Medical Matters is a specialist market research house, with a strong psychological heritage.

We are based in South Africa.

We pride ourselves on our ability to comb the detail for strategic vision for our Clients.

We adhere to the SAMRA (Southern African Marketing Research Association) code of market and social research (code of conduct and ethics).

Deirdre Lubbe

Deirdre, founder of Medical Matters, is a Clinical Psychologist and Qualitative Market Research Specialist with more than 20 years market research experience.
She has a Master’s Degree (Cum Laude) from Stellenbosch University in Clinical Psychology. Her thesis was in the therapeutic area of Cardiology: the effects of anxiety and social support on coronary artery bypass patients.
Deirdre is a member of SAMRA (Southern African Marketing Research Association).
She was the head of the Psychology Department at Helen Joseph Hospital, Johannesburg, from 1990 and a HIV/AIDS counsellor.
Deirdre’s a highly experienced analytical interviewer and moderator with solid capability across different therapeutic areas and across cultures, income levels and Living Standard Measurement (LSM) ranges.
She has had a special interest in Medical, Health and Pharmaceutical Research since 2009.
She started her research career on the supplier side at a leading market research house in Johannesburg in 1996 before starting her own qualitative market research consultancy, Danae Consulting, in Johannesburg in 1998.
In 2000, she joined an international marketing consultancy as Insight Project Director, Cape Town for 4 years.
Deirdre has worked on various research, brand positioning and segmentation projects in South Africa and Africa including Namibia, Tanzania, Nigeria and Kenya.
From November 2003, she was the marketing and advertising coordinator of a large law firm for two years, managing tactical brand activities with advertising agencies, media planners and PR agencies.
Her current client base includes a range of corporate clients, research suppliers, advertising and PR Agencies.
Target segments for her projects include a wide range of healthcare professionals, medical doctors and specialists, as well as pharmacists, nurses, consumers and patients.
Language proficiency: Equally fluent in English and Afrikaans.

Our Approach to Projects

Psychological Astuteness... to extract the often overlooked pieces of the insight puzzle
Extensive therapeutic area immersion... to increase credibility and to allow for greater level of depth probing
Analytical interviewing
A structured process for deep multi-level analysis
Systemic thinking to solve business problems

Boutique Qualitative Research Offering

We facilitate Qualitative Research projects from inception to completion in South Africa, Africa and other international countries. This includes:

Project design
Sample design and recruitment specification
Discussion guide and instrument design
In-depth interviewing: face-to-face and immersions (at home/work/central venue), telephonic, online
Paired and group interviewing e.g. dyads, triads, family and couple interviews
Moderating of focus groups (in-home, central venue, online)
Access to simultaneous interpreting/translating services via our trusted suppliers
Transcribing from various South African languages into English
Depth analysis
Strategic reporting

We assist with specific elements of the research process when this is required e.g. by offering local and international partnering on elements of projects e.g. sample design, discussion guide design and optimisation, recruiting, interviewing, moderation, analysis and strategic reporting.

Qualitative Scope of Services

Category Understanding: Spectrum of Therapeutic Areas
Exploring the decision-making mind-sets of healthcare professionals: Establishing therapeutic area approaches, trade-offs, prescription patterns and treatment philosophies e.g. re. new medications (original and generics), medical devices, diagnostic procedures
Segmentation / attitudinal profiles of healthcare professionals: w.r.t. new drugs including generic options: consulting room personality styles, prescribing decision-making motivations, preferred communication platforms, nature and level of information required
Patient Perspectives: comprehension, medical assertiveness, attitudes and response to their illness and treatment and how this translates into different levels of compliance. Response to new products such as devices, medications and adoption of new communication platforms including mHealth
Understanding the relationship between the pharmacy; the healthcare professional’s prescription and treatment philosophy; and the patient’s context, experience and financial considerations

Quantitative Projects: Medical Matters has solid relationships with trusted Quantitative partners and can offer Qualitative & Quantitative collaboration on projects, should this be required.