admin must configure the page layout to include this section.

Selecting a Case Response From Email Address

When configured by an Admin, you can choose from which email address the response package is sent by clicking the From drop-down and selecting an address.

Assigning Case Contact User Tasks

You can assign tasks to users (for example, translating a response document or creating new content.) To create a new task, click the Create button in the Create Case Content User Task panel on the Case Detail page.

Sending a Response Package for Approval

You can request approval for a response package from the Actions menu on either the Case Response Detail page or from the small Actions menu next to the case name on the Case Response Detail page. Select Send Response Package for Approval, then select the person or group to approve the response package.

Approving a Response Package

You can see response packages assigned to you for approval in the Tasks tab. To approve a response package:

  1. Click on the link in the Task Notification.
  2. From the Case Response Detail page, click the Accept button after reviewing all documents.
  3. After you have come to an approval decision, click Complete and select a verdict.
  4. Click Complete.

You must be assigned to an Approver role to complete this action.

Sending a Response Package and Closing a Case

To send a response package to the Case Contact after an approver has approved it:

  1. Select Send Response Package from the Actions menu on the Case Detail page.
  2. In the Case Response panel, use the small Actions menu next to each Case Request name to mark the items complete.
  3. Click the Complete button in the alert bar at the top of the Case Detail page, then select Close Case and click Complete.

If Vault is unable to deliver the response package email, Vault sends a notification with the reason for the failure to the user who sent the response package. To enable these notifications, an Admin must select the Enable Email Tracking option in Admin > Settings > Application Settings.

Viewing Sent Emails

Sent emails are stored in the Case Response Email object. Users can see these emails in the Case Response Emails section of the Case Response object record, once the response is sent. The email body shows the body of the email that the Case Contact received. Links are disabled in the email body.

Deleting Case Response Emails

Users with the Delete Case Response Emails permission can click the Actions menu and select Delete Email to delete Case Response Email object records from Vault.

Exporting Adverse Events to External Systems

Click Generate E2B Report from the Action menu on an Adverse Event record to generate an E2B(R3) Individual Case Safety Report XML file. You can use the file to export the Adverse Event to external safety systems. After generating the E2B(R3) file, you can download the report and load it into your safety system manually or pull the XML file directly into the safety system using the Vault API. Note that the exported E2B report only includes standard fields on Adverse Event records. Custom fields are not included.

The E2B(R3) Individual Case Safety Report document is created in the Generated state of the Event object lifecycle. Creating the file also moves the corresponding Adverse Event record to the E2B Report Generated state. Note that to maintain consistency between the object record and the document, users cannot edit the record in this state. To edit the record, users must move the record to the New state. This will move the E2B Report into the Requires Regeneration state. When the user performs the Generate E2B Report user action again, Vault creates a new file in the Generated state.

Dedicated Medical Inquiry User Interface

You can update your MedComms Vault to use the new dedicated Medical Inquiry user interface. With the dedicated Medical Inquiry interface, you can create all of the following on one screen:

  • A Case record
  • Multiple Adverse Events
  • A Case Contact
  • Multiple Case Requests
  • Multiple Case Responses

You can also add notes to cases using the Notepad on the Medical Inquiry page. The Notepad refers to a Text, Rich Text or Long Text field on the Case object.

You can click Save at any point on the Medical Inquiry page. You are not required to add Case Requests, Adverse Events, or Case Responses at one time. Saving the case opens the Case Detail page for the new Case.

Creating a Case

To create a new case using the dedicated Medical Inquiry user interface. If the user interface is configured and enabled in your Vault:

  1. From the Medical Inquiry tab, select Cases.
  2. Click Create.
  3. Enter the Case Contact. This is the doctor, pharmacist or other medical professional requesting the information. If the person requesting the information isn’t listed as a case contact, you’ll need to create a new case contact.

Adding a Case Contact

You can create a new Case Contact record from the Medical Inquiry page by selecting Create Person and then selecting the Case Contact subtype. Enter the person’s contact information, then click Save. You can continue to create a new case contact by navigating to Medical Inquiry > Case Contacts and clicking Create.

Case Contact Section

Depending on your Vault configuration, you may see a dedicated Case Contact section on the Medical Inquiry page, under the Notepad. You can click Case Contact to add and edit contact details during the Medical Inquiry creation process, allowing for an instant return in the event that an HCP asks for information after you navigate away from the contact.

To use the section, you can select an existing Case Contact from the drop-down by typing in the field or clicking the binoculars to search. You can also click Create on the left to add a new contact. Enter the person’s contact information, then click Save.

Click the Actions menu next to Contact and select Edit Contact to edit the contact information or Change Case Contact to select a different contact.

Adding Case Requests

To add Case Requests to a case:

  1. On the Medical Inquiry page, click Case Requests.
  2. Enter information on the particular Case Request.

You can add multiple Case Requests. For example, you might need to capture questions the HCP has about several products.

Adding Adverse Events

While adding a Case, you can also add Adverse Events. To add an Adverse Event, in the Case Requests & Adverse Events panel, click the arrow next Add Case Request and select Add Adverse Event. Then, enter the information on the Adverse Event.

Creating a Case Response

To respond to a case, click the Action menu on the Case Request you want to respond to, and select a response method. Then, fill out the relevant fields for the Case Response.

Medical Inquiries in Veeva CRM

When configured, the Veeva CRM connection allows Vault to pull Medical Inquiry records from CRM into MedComms. Vault pulls Medical Inquiry records in the Submitted or Saved states that are assigned to the Medical Inquiry Integration User using a scheduled job and creates corresponding Case and Case Request records. Using another scheduled job, Veeva CRM updates any Case records in the Closed state where Source is set to Veeva CRM and the External ID field is populated.

Vault pulls Medical Inquiry records in the Submitted or Saved states that are assigned to the Medical Inquiry Integration User using a scheduled job and creates corresponding Case, Case Request, Case Contact, and Person Address records.

Using another scheduled job, Vault pushes updates to CRM for Case records that originated in CRM that are now in the Closed state where Source is set to Veeva CRM and the Source CRM Org and External ID fields are populated. Updates to all records modified since the last successful push are pushed to CRM.

Vault notifies the user initiating the job or the job owner upon failure of these jobs.

When pulling inquiries, Vault attempts to match the Case Contact and Associated Contact fields from CRM to existing contacts in MedComms. Vault applies Case Contacts to the Case Contact field on the Case record, and applies Associated Contacts to the Response Contact field.

If an exact match does not exist, Vault creates a Case Contact with the Veeva ID from CRM, if present.

The Associated Contact record contains the exact contact information requested by the field user that raised the inquiry in CRM. Vault enters this information into the Response Contact field on the Case object and defaults to the value in the Case Response field. Vault sends the response email to the email address entered in CRM. The Case Contact represents the overall HCP and includes inquiries from all sources, such as those raised in MedComms or other CRM Orgs.

To perform the actions in this article, users must have a security profile that grants Admin: Objects: Create and Edit permissions on the following objects:

  • Case
  • Case Request
  • Case Response
  • Case SLA
  • Fulfillment Document
  • Case Contact
  • Event
  • Person Address

Users must also have the Admin: Objects: Read and Delete permissions on the Adverse Event object type of the Event object, and the Admin: Objects: Read permission on the Event Gender, Event Outcome, Event Report Type, and Event Reporter Qualification objects. Users must have the Delete Case Response Emails object action permission to delete Case Response Email object records.