Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Medical societies and the Feds

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Here we go again…Congress is asking 33 top medical societies for a list of funding sources going back to 2006.  What are they looking for?  Ties to the pharma and medical equipment industries.  “Transparency” is the reason cited.

My prediction:  look for a chilling effect.  Pharma funding is big here and the last thing they want is an “AIG” incident.  There’s no evidence that conference content is bought and paid for — and that doesn’t matter.  Watch for even more scrutiny on the horizon.  The antidote:  independent content from folks like us.  Look for topics on soft skills and running a better practice.  It won’t completely replace clinical education — just a safe alternative.

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Posted in Health, Marketing, Speaking, branding, strategy | 1 Comment »

Are health insurance meetings next?

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

First, it was the banks that got TARP funds. Now Congress is setting their sights on health insurance companies. Democrats Henry Waxman and Bart Stupak sent a letter to 50 companies asking about all conferences, retreats, and events not only held, but also sponsored by the companies. They want location, number of participants, and all expenses incurred. By every unit, affiliate and subsidiary. Wow. Can you spell witch hunt?

Responses are due later this week. If this info goes public, watch for media reports of lavish spending. Healthcare is one of the few bright spots in the meetings industry. My prediction: hospitals are next. Get ready for the cancellations…

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Posted in Health, Marketing, Sponsorship, strategy | No Comments »

Wellness that works

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Heads up wellness experts: Corporate America still wants to reduce health care costs. What success looks like now: programs that employees actually use.

That puts behavior modification programs on the ropes, according to a recent study by HR consulting firm Hewitt Associates. What’s hot now? Onsite medical clinics, pharamcies and preventative services, such as flu shots.

Wellness wizards, don’t give up. Focus on employee participation and the employers will continue to find it. Focus on implementing already funded programs, and get your share of the budget.

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Posted in Health, strategy | 3 Comments »

Unique opportunity for health care experts

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

All those give-aways are gone in medical meetings thanks to the latest Pharma rules. And those rules are clear — no gifts, regardless of minimal value, can be distributed to healthcare personnel. What can a pharmaceutical company do? Give away educational items of course. Key word here: educational. Watch for a flood of anatomical models and CDs at these meetings. Health care experts who apply their expertise with interactive products are going to have a field day. Anything less than $100 is fair game.

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Posted in Health, strategy | No Comments »

Wellness programs under the microscope

Thursday, January 15th, 2009

For all you wellness experts out there:  your programs are about to get a hard dose of “put up or shut up.”  In the good ol’ days, Corporate America was willing to pay for the promise of lower health care costs.  Now, that assumption has to be backed up with facts.

Like most programs, lack of standards was a big obstacle.  But a couple of non-profits have developed tools that not only determine Return on Investment (ROI), but can also be used in the sales process to make a business case for your help.  Efforts are underway to standardize definitions and develop models by the National Committee of Quality Assurance and the Alliance for Wellness ROI.  Get intelligent about their efforts and watch your buyers see your programs in a new light.  Looking for a free online tool that might help?  Check out Wellness Council of America’s ROI Calculatorfor estimated savings on a variety of wellness programs.

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Posted in Health, strategy | No Comments »