Three Wise Dames

Marketing in the Life Science Industry

An Appreciation of DVD Extras January 31, 2012

Filed under: Business,Corporate Preparation,Debbie,Innovation — Debbie Donovan @ 11:39 am

from: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44491069/ns/today-entertainment/t/surprises-youll-find-star-wars-blu-ray-set/#.TsKp4cMr27s

Most in my circle know of my passion for the work of George Lucas, especially the Star Wars Universe filled with fascinating characters, exotically imagined locations and classic good vs. evil plot lines. I adore watching the DVD extras especially those that pick apart how the movie come together:

  • who spoke with who to initiate the project—frequently it’s a small miracle the film was ever put into production
  • how casting and directing decisions were made—great films always feature a palpable chemistry between the players on screen and off
  • how the roles of certain specialty professionals (music, editing, special effects, makeup, costume, sets, props) combine to create the overall look and feel—some elements become characters in their own right to elevate the final experience.

It’s helpful to pick apart and study successful marketing programs both inside healthcare and in the consumer arenas. There are many lessons to be learned and applied.

What behind the scenes programs have enlightened you and what lessons do you remember? Share the wisdom.

P.S Oprah’s Next Chapter interview with George Lucas was wonderful, worth catching on OWN. And yes, I am looking forward to the 3-D versions of my favorite saga on the big screen once again.

(C) 2012 eGold Solutions; all rights reserved.

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A fascination with behind-the-scenes programs December 19, 2011

Filed under: Debbie,Market Planning,Marketing staffing,Programs — Debbie Donovan @ 10:22 am
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From: http://ww2.cox.com/myconnection/sandiego/watch/entertainment/own.cox

I was not a regular Oprah show watcher; however, from time to time, if there was a particular topic or guest of interest, I would go out of my way to record her regular show.

In May 2011, I made a point of recording the final weeks of the main show and captured her 25th Season Behind the Scenes program on OWN. When I’m engaged in mundane tasks (e.g. folding laundry), I really appreciate the opportunity to watch the Harpo crew in action. Oprah says her team is the best in the business and I couldn’t agree more.

Getting a “behind the scenes look” at project execution with their level of focus and intense attention to detail makes one appreciate excellence in professional work. Every show, event, campaign that any marketer develops should be approached with the notion that no stone should be left unturned and nothing should be left to chance. Since we don’t really have any control over how events unfold, it’s good to know that you’ve planned the core details and made just-in-case contingencies. Then when it’s time to let go and let “it” happen, you can do so and enjoy the ride. I’ve been experiencing Oprah’s Life Class on Facebook and because I have watched her behind the scenes program, I have a complete appreciation for how the well oiled the team is and how they’ve moved into creating as wonderful experience on-line as they did on the TV show.

Frequently, the Harpo team bites off more than they can chew and it is in those moments that you realize that you can’t execute every great idea–it’s better to do a few things and knock them out of the park. As Lisa says, if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.

In medical marketing, the devilish details can be similar to an Oprah show—managing talent a.k.a. handling patients and health care professionals. It can also be vastly different—content negotiated down to the word, HIPAA privacy, ethics codes, etc. None of it should be overlooked and they are the parts of any program that contribute to successful outcomes.

What behind the scenes programs have enlightened you and what lessons do you remember? Share the wisdom.

(C) 2011 eGold Solutions; all rights reserved.

 

Charge Nurse December 2, 2011

Filed under: Leadership,Lisa — Lisa Pohmajevich @ 8:33 am
Tags: ,

My career started in nursing, when career choices were essentially clinical or management of clinical departments. Less than ten percent of my graduation class was men. They stood out among the sea of capped female classmates. A man choosing a career in nursing was a rarity then. A lot has changed in nursing and in opportunities for nurses.

President Obama is nominating Marilyn Tavenner, a nurse, for the administrator of Centers of Medicare and Medicaid.  She has been the principal deputy administrator under Dr. Berwick, who resigns his role as acting administrator this month.

Ms. Tavenner’s career includes staff nursing, hospital administration and secretary of Health and Human Services for the state of Virginia. Ms. Tavenner is not the first woman or nurse to be the administrator of CMS. Carolyne Davis, also a nurse, served in this capacity in the early 80’s, when CMS was known as the Health Care Financing Administration

In the midst of the current hot debate about balancing the budget by reducing the budget associated with Medicare and Medicaid, test your knowledge of the history of CMS.  http://www.cms.gov/History/Downloads/QUIZ08.pdf

While the number of men entering nursing has increased substantially over the years, the number of women in healthcare management and leadership roles continues to lag. Assuming the senate confirms Ms. Tavenner, women and the nursing profession will have one more role model, thus increasing the percentage of women taking charge.

 

Putting a stake in the poop December 1, 2011

Filed under: Debbie,marketing,Programs,Social media,strategy — Debbie Donovan @ 12:59 am
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Just because you should, do you

From: http://www.gastrointestinalatlas.com/English/Colon_and_Rectum/Normal_Colon/normal_colon_.html

Today I began my next adventure as the Director of Marketing at Avantis Medical Systems (Sunnyvale, CA). I will be applying my marketing knowledge and experience to help the Third Eye® Retroscope® become a household name (great branding, right?). Here’s a brief description from the current website (being ever mindful of labeling):

“During a colonoscopy exam, the Third Eye provides a retrograde—or reverse—view that appears on a screen side-by-side with the traditional forward-looking view. Colonoscopy is currently the most accurate test for detection of both polyps and colorectal cancer. It also provides the best means for removing them. However, research shows that some polyps and cancers can be missed during routine colonoscopy, especially if they occur in locations that are hidden from the forward view of the colonoscope. The colon has many folds in its inner lining and contains many sharp turns, or flexures. The areas behind those folds and flexures are difficult to see with the colonoscope. The Third Eye Retroscope provides a way to visualize the hidden areas behind folds and flexures by providing a retrograde view.”

Here’s why I am so excited about this opportunity:

  • As a young marketing communications agency executive, I worked on the Hemoccult® Brand Fecal Occult Blood Test used to screen the colon for hidden blood caused by cancer and other diseases. Back then it was owned by SmithKline Diagnostics, now it’s owned by Danaher—here’s a blog post by Ron Schoengold. I received two awards for a patient education poster entitled Colorectal Cancer: Facts you should know about its detection and prevention (I know, very sexy stuff). More importantly that work connected me permanently to the lifelong work of my father, Ron. For those of you that know my family, it’s beyond exciting for all of us that I am “back in the poop.”
  • The time has come to put into put a “stake in the poop” and apply all that I have learned about digital marketing, and especially social media. I can’t wait to discover the haystacks of needles, use social capital and motivate healthcare providers to find the power in combined brands. I believe it is possible to drive brand value for medical devices and diagnostics using modern marketing techniques

I vow to continue blogging to highlight learnings and great resources I stumble upon. Feel free to ask me questions about what’s happening as you begin to stumble upon the Third Eye Retroscope and its contributions to colonoscopy and cancer detection.

Views expressed on this blog are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

In this season of giving thanks for all the blessings in my life, I want to express my gratitude for the support I have received in the past two years.

  • To Lisa for getting 3WD started and being a great mentor and friend.
  • To Betsy for her most recent colonoscopy post (looks like I get to use the image after all).
  • To my social media gurus for keeping me ahead of the curve.
  • To my incredible network of friends and family maintained on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Ole!

©2011 eGold Solutions. All rights reserved.

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Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should November 29, 2011

Filed under: Betsy,Market Planning,marketing,Public Relations,Reputation Management,Social media,strategy — betsymerryman @ 12:29 am
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Found: http://tiannamae.blogspot.com/2011/10/tiannese.html

I saw the results of a study recently that supports the practice of doing colonoscopies without sedation.  Now, I know one person who, for reasons that are still a mystery to him, had a colonoscopy without sedation, and I can tell you he wouldn’t recommend it.  Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.

I find myself saying the same thing with so many marketing and communications practices today, especially those are easy to do it yourself.  Just because you can blog, Tweet, send out a press release or whatever, doesn’t mean you should.  What sometimes gets lost and forgotten is that strategic fundamentals haven’t changed, despite the excitement around new channels and ways to reach target audiences.

I once had a client suggest that we should send out a press release every week so that we could then Tweet it.    While I’ll be the first person to agree that press releases are valuable beyond communicating with the press, I believe you should issue a press release to announce news that supports your communications objectives, and you should Tweet things that would be of value to your followers. It isn’t about making noise.  It’s about building your credibility, brand and/or reputation.

Strategic fundamentals include asking yourself at the outset, among other things:

  • What you are trying to achieve and does it help you achieve your business objectives?
  • Who is your target audience and why should they care?
  • What do you want them to do with your information?
  • Is this channel the best way to reach and influence your target audience in these ways?
  • And does it further your overall product brand and company reputation?

The bottom line is that tactics shouldn’t drive solid marketing and communications.  Strategic fundamentals should.  And just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should if it doesn’t fit strategically.

As for me, sign me up for sedation with my colonoscopy.  How about you?

(C) 2011 Merryman Communications, Inc.; all rights reserved.

 

Physician, Google Thyself* Part I November 11, 2011

Filed under: Debbie,Physician Google Thyself,Physician Preparation,Reputation Management — Debbie Donovan @ 9:30 am
Tags: , , ,

[Republished 11/11/11 to expand on an excellent post from Doximity Advisory Doard memberBryan Vartabedian, MD, is a pediatric gastroenterologist at Texas Children’s Hospitaland blogs at 33 charts]

This is the first in a set of posts designed to educate physicians on how their names are being displayed. The education should lead to an evaluation of their current situation and motivation for them to execute basic activities to manage their reputation on-line. Physician Google Thyself Webinar Video on Blip.TV

EDUCATE:

Excellent reputations spread via word of mouth (WOM) has been and is still the most valuable “referral” marketing tool for any physician’s practice. WOM reputations are spread from health care professionals and the family and friends of patients [1].

The transmission vehicle for WOM referral marketing has changed substantially with the widespread availability of the Internet. Rating and reviewing services for restaurants, dry cleaners, hair stylists and other service-based businesses have popped-up all over the Internet (e.g. Yelp). The ability to review service-based business has been added to map and phone directory listings and these reviews are displayed in search engine results (e.g. Google Maps displays reviews from InsiderPages and Yahoo Local).

In addition to general rating services, there are dozens of health care professional directories. These directories purchase lists from medical associations, state licensing boards, and other data aggregators. Clinical specialty organizations (e.g. American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons) also publish physician locator services as a benefit of society membership (here’s a directory of directories from MedlinePlus). Healthcare systems, hospitals and insurance companies also maintain on-line directories of service providers in their networks.

The latest entries the internet community are the social media platforms—FaceBook, Twitter, YouTube, et Al. These new platforms provide patients with a “global soapbox” on which to tell their story and spread it electronically.

The challenge for health care providers is the lack of control of the content on these services and platforms. Of special concern is the protection of personal health information (PHI) defined by health care privacy laws (HIPAA) [2].

With the current marketing craze around social media, what is a trained health care professional to do? Being aware and managing your on-line reputation is mission critical to maintaining and growing your practice.

Next Up:  Evaluate your situation

Physician Google Thyself Webinar Video on Blip.TV

(C) 2010 eGold Solutions

*************

*Thanks Elizabeth Cooney for the great post title (July 08); great minds think alike.

[1] http://www.hschange.com/CONTENT/1028/1028.pdf

[2] http://mamedicallaw.com/blog/2009/10/19/social-networking-101-for-physicians/

 

Marketing Tool Kits: Exemplary Compliance October 10, 2011

Filed under: Customer,Debbie,marketing,Physicians,Programs,Tool Kits — Debbie Donovan @ 2:00 pm
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Updated post

Found: http://blog.homegain.com/best-practices/lifelong-learning/

In Lisa’s post about legacy marketing, she extols the virtues of doing things well and I couldn’t agree more especially when considering the legal realities associated with industry codes–AdvaMed, PhRMA, CMSS, et. Al. If those acronyms are alphabet soup to you then please take the time to read up and come back, I’ll wait.

Bottom line (and one of my truth’s):

Health care providers must own their reputations and practice marketing.

What that means to companies is that they can supply to all QUALIFIED CUSTOMERS with a DIY Marketing Tool Kit.

The company determines exactly how a customer qualifies as long as those rules are applied consistently across the customer base. Here are some qualifications:

  • Complete product training program
  • Perform a minimum number of cases to demonstrate competency
  • Perform procedures in a specific site of service
  • Have admission privileges to at least one hospital facility
  • Have an active medical/DEA license
  • Agree to make specific dollar contributions to a turnkey marketing program with a third party vendor.

If your management team wants you to just dole out money for customer’s marketing activities without a formal program, push back. Regulators can see the brightly lit money trail a mile away. Here’s an example:

[Newly added 10/10/11]

Here’s a Press Release from Office of the Inspector General about a military cardiologist getting sentencing because of benefits received from a variety of activities including dinners with sales reps.

NPR Story:

Here’s a story from the AP on Massachusetts reporting of payments to physicians. “The report was the result of a 2008 state law that banned some types of gifts outright and required companies to report other types of payments.”

Note how the state has categorized the payments to physicians:

“That’s according to a new report from the state Department of Public Health, which said the payments included speaking and consulting fees, meals, and education and marketing programs.”

Doing it right is more than a compliance issue–it’s a mindset. People value what they pay for and they are more engaged in success when they have skin in the game. Everybody wins when customer marketing programs are both compelling and compliant.

(C) 2011 all rights reserved eGold Solutions.

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MedTech Vision 2011 Conference October 2, 2011

Filed under: Debbie,Lisa,MedTech Women,strategy,Women consumers — Debbie Donovan @ 2:54 am
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THEME: Advancing Care through Access, Cost and Innovation: Opportunities in the New Era of Med Tech

Lisa and Debbie spent two glorious days at this inaugural event. It was incredible to be in a room filled with powerful, successful women all from the MedTech industry. It was a nice change of pace to have the focus just on devices and diagnostics (no pharma or biotech, with all due respect). Speakers from all corners of the industry were featured in keynotes and in well organized panel discussions—each could have gone on for hours. The setting, refreshments and accommodations were spectacular, especially for out-of-area attendees.

Hats off to the catalysts and organizing committee; since you were able to pull off a stunningly successful event, you have a group ready to set a new course for evolving the industry that has captured our hearts and minds.

Quotable Moments–highlights from our notes:

Thursday AM

Thursday PM

Friday AM

Related links

Medtech Vision 2011

MedTech Women

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2011 (C) eGold Solutions and pH Consulting; all rights reserved.

 

MedTech Vision 2011 Conference Thursday AM October 2, 2011

Filed under: Debbie,Lisa,MedTech Women,Patient,Women consumers — Debbie Donovan @ 2:49 am

Related Links:MedTech WomenMedTech Vision 2011 Conference

Name, Affiliation

Session Title

Notes, Quotable Moment
Bray Patrick-Lake, president and CEO of the PFO Research Foundation Patients are More Than a P-value: The Path Forward From the Patient PerspectiveKickoff Keynote Lost in translation
Be the patient; be uncomfortable.
Nancy Lynch, MD – Orthopedic surgeon, Independent Orthopedic Technologies Consultant Physician Panel – Defining and Addressing the NeedModerator How does the product positively change the patient flow and meet the clinical goal?

Francine Kaufman, MD – Pediatric endocrinologist, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles; Former President, American Diabetes Association; Chief Medical Officer and VP, Global Medical, Clinical and Health Affairs, Medtronic Diabetes

 

 Panelists Lots of unmet needs in chronic diseases – primarily time to support and reinforce care protocols:  Need to be creative and consider other avenues to assist patients to assist themselves, i.e.  Physician extenders – as in nurse educators at drugstores to meet and work with patients, web-based live interactive coaching to reinforce patient specific protocols and fundamentals for disease management – because the patient doesn’t absorb everything in the 15 minute visit with the doctor.

Donna Pacicca, MD – Orthopedic surgeon, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas, MO

 Panelist Pediatrics – the very definition of unmet needs.  Nearly everything used in pediatric care is derived from remaking adult designed product – understandably it is not profitable to make for every size pediatric patient, however manufacturers should make for range, specifically for pediatrics. Also, observe how physicians work – what processes, patient flow, how they use the product before designing something new

Shyamali Singhal, MD, PhD, Surgical Oncologist and Medical Director, Cancer Center at
El Camino Hospital

 Panelist Clinical studies are designed to show benefit from mortality, vs. Quality of Life – there is a real opportunity in the QOL realm.

Manufacturers need to ensure that their developments DO NOT add steps, process additions, time, inconvenience or demand additional resources be added for the sake of using a new product – think reduction of time, resources, learning curves of the providers simultaneously while benefiting the patient

 
Bonnie Weiner, MD – Professor of Medicine, University of MA Medical School; Director Cardiovascular Medicine Fellowship Program, St Vincent Hospital; Board Chair, Chief Medical Officer Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence; Former President, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions Panelist Unmet needs can best be defined by [manufacturer’s] assembling all the available data (instruments, processes, tx protocols) to find the needle in the haystack – that makes it better for the patient and easier for the physician.  Follow a physician through a day of patient treatment BEFORE making the perfect widget.   Great opportunities in development that align with defining care protocols that take into account risk stratification leaving room for further intervention if indicated
Tamara Elias, MD – Principal, Essex Woodlands Investment in Medtech Panel – Where Do We Go from Here?Moderator Cycle or fundamental shift?
Amy Wendell – Senior VP Strategy and Business Development, Covidien Susan E. Morano – World Wide VP of New Business Development, Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices & Diagnostics Group Beckie Robertson – Managing Director ,Versant Ventures Mercy Forde – Senior Relationship Manager, Venture Capital & Private Equity Services,
Silicon Valley Bank Ashley Ledbetter Dombkowski, Ph.D. – Chief Business Officer, 23andMe		 Panelists All echoed:Product ideas that landed in a white space and fill significant, unmet clinical needs.
Deal structures involve new collaborative models

2011 (C) eGold Solutions and pH Consulting; all rights reserved.

 

MedTech Vision 2011 Conference Thursday PM October 2, 2011

Filed under: Debbie,Lisa,MedTech Women,Patient,Women consumers — Debbie Donovan @ 2:39 am

Name, Affiliation

Thursday PM Sessions

Notes, Quotable Moment
Sandra J Miller – Director, Kauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation Lunch & CEO Roundtable – The New Face of Leadership

Moderator

 What’s your word?
K. Angela Macfarlane – President and CEO, ForSight Labs Panelist Hold problems
EMPATHY
Beverly Huss – President and CEO, Vibrynt Panelist Still haven’t found what I’m looking for
RESILIENT
Lisa Earnhardt – President and CEO, Intersect ENT Panelist Get alignment (not necessarily consensus)
COLLABORATION
Ferolyn Powell – DVP & GM, Abbott Vascular Structural Heart (formerly CEO of Evalve, Inc) Panelist Hire your sister
Hire taller (then self)
PASSION
Alexandra Lansky, MD – Director of Yale Cardiovascular Research Group New Clinical Opportunities Panel – Health of Women, Not Just Women’s HealthModerator Health issues unique to women and hire incidence in women
Lisa M. Tate – CEO, WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart DiseaseLynn Westphal, MD – Director of Women’s Health at Stanford University

Ellen Goldberg – Marketing Strategy Consultant; former Vice President, Marketing, Crescendo Bioscience

 Cardiovascular Panelists If under diagnosed then it’s under treated—funnel is not right size.
Deborah Kilpatrick – Senior Vice President, Commercial, CardioDxMarie Barry – Industry Consultant, Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals

Vibeke Strand, MD, FACP, FACR – Adjunct Clinical Professor in the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University School of Medicine

 Rheumatoid Arthritis Panelists No cures
Higher incidence of cardiovascular problemsPracticed patient
Anne Abreu – Director of Reimbursement, Sonitus Medical Reimbursement Case Study Panel – Getting Good Innovation Paid For
Without Breaking the Bank Moderator		 Anything is possible; nothing is easy
Betsy Thompson, MD, DrPH – Chief Medical Officer, CMS Region IX Panelist Consider the magnitude of the risk and benefit against reasonable and necessary
Robin G. Cisneros – National Director, Medical Technology Assessment and Products, The Permanente Federation Panelist Look at everything (data wise)Dr. Eddy—QOL are things patients feel and care about
Liesl Cooper – VP Healthcare Economics, Policy and Reimbursement, Covidien Panelist Ecosystem is changing
There’s an art to health economics
Lisa Suennen – Managing Member, Psilos Group Managers Healthcare Costs and Innovation Panel – Friends or Foes? Moderator Key innovations?
Molly Joel Coye, MD, MPH – Chief Innovation Officer, UCLA Health System, University of California, Los Angeles Panelist Show customers how to make the decision
Remote home monitoring + telemedicine
Michelle Heying – President and COO, DynaVox Technologies Panelist Cost sensitivity in the patient pathway
Tablet technology
Deneen Vojta, MD – Senior VP of the UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform and Modernization Panelist Solve a real problem
Facebook as adult anti-depressant
Ginger Graham, former president and CEO, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, and former group chairman, Office of the President, Guidant Corporation Continuing to Innovate in Today’s Economic and Regulatory EnvironmentIndustry Keynote GeneticsRetail-ization of healthcare delivery

Globalization of middle class

Healthcare companies redefined models

Personal Technologies

  • Stand without moving
  • Make statements without upward voice inflection

Related Links:

MedTech Women

MedTech Vision 2011 Conference

2011 (C) eGold Solutions and pH Consulting; all rights reserved.