ePharma Summit

What is the digital outlook of the current online health market?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Did you know that in 2015, there will be more than 2,000,000,000 mobile people browsing the internet and that all age ranges take the time to search for medical information on line, it being the third most popular activity online. According to the video, this makes 59% of adults eHealth consumers. Even physicians are online and they're recommending webpages. At least 75% of them will recommend a health related webpage to a patient during their consultation. Is your webpage ready to be recommended?

Watch the full video here:

Ready to find out more about the way physicians use the internet and find out how they prefer to be communicated with? At ePharma Summit West, Jack Bilson, the Vice President – Product Innovation at M3 USA will be joining us for the presentation Promotional Preferences among Specialty Physicians in the U.S.. Hear how to identify their preferred channels for different specialty therapeutic doctors, develop their customer profiles and integrate this into your current physician campaign. If you'd like to find out more about this session and the rest of the program, download the agenda. As a reader of this blog, when you register to join us and mention code XP1856BLOG, you'll save 15% off the standard rate.

Out of Industry Friday: Turkey and Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:33:00 +0000

Each Friday, we take time to look outside the digital industry and look at how social media is affecting something else in our world. We all saw the Arab Spring rise over the past few years where the youth of countries rose and overthrew dictatorships with the tools of social media. Now, another country is following suit. Turkey's people are voicing their oppositions to the commercialization of a park, and in turn the leadership of their Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and gaining fuel thanks to the power of social media.

The Huffington Post shines a spotlight on how social media is proving to be the main source of information in the country on the uprising. Main stream media in the country is failing to cover the uprising, but those spreading the word on Twitter are subject to new rules and regulation that could change lives - including facing jail time for stating beliefs on the platforms, "have tried throwing users behind bars, legislating what can be said online, and even arguing that social media should be banned on religious grounds." The article also informs that Arabic is the #1 fastest growing language using Twitter. They also look at how countries beyond Turkey are trying to control the words of their citizens. In Kuwait, any words on social platforms against the emir is illegal. In the United Arab Emirates, users are threatened with imprisonment for posting content that is deemed to have endangered state security, criticized the nation and its leaders, or insulted Islam or other religions.

Do you have a topic you'd like to see ePharma Summit cover on Out of Industry Friday?

How Twitter’s New Change Could Help Pharma Dive into the Social Media Pool

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Today's guest post comes from Jim Nichols is Vice President at Stern + Associates, a full-service communications firm that fuses the best of public relations, traditional media, digital, marketing and direct engagement strategies through its Connected Communications (SM) approach. For more information, visit www.sternassociates.com.

Twitter recently announced one of the most advertiser friendly programs in the micro-blog’s history: the Lead Generation Card. Now Twitter advertisers can tweet an offer and the service autofills the user’s name, email address and Twitter username. So what does this mean for pharmaceutical marketers today? For the first time, a social network has developed a one-click process that leverages the impact of direct response marketing.

As savvy (and innovative) pharmaceutical marketers continue to test the waters of social media, here are some tips to keep in mind.

Don’t Spam: It seems obvious, and is something that marketers always think “the other guy” does. If you use the Lead Generation Card from Twitter, a promise not to spam can lead to better conversions.
Follow Up: If you are using the lead generation card for samples or other materials, make sure you deliver them within 48-72 hours or earlier. It’s important to keep the momentum alive.
Relevance: After delivering the promise (info, samples, etc.), it’s okay to ask for follow-up surveys. You could also email relevant information about the disease, etc. Only emailing users with sales information will backfire; but relevant information about their ailment shows that you care about their health and well-being.

I could imagine several brands (i.e. over-the-counter cold and cough medicines, allergy medicines, etc.) using this tool as an opportunity to offer product samples. Users would be able to simply click the tweet and receive a coupon to try out the new product.

What might be the immediate benefits of this? Tweets that are timed correctly around allergy, cold and cough season, etc., could provide significant new traffic. Twitter analyst programs like SocialBro can also help pharmaceutical marketers pinpoint the best time of day to send these tweets.

As the healthcare industry continues to struggle to find their place when it comes to social media, Twitter’s Lead Generation Card is the perfect way to dive in and reach a whole new audience that’s valuable for your brand.

Collaboration for health care's sake

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

It's a struggle for many hospitals and doctors offices to switch from their traditional record keeping methods to the new, shiny electronic health records with is the future of care. At a recent article at MedCity News looks at how three hospitals are joining forces to create and share electronic health records to benefit both the hospitals and patients.

After California's initial efforts to encourage electronic health records failed, the three competing hospitals realized they needed to join forces to save time and money and benefit the patient. By having one collective medical health record system, the three hospitals can know a patient's background, see how many times they've been to the different hospitals and know about their conditions and previous records at the point of entrance instead of spending hours getting medical history.

Nancy Seck, director of the quality management program at Glendale Memorial Hospital, stated "We're receiving money from [The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] for our patients to prevent rehospitalization as a community, not as individual hospitals. The three hospitals ... we all three have different ownerships, so we put aside all that competition concept when it's right for the patients."

This fall at ePharma Summit West, Dan Munro, Healthcare IT, Innovation and Policy Contributor, Forbes, will be joining us to discuss the drive to change behavior in healthcare and now everyone involved is responsible for driving change. What better place to drive change in healthcare than how records are recorded and shared in hospitals? For more information on this session and the rest of the agenda, download the brochure. If you'd like to join us September 16-18, 2013 in downtown San Francisco, as a reader of this blog when you register to join us and mention code XP1856BLOG, you'll save 15% off the standard rate.

How important are electronic health records in encouraging behavior change in patients for their health? Could it be a step forward in encouraging individuals to take greater interest
in their health if all doctors saw a grand picture of their care?

Forbes and Corcept Therapeutics Keynotes Talk Big Picture

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day details - the to-dos, the deadlines, and the time-consuming, nit-picky details. (Devil's in the details, right?) But it's important to take a step back and remember that what we do every day contributes to improving our patients' - our customers' - lives every day. And that's pretty cool. Even cooler is that at ePharma Summit West on September 16-18 in downtown San Francisco, we have lined up keynote speakers that will spend time with us to remind you that what you do matters, encourage you to think big, all the while maximizing your return even with the tiniest of budgets.

We're All in the Behavior Change Business presented by Dan Munro, Healthcare IT, Innovation and Policy Contributor, Forbes
Build Robust Programs on Lean Budgets presented by Steven Lo, Vice President, Head of Commercial Operations, Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated

Download the brochure for complete keynote details.

As a reader of this blog, you can receive an exclusive discount of 15% off the standard rate when you register to join us and mention code XP1856BLOG. For more information on the event and the rest or the program, feel free to email Jennifer Pereira.

The continuing questions when it comes to social media

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:11:00 +0000

So, even by now, Pharma knows that social media is here to stay and communicating with customers and patients online is a must. However, today, we look at some of the over-arching questions that affect all social marketers and questions they're often asked by their organizations.

At Ragan's PR Daily, Gini Dietrich looks at five different areas that plague social media marketers. Is your company scared to jump into social media? Maybe you don't know where your audience is. The do your research. Find out where your potential community members are online. Are they no longer engaging in that community? Did something hipper steal them away? Go to that community! Grow and engage with your audience on their terms.

We also often look at corporation social media like it is that - but - humans run every single aspect of social media. That's one of the best parts of social - you get to see the personality behind a brand. So use the tools you have to share and communicate in human terms.

Another common question is "How are we going to measure and manage social media?". What platforms are you running? Does a listening tool for Twitter make sense if there isn't much chatter? Possibly not - maybe something like TweetDeck or HootSuite. Look at Facebook analytics and measure your engagement. If you're on LinkedIn, how are you measuring your engagement?

Dietrich's final point is that social strategy is important - but most importantly - it's a part of your marketing strategy. It should be measured as a part of that - and no solely on how many more followers you've gotten. What does web traffic from your social mediums look like? How many people are talking to you? Are you listening and joining the conversation instead of just pure sales pushes?

ePharma West Session Spotlight: The Evolution of New are Delivery Models & Their Effects on Pharma Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:55:00 +0000

Now more than ever before, doctors have less control over what’s prescribed. They’re feeling pressure to prove the financial value of a branded drug over a generic and can have to justify choices to upper management. The whole pharma-HCP-consumer model is changing, and marketers need to adapt their messaging to address this changing, challenging landscape. Doctors must be armed with information on how the product provides value by decreasing readmissions and lowering other costs.

Speaker Mike Strong

In this week's ePharma Summit West session spotlight, we highlight this is the session The Evolution of New are Delivery Models & Their Effects on Pharma Marketing. ePharma Summit West will be taking place September 16-18, 2013 in downtown San Francisco. For more information on this session and the rest of the program, download the agenda. As a reader of this blog, when you register to join us and mention code XP1856BLOG, you'll save 15% off the standard rate!

Featured Session: The Evolution of New are Delivery Models & Their Effects on Pharma Marketing

Featured Speakers: Jeff Landau, Director Strategic Marketing & Corporate Development, Threshold
Pharmaceuticals
Mike Strong, Health Systems Manager, Novo Nordisk
Patti Peeples, RPh, PhD, CEO and Founder, HealthEconomics.Com

About the session: Although the term “ACO,” or accountable care organizations, are not something new, we’re just now starting to see ACOs in action and see the effect it has on physician prescribing habits. As doctors are more likely to become employers of hospital systems (instead of owning their own practices) they have less control over what they prescribe. Who holds the power in this evolving
delivery landscape?

• Learn about the new stakeholders who help control what gets prescribed
• Understand how your marketing model must evolve in order to connect with this new audience

Web Seminar: Don’t Forget the Payer in Your Digital Strategy: What Payers Need and Want from Pharma

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Web Seminar: Don’t Forget the Payer in Your Digital Strategy: What Payers Need and Want from Pharma
Date: Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
Presented by: Patti Peeples, President and Founder, HealthEconomics.Com

About the Web Seminar:
Are Payers and Managed Markets withering on your Digital vine due to lack of attention? Biopharma Marketing and Sales have well-developed, multi-prong strategies using traditional methods to drive pharma product access, usage, and reimbursement with these critical decision-makers. But, has your Digital Marketing Strategy kept up, or are you still thinking only about providers and patients? Key stakeholders – payers, managed markets, and technology assessment groups - control market access to and reimbursement for your drug or device more than ever before, and they need and want digitally-based product education, information, and evidence evaluation tools. What are your marketers and social media experts doing to optimally engage these key decision-makers?

This Webinar will provide you with tools to prepare a forward-thinking, sophisticated, and complete Digital Strategy that: identifies the key stakeholders, prioritizes their information needs, presents methods to optimize your market access and reimbursement success, and provides you with the tools to develop a road map to efficiently and effectively integrate these customer groups into your digital marketing mix.

What you will learn:

The Who and the What: Who are the key managed markets and payer stakeholders to target for a digital strategy, and what do they need and want?
The Why? Why should I allocate time, effort, and money to these groups?
The How? How do I optimally communicate with these decision-makers, and how do I gain buy-in from internal stakeholders?
The When? Do managed markets and payer groups need their information on the same timeline as providers and patients?

This web seminar is presented by ePharma Summit West. The event will take place September 16-18, 2013 in San Francisco, California.

Why should hospitals join the App world?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:04:00 +0000

Social media can be used my many institutions to help get their word an message out. One of the sectors benefiting the most from social media, SmartPhones and all the technologies that go with it is the health sector. According to Ragan's Healthcare Community News, one in three people today use SmartPhones for heatlh related reasons or searches. This is up from 10% of users with SmartPhones in 2010. Not only that, but 90% of 18-30 year olds have incorporated checking their SmartPhones during their morning routine. They also predict that the speed of adoption will continue at this fast pace.

So they argue: Why shouldn't hospitals venture into the social media/SmartPhone space by having an app that appeals to their audience. It's a way to provide value to your potential clients and a way to have visibility on a daily basis. They point out that many fear an app will be downloaded once and the never used again. But if the app is designed with a truly valuable point that calls for daily use, that won't happen.

This September at ePharma Summit West, Monique Levy, Vice President, Research, Manhattan Research, will be on hand to discuss how and why pharmacists, physicians and patients use mobile during the presentation Understand the True Use of Smartphones and Tablets in the Care Continuum. For more information on this session and the rest of the program, download the agenda. Would you like to see Monique Levy's presentation? The event will take place September 16-18, 2013 in downtown San Francisco. If you register to join us, as a reader of this blog when you register to join us and mention code XP1856BLOG, to save 15% off the standard rate.

How can hospitals set out to figure out who uses their social media and why?

ePharma West on Competitive Intelligence, Digital Marketing and Product Lifecycle Management

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 31 May 2013 13:46:00 +0000

This year at the ePharma Summit West, we are happy to announce the addition of a brand-new Pre-Conference Half-Day Summit titled, “Priming the Marketplace: Preparing to Enter the Market Pre-Launch.” This half-day summit is ideal for pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device marketers focused on competitive intelligence, digital marketing and product lifecycle management.

Over the course of the afternoon on September 16, you will touch upon key steps necessary to ensure commercial success of your new product. Below are just a few session highlights:

• Promotional Preferences Among Specialty Physicians in the US presented by Jack Bilson, III, Vice President – Product Innovation, M3 USA
• Use Social Listening to Identify What Consumers Want presented by Lyndi Hirsch, Former Director, Online and Consumer Marketing, MAP Pharmaceuticals

Download the brochure for complete summit and session details.

ePharma Summit West is taking place September 16-18, 2013 in downtown San Francisco. As a reader of this blog, when you register to join us, you’ll receive an exclusive discount of 15% off the standard rate and mention code XP1856LINK. Have any questions about the program? Feel free to email Jennifer Pereira.

Lifecycle Management and the Pharmaceutical Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 29 May 2013 16:24:00 +0000

As with many industries, Pharma finds itself stuck in the rut of silos preventing organizations from cross-company collaboration to better manage the product lifecycle. But the industry is also facing several other challenges that require the industry to begin better managing all their working pieces: lower growth levels and shrinking profit margins. As a recent Oracle white paper Product Lifecycle Management for the Pharmaceutical Industry stated, the previous lifecycle was focused on clinical trials and outcomes.

The article points out that everything featured in the infographic below needs to be in full synchronization in order to fully and successfully integrate all parts of the product lifecycle. And to properly do so the systems must be automated.

So what happens when a product is ready to go to market? Packaging is something that should be considered by all parties - those designing the device and delivery and those who are using the drug so that they can do so effectivly. Also - who is the drug for? How are you going to reach the audience?

At ePharma Summit West, we're taking time to look at the later part of the product lifecycle. Patients should be considered with the drug delivery design and also the product launch. Who is your market and how will you reach them? Many of the traditional mediums for awareness are becoming less effective in today's market. Sam Casillas, Senior Manager, HCP Marketing and Strategic Communication atMAP Pharmaceuticals will be joining us to present Prepare Pre-Launch: Competitive Intelligence Excellence & Priming the Market for Your Drug which will look at the new digital landscape and you can connect with the audience in the right way. For more information on this session and the rest of the program, download the agenda. ePharma Summit West will take place September 14-16, 2013 in downtown San Francisco. If you'd like to join us, a reader of this blog, when you register to join us and mention code XP1856BLOG, you'll save 15% off the standard rate.

As the Pharma landscape becomes more challenging, how important is it that companies begin to think of the whole lifecycle throughout the development and post-launch phases of their products?

ePharma Summit West Brochure is Ready For Download

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:00:00 +0000

Good news. The ePharma Summit West is coming to downtown San Francisco this September 16-18!

Better news. The agenda is read.

Download the agenda here.

This year's program highlights include:

More than 75% of the speaker faculty hails from West of the Mississippi
More than 75% of the speaker faculty is Director level or above for strategic thinking and actual implementation experience you can learn from
Five never-before-heard pharma biotech perspectives for actionable how-to's and tips to amplify your reach throughout the product lifecycle
NEW! Half-Day Pre-Conference Summit on priming the marketplace prior to product launch
NEW! Full-Day Pre-Conference Summit focused on patient engagement and adherence
Access to pharma/biotech execs with large and small budget experience to help you discover real scalable ideas

Major brands will be in-house at ePharma Summit West this year, including Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Allergan, Novo Nordisk, and more. What to join them? As a reader of this blog, when you register to join us and mention code XP1856BLOG, you’ll save 15% off the standard rate! Have any questions? Email me at jpereira@iirusa.com.

Is email really "so yesterday"?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:05:00 +0000

Last week, Dr. Korman looked at how email use in the Pharma industry was changing. Which brought us to the next question in our looking at Korman's perspective on the evoking medium - is it on it's way out?

And we’ll get to those opportunities in a second. You’ve touched on something that I think a lot of people need to think about. Let me put it this way – how do you respond when a person or people say: “Email is so yesterday”?

Roger: Well, let’s start from what is the most important element of digital communication

Dr. Roger Korman

today, which is the mobile device. It’s no longer really a mobile phone. It does do telephony, but it’s really a multi-staged platform that is used for, as we all know, multiple functions.

The single activity that occupies most time on a mobile device is email, whether it is personal or work. So, there is a one-to-one correspondence now between the relevance of email and the single most important platform today. Then, as I just mentioned, if you look at the fight for email addresses, it’s the “Clash of the Titans”. Outlook is just ready to rollout it’s Outlook.com to replace Gmail. They are trying to seize the high-ground from Apple and Google. It’s really an extraordinarily turbulent field.

Download Dr. Korman's full podcast MP3 here.
Read the full transcript of the podcast here.

If you'd like to stay up to date with all episodes of Inside ePharma as well as receive updates for the 2013 ePharma Summit West Event, sign up to receive updates!

How EHRs will change the work flow - and will they create a more educated user?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:41:00 +0000

We know that many doctors offices and healthcare providers have found it difficult to implement EHRs, but the benefits of going digital when it comes to patient records transcend patients, doctors and healthcare benefits. The HealthWorks Collective recently looked at how working into a slow transition can benefit the practice and the patient.

Amanda Guerrero suggests that electronic health records should not be rushed in implementation. The transition should be open, progressive and allow for communication on difficulties in the changes of every day process. It's also important at this time to communicate how the use of these new records will benefit those involved. Throughout this process there should be a constant feedback loop of what is working and what isn't. For everything that needs to be adjusted, they should be arranged with their priority. And finally, it's the patient that really benefits. They now have access to their health material that they never have, which will allow them to become a more engaged patient. But just handing over access to the electronic records won't simply be enough. The patient needs to understand who the data is laid out and how it works.

This fall at ePharma Summit West, Monique Levy, Vice President, Research, Manhattan Research will join us to look at another popular medium that many of the stakeholders in the healthcare industry are facing - the SmartPhone. With the power of this portable device, what can happen when it's combined with this new medium of electronic health records? And how can Pharma position themselves to be in the place to help their consumers with the powerful tools in their hand? Find out more about this presentation in the newly released 2013 ePharma Summit West agenda. ePharma Summit West will take place September. If you'd like to join us this September, as a reader of this blog, when you register to join us an mention code XP18256BLOG, you'll save 20% off the standard rate.

How can Pharma work to capitalize on the insights and knowledge that electronic health records will provide to their future users - both physician and patient?

Innovation, Technology and Health

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

We all know that the world of technology is changing at a rapid pace, but what happens when you bring new, innovative minds into the field? Mashable looks at three of the inventions that came out of the New York University's yearly Entrepreneurs' Challenge. Two of the three featured in the article showcase digital health technologies in the works.

Co-developer Doug Kanter developed a diabetes management system. By imputing one's diet and exercise into a mobile app that then connects with the blood sugar levels, those with diabetes can better manage their health.

Oculogica is an innovation that shows small moving objects on a screen and by tracking eye movement would then diagnose concussions faster than traditional methods and since it is a technology on a smaller screen it allows it to be more portable.

Another innovative health initiative that may be closer to reality is telemedicine. Dr. Yulun Wang of InTouch Health recently contributed a piece to Healthcare IT News which identified the current and growing status of telemedicine which could fit both the evolving digital healthcare industry as well as fit to the new needs of a society that is trying to save on the expensive costs of healthcare. This innovation could benefit two specific types of care: acute care, which would give doctors to diagnose and treat patients virtually; and chronic disease management which will allow doctors to stay in contact with patients who are battling ongoing illnesses.

Do any of these innovations stand out to you? What other revolutionary in terms do you see making small differences that will have a huge impact on patients?

Pharma moving into digital marketing present

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:21:00 +0000

Infographic from
Social Media Today

Recently at Social Media Today, Robin Fray Carey looked at, and praised the direction, that Pharma is headed in when it comes to digital marketing. While this field has been lacking behind in the past, it is now moving into the future realizing that digital marketing is a way to reach patients and doctors more efficiently. But recent surveys have revealed that companies are looking increase the number of digital interactions they have by at least 26%. Also interesting to note in the article is that many companies are looking towards the experts - and outsourcing the sales and marketing portion of their digital strategy, most notably the content production and analytics. Carey notes that many Pharma companies are experimentation with wellness to reach their customers, focusing on spreading awareness and promoting communities that foster wellness among like-minded individuals.

We saw much of this turned action at this year's ePharma Summit, but do you think more companies are adapting. What do you believe are the benefits of outsourcing content creation and analytics?

Disease Apps and the iPad: How do they lay out?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

ePharma Summit LinkedIn Group Member Jeff Greene recently shared an infographic that examines the presence of disease focused apps in the Apple Apps store. What did Greene find? Accordign to his post at the News Solutions Factory, the majority of the apps were focused on diabetes which had a total of 143 apps catering to this sector. The next most prevalent was depression with 60 apps. However, the most prevalent disease state that he searched, migraines had the fewest apps at 10. He also pointed out that that the content was poor throughout most of the apps.

Does this surprise you about the apps available in the Apple Store? Is there an opportunity here to better expand and reach your consumers on the iPad?

Pharma & the state of email use in the industry

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:14:00 +0000

In this edition of the 2013 Inside ePharma Podcast Series, we sat down with Dr. Roger Korman of DMD to discuss many of the factors that go into email marketing. He shares his perspective on why email is still a vital factor in the digital pharma marketing mix.

Today, he answers this question:

Tell us a little bit about the state of email use in the industry today. Where are we at?

Dr. Roger Korman

Roger: The email channel is very, very rapidly evolving. If you look at the major investments by the monster companies – Gmail, Microsoft, Apple, Yahoo!, AOL – they are pouring hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars into email because it is the prime digital connective channel. When I look at the healthcare audience, it’s a different state because much of what it passes for email today is really antiquated, old-school, analogue communication that has been slapped into a digital format, but which is actually poorly suited for today’s communication, especially to mobile devices. So, the world around us is moving at one speed and healthcare is kind of not moving very fast at all and, as a result, losing tremendous opportunities to exploit this primary digital communication channel.

Download Dr. Korman's full podcast MP3 here.
Read the full transcript of the podcast here.

If you'd like to stay up to date with all episodes of Inside ePharma as well as receive updates for the 2013 ePharma Summit West Event, sign up to receive updates!

Mobile Marketing: Are you investing?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:54:00 +0000

In the first quarter of 2013, mobile marketing spending grew 111% in 2012, and the number is only expected to rise as we continue to down the path of a digitally connected world enabled by iPhones. According to AdWorld, this past quarter alone, spending increased in advertising 11% over quarter 4 of 2012. According to an article at Mashable, there are at least 22% of all adults online accessing the internet through mobile devices and there will be 2 billion users by the year 2015. Those adults are connecting to the internet for email, social networking and search.

So how are consumers using their phones right now for health-related purposes? eMarketer reports that 45% of US Adults searched online for health related items in 2012. When asked what Pharma was going to do when it came to their digital budget, there were of those who were polled in the article, 46% didn't know what they were going to do with their digital budget this year. The article suggests that consumers are looking for information on line and one of the best ways to connect with these customers would be discounts. Not-for-profit companies are also a great way for Pharma to connect with their audience.

So where is your budget when it comes to mobile media? How can you connect to your audience through these platforms in the way that connects with their audience?

Digital tools can improve health. Who is the best advocate for their use?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:17:00 +0000

The doctor, according to a recent article at Forbes. Author John Nosta points out that few words are more powerful than "The doctor recommended it." So how can we get the public to begin using the great new digital tools such as RunKeeper, Lift, Cardiio and more to start monitoring health? Nosta acknowledges that it's very difficult to get face time with a doctor, as Pharma knows well, but here are a few ideas to to successfully promoting digital health:

Awareness - Let doctors know about these tools and the benefits they can provide for the patients.
Trial - Get doctors to use these tools in their everyday lives to see the benefit of the health apps
Validation - Get the numbers behind the app and share. Why is the app successful and how it it improving the lives of those who use it?
Support - set up the dialoguethat will connect the patients and doctor through the app. There is no better way to promote support than have access to constant dialogue
Advocacy - Constant support of the rest of the steps in the cycle. Share, promote and continue to advocate the importance

So ultimately, by encouraging the doctors be more involved in digital health, we can encourage patients to begin monitoring their health in the same manor. But it's key to keep up the physician education by sharing the new advances of how they can keep their patients more healthy.

Do you agree with this? What can we take from this digital health example and how can we connect it to the audiences we need to connect with as Pharma marketers?

Introducing FEI Wellness: New Ways to Approach Healthcare

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

The healthcare marketplace is ripe for revolution. It will be sparked by those who embrace change and work together to collaboratively create innovative solutions for moving forward.

We are excited to announce the launch of the Front End of Innovation (FEI) Wellness conference. Co-located with the 11th annual FEI: The World Leader in Advancing Innovation the world renowned FEI conference, FEI Wellness presents you with NEW WAYS TO APPROACH HEALTH. May 6-8, 2013 • Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center • Boston, MA

Ensure the Outcomes you Need ...with 30+ Industry Specific Perspectives:

AMIA • Johnson & Johnson • Pfizer • MIT • NEWDIGS • Children’s Hospital Boston • UnitedHealth Group • Siemens Healthcare • Continua Health Alliance • Healthrageous • Center for Connected Health • GE Healthcare • Beacon Health Systems • Eastern Maine Medical Center • Xerox PARC • University of Southern California • Aetna • Eli Lilly and Company • Novartis

Download the FEI Wellness brochure here.

“FEI was far and away the best conference I have been to in a decade, and of its type, the best I’ve ever attended. The keynotes were universally excellent…the atmosphere of discussion and collaboration was easily the best I have ever seen...I learned something useful in each session.” - FEI Past Attendee Terry Barhart, Senior Director Global R&D, Pfizer

When the right people meet the right environment, innovation thrives. FEI: Wellness is where exceptional cross-industry keynotes, combined with powerful healthcare-focused content, and distinctive experiences, drive purposeful change.

Join us as we transform an industry.

What are the biggest misconceptions in pharmaceutical marketing circles in regards to digital channels and media?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:31:00 +0000

In continuing our look back at the 2013 Inside ePharma interview series, today we look back at the conversation Marc Dresner had with James Chase, Editor-in-Chief of Medical Marketing and Media. In this interview, they discuss how digital is changing the Pharma communication channels. From how sales reps can communicate with doctors, the new empowered patient, how digital strategies should be changing with organizations and more.

What do you see as the biggest misconception in pharmaceutical circles or in pharmaceutical marketing circles, if you will, with regard to digital channels and media?

James: That’s a good one, Marc. Well, in the spirit of controversy, I guess in terms of the big picture actually defining digital as a series of channels would, to me, be a misconception in itself. When you think of digital, what the digital era has done is transform the way that people search for information, how we absorb messages, how we engage in dialogue, how we interact, what we share, who we trust, what we find valuable and how we experience our brands and, also, how we judge them, of course. It’s done other things like shorten our attention spans, it’s raised our expectations of interactions and it’s held brands accountable for these experiences.

So, really, digital has made a mockery of the traditional media monologue. You can no longer project messages and ideas and instructions onto your target audience and expect them to think and do as you say. Digital has changed how people behave, which goes beyond a series of channels. And while pharma may be a unique, highly regulated industry, the pharma audience is made up entirely of human beings. You know, HCPs, patients, payers, shareholders, regulators. They are all people. Therefore, they all have some idea of what should be possible with digital. Physicians, for example, demand engaging interactive experiences with reps. They don’t want you to just flash them a PDF of a sales aid. The chances are they owned an iPad before you did. They already know that you can do some amazing things with it, so you better go do something amazing with it. As for consumers, you can no longer sell to consumers in this era. You need to help with them the information they’re looking for, help them manage their diseases, exchange dialogues, exchange value and make it a good experience. You can’t control the dialogue, but you can listen and take part and correct misinformation. So, it’s not really about channels.

While we’re on this subject, this notion of the empowered patient. It’s not like the patient suddenly said one day: “Finally, digital is here. Now I can be an empowered patient. I can get one over my doctor. I’m going to stick it to the pharma industry with my new found knowledge.” No, the empowered patient is itself a manifestation of the changing communication behavior of people, which is enabled by technology. If I can log on and get information on my disease from 100 different sources, why wouldn’t I do that? If I can chat online with patients like me, why wouldn’t I do that?

And by the way, I’d also like to have some of that interaction with the guys who developed my life enhancing drug or whatever that may be.

So, my point is, digital is much more than a series of channels. It’s a lifestyle. We are all living it and it represents an era of radically-changed consumption behavior and I think if you’re not fully on board with this notion, then I think you are putting yourself at a disadvantage.

Read the full interview here. Find all of the Inside Outsourcing podcasts here. To stay up to date on the latest episodes of Inside ePharma, and to know about the upcoming ePharma Summit events, sign up for updates.

Exploring & Envisioning the Future of Healthcare Tech & Innovation

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:46:00 +0000

This post is brought to you by the FEI Wellness Event taking place May 6-8, 2013 in Boston, MA. This post is also republished from the original at the FrontEndofInnovationBlog.com.

Which technologies will be most likely to affect the scenario of health in the coming decades?

The inforgraphic below examines six broad areas, the forecast covers a multitude of research and developments that are likely to disrupt the future of healthcare industry and its innovation.

Envisioning the future of health technology infographic by mz.

Facebook works on comment moderation - will Pharma be encouraged to join?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:05:00 +0000

Much of the reason Pharma companies have shied away from fully using Facebook is the ability of two-way conversation that may or may not be deemed appropriate by the FDA. This week, Facebook has announced a few new initiates that allow Facebook page owners to change what comments are seen and displayed on their Facebook profiles.

Companies can now order/hide/display the comments they so chose according to CNet:

The first view is "top level comments," which can be ranked to show those that a brand wants everyone to see. Then there are "replies," which show the brand's replies to comments. And, the final view is "comment stream," which displays all comments together in chronological order.

While this system is only available on the Desktop feature, do you think Facebook is moving in a direction that will encourage more Pharma companies to join the conversation on Facebook?

What do savvy patients mean to pharmaceutical marketers?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

For the 2013 ePharma Summit Event, we sat down with the thought leaders in the field to discuss some of the topics and pressures facing the industry. Over the next few weeks, we'll be looking back at many of these podcasts. Today, we begin highlighting the interview with Craig DeLarge, the US Leader of Multi-Channel Marketing Center of Excellence, Merck.

Patients—people—have become much, much savvier both technologically and in terms of digital citizenship. What does this mean to us as pharmaceutical marketers?

Craig's response: That’s a good question. It seems to me that there are at least three things that we have to continue to work on as pharma marketers. The first is making sure that we keep up from the standpoint of making our information available in those channels that our customers are migrating to. As they change, we need to continue to work at changing with them. The other is working to reform our content and our various offerings so that they maintain their relevance in the face of the changes that customers are going through in terms of their health journey. The third thing is re-thinking how we as companies organize ourselves, execute, plan, produce and deliver this relevant content in relevant context and channels in order to continually add value to our customers, again, as they change. These are our customers whether we are talking about patients or caregivers or healthcare professionals, whether they are mid-level or prescribers or payers for that matter.

Read the full interview here.

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