Assoc. Chief Medical Officer of Innovation at Northwestern Memorial to Speak About Healthcare Innovation

Dr. Lyle Berkowitz

Lyle Berkowitz, MD, will speak at the Telehealthcare Leaders Forum, Thursday, April 18, 2013. Dr. Berkowitz will share his learnings on how more than 15 organizations across the nation have been innovative in their use of healthcare information technologies, from new ways to use EMRs and telemedicine, to the use of analytics, mobile, and gaming techniques in healthcare. Dr. Berkowitz will share real world stories of how these organizations started, how they succeeded, and the lessons they learned along the way.

Full Story

The Telehealthcare Leaders Forum is scheduled for April 16^th to 18^th in Newport, Rhode Island, and includes healthcare industry stakeholders and experts, and government officials. For more information on the event, e-mail TLF@TunstallAMAC.com, call 1-877-354-6111, or visit www.tunstallamac.com/TLF.

Tunstall Announces Telelehealthcare Leaders Forum

Tunstall Americas announces the inaugural Telehealthcare Leaders Forum, an educational and informational event for healthcare organizations, payers, pharmaceutical companies and key leaders throughout the healthcare industry.

Full Story & Agenda

The Telehealthcare Leaders Forum is scheduled for April 16^th to 18^th in Newport, Rhode Island, and includes healthcare industry stakeholders and experts, and government officials. For more information on the event, e-mail TLF@TunstallAMAC.com, call 1-877-354-6111, or visit www.tunstallamac.com/TLF.

Preparing for the Future: Trends that are Re-Shaping the Industry

The Future of Pharma

PwC report: From Vision to Decision: Pharma 2020

PwC recently published its latest report on the future of the pharmaceutical industry, titled “From Vision to Decision: Pharma 2020”. Since 2007 PwC has been studying the challenges and major trends the pharmaceutical industry faces. The report provides an in-depth look at the future for the industry, and below I’ve highlighted five major trends from the PwC report that are reshaping the marketplace.

1. Instances of chronic disease are increasing, placing even greater pressure on already stretched healthcare budgets.

75% of healthcare expenditures are related to chronic disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2010, healthcare expenditures in the US neared $2.6 trillion, and accounted for 17.9% of the US gross domestic product (according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services). New ideas and tools are needed to help us decrease healthcare costs, while increasing the effectiveness of our healthcare system.

Life sciences companies can contribute solutions in the form of disease management and patient adherence programs. Industry experts agree that one way to decrease future healthcare costs is to boost patient engagement in managing their conditions and increase patient adherence rates.

2. Healthcare policy-makers and payers are increasingly mandating what doctors can prescribe.

One part of the puzzle for decreasing our healthcare costs is to standardize treatment approaches. There are many ways that treatment approaches can be standardized, and they most likely will include following recommended treatment guidelines, product-specific outcomes data, and pricing negotiations with manufacturers.

Life science companies need to be prepared for this shift. Know how your product compares to its competitors. Offer programs that enhance patient outcomes. This demonstrates partnership and that the company stands behind the products they offer.

3. A growing number of healthcare payers are measuring the pharmacoeconomic performance of different medicines.

Widespread use of electronic medical records will give them the data they need to insist on outcomes-based pricing. This is a game-changer for manufacturers, as they will have less power to set prices for their products. New digital tools will provide new options for managing disease and wellness; as well as provide the ability to capture outcomes data at the practice, institution, and health system level.

4. Boundaries between different forms of healthcare are blurring as clinical advances render previously fatal diseases chronic and the self-medication sector expands.

The entire healthcare industry is being transformed. Various factors are converging to change how healthcare is delivered. The center of this transformation is the patient, which when engaged and empowered to manage their health is a critical success factor. Digital health tools and new scientific understanding, which translates into novel and innovative treatments, enable these transformations.

Think about patients at the heart of your program. Understand patient challenges in managing their health and condition. Additionally, expand your view to encompass the entire healthcare system. Understanding shifts in healthcare delivery models, new digital tools and applications, and how patients are using these to manage their condition will help you to develop programs that provide value.

5. Governments are beginning to focus on prevention rather than treatment.

No longer is the focus on treating a condition. Significant advances have been made in screening and diagnostic testing for various cancers. Additionally, there is evidence to support that many chronic conditions are exacerbated, and in some cases caused by, poor lifestyle choices and decisions. Payers are looking to prevention and wellness initiatives as mechanisms for decreasing future healthcare costs.

Life sciences companies can contribute solutions in the form of disease management and wellness programs. These programs boost patient engagement in managing their conditions, and ultimately lead to decreased healthcare spending in the future.

These trends compound the challenges the industry already faces. There are many opportunities if the industry can look beyond their traditional role of providing new medicines. Life science companies that shift their focus to patients and providing innovative healthcare solutions will be successful in the year 2020.

I want to hear your thoughts. Do you agree that the trends highlighted are re-shaping the healthcare industry? What are you and your company doing to prepare for these shifts? Are there trends that you’d include on this list? This is an important discussion, so please share your thoughts.

Wanted: Technologies that Empower Patients

Dr. Cafazzo talks about empowering patients

Inspiring TEDxToronto talk provides examples of technologies that engage patients and help them live well.

I ran across an inspiring presentation by Dr. Joseph Cafazzo on the intersection of patients, healthcare providers, hospitals, and technology to empower patients to live better lives. This presentation was part of the recent TEDxToronto meeting. Dr. Cafazzo is the Lead for the Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, a state-of-the-art research facility devoted to the evaluation and design of healthcare technology in Toronto, Canada.

In the presentation Dr. Cafazzo shares that 75% of healthcare spending is spent treating seven conditions including…

* Diabetes
* Kidney disease
* High blood pressure
* Heart failure
* Lung disease
* Mental health
* Cancer

In most cases these are chronic conditions that need to be managed over a period of time. With appropriate care and adherence to medication, healthcare spending on these conditions can be decreased and patients can live well. For this to take place healthcare providers and hospitals need patients that are engaged and empowered to manage their health.

Dr. Cafazzo is a leading researcher on the use of technology to facilitate patient self-care of complex chronic conditions. In the video he shares several technologies that have made a significant impact to empower patients to manage their condition(s).

We live in exciting times where technology is stimulating monumental progress. Many new technologies are available to help patients be engaged and empowered to manage their health. Effective solutions are needed, and patients need options so they can select the tools that meet their needs and preferences from mobile health sites, app-based health management tools, telehealth devices, educational websites, to nurse educator programs that provide 24/7 assistance to answer patient questions.

At Tunstall AMAC we are focused on helping build and maintain relationships with patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers to drive awareness and knowledge, support patient adherence, and empower patients to take charge of their health. We offer a wide-variety of personal emergency response and telehealth devices that can be used in the home-setting, and we provide 24/7 monitoring and click-to-chat support services to provide support, information, and educational materials to patients, providers, and payers.

I’d like to hear your thoughts on the use of technology to engage patients and empower them to manage their health. Have you, or your company, used these technologies? If so, please share your insights and experiences.

Look to the Future: Physicians Recommend Mobile Apps

Apps for Health Management

Early-adopting physicians recommend mobile apps to enhance patient compliance and outcomes

There is evidence that adults in the US are using cell phones and smartphones to manage their health, and use is growing at a moderate pace. A recent blog post shared results from the Mobile Health 2012 survey, which was published by The Pew Internet and American Life Project. The findings from this survey offer significant insights into how US consumers use their cell phones and smartphones to access health information and health apps. Two key findings that jumped out to me are…

* 31% of cell phone users use their phone to search for health information (in 2010 it was only 17%)

* 19% of smartphone owners have at least one health app on their phone. Exercise, diet, and weight apps are the most popular

As the healthcare industry shifts to outcomes-based payment models, healthcare providers and payers will look for effective and economical ways to help patients better manage their health. Increasing patient adherence to treatment is a primary area that healthcare providers and payers are interested in impacting.

Recently, a post titled “When the Rx is an App” was published on the American Medical News blog (which is published by the American Medical Association). This post focuses on forward-thinking physicians recommending apps to help patients manage their condition, track medication adherence, and monitor their symptoms and vital signs. There are no definitive numbers on how many physicians recommend apps to their patients, but no doubt there is opportunity for apps as a part of a comprehensive patient adherence program. App-based health management tools are convenient and the learning curve for many patients is minimal. Patients carry their smartphones with them and are in the habit of using their smartphones to access e-mail, apps, and search for information.

As the life science industry continues to focus on patient outcomes, with an emphasis on adherence and compliance, there are opportunities for life science companies to provide significant value to patients, healthcare providers, and payers. App-based health management tools are just one component of a potential solution. Effective solutions will include various components so patients can select the tools they are most comfortable with including mobile health sites, telehealth devices, educational websites, and nurse educator programs that provide 24/7 assistance to answer patient questions.

Currently, there are apps that collect patient information such as heart rate, weight, calories burned, calories consumed, etc. that can be shared with healthcare providers during office visits. In the future, technologies such as telehealth devices and apps will summarize collected patient information, send it to healthcare providers, and upload the information directly into electronic health records. With these advances healthcare providers receive accurate patient-specific information that can be used to guide treatment discussions and decisions.

At Tunstall AMAC we are focused on helping build and maintain relationships with patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers to drive awareness and knowledge, support patient adherence, and empower patients to take charge of their health. We offer a wide-variety of personal emergency response and telehealth devices that can be used in the home-setting, and we provide 24/7 monitoring and click-to-chat support services to provide support, information, and educational materials to patients, providers, and payers.

I’d like to hear your thoughts on the use of apps to manage an individual’s health. Do you use healthcare-related apps? Is your company providing these services now? Is your company likely to provide them in the future? Please share your questions and comments, and let’s all learn from each other.

Smartphones: Fertile Ground for Health Information

Interesting stats on smartphone usage - more below

Pew Internet and American Life Project finds half of smartphone owners use their devices to get health information.

The Pew Internet and American Life Project recently published results from the Mobile Health 2012 survey. The findings from this survey offer significant insights into how US consumers use their smartphones to access health information and health apps. These findings are evidence that life science companies have significant opportunities to provide value-added services and products that help patients improve their health.

Key findings from the Mobile Health 2012 survey include…

* 85% of US adults own a cell phone
  - 53% are smartphones

* 31% of cell phone users use their phone to search for health information
  - In 2010 only 17% of cell phone users used their phones to search for health information
  - 52% of smartphone owners access health information via their smartphone

* 19% of smartphone owners have at least one health app on their phone
  - Exercise, diet, and weight apps are the most popular

* 9% of cell phone owners receive text updates and alerts about their health or medical issues
  - 80% of cell phone owners send and receive text messages

*  Those most likely to have signed up for health text alerts...
  - Women between the ages of 30 and 64
  - Smartphone owners

* Those most likely to use cell phones to search for health information…
  - Caregivers
  - Those who recently faced a medical crisis
  - Those who recently experienced a significant change in their physical health

Clearly adults in the US are more often using their cell phones and smartphones to manage their health, and use is growing at a moderate pace. As the life science industry continues to focus on patient outcomes, with an emphasis on adherence and compliance, there are opportunities for life science companies to provide mobile healthcare apps and services that provide significant value to patients, healthcare providers, and payers.

Key areas to consider when planning mobile health initiatives …

Mobile health sites and apps can have a significant impact; however, these are just two components of a potential solution. There are new technologies, such as telehealth devices that are powerful tools or capturing and sharing information between patients and healthcare providers. Additionally, don’t overlook the importance of educational websites and nurse educator programs that provide 24/7 assistance to answer patient questions.

At Tunstall AMAC we are focused on helping build and maintain relationships with patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers to drive awareness and knowledge, support patient adherence, and empower patients to take charge of their health. We offer a wide-variety of personal emergency response and telehealth devices that can be used in the home-setting, and we provide 24/7 monitoring and click-to-chat support services to provide support, information, and educational materials to patients, providers, and payers.

I’d like to hear your thoughts on mobile health information. Is this something you’re doing or considering as a value-added service? Please share your questions and comments, and let’s all learn from each other.

Industry Insights: Sales Forces Shift to Customized Approaches to Smaller Audiences

PharmaVOICE Year in Preview

The latest issue of PharmaVOICE magazine is available and it focuses on the key issues likely to challenge the industry in 2013. The issue provides insights from more than 150 executives with experiences that span the development continuum from clinical, research and development, regulatory, to sales, marketing, and global issues.

I contributed to the section titled “Sales of the Future: New Tools, New Roles, and New Strategies”, and shared insights on the evolving life sciences sales model. In the near future, sales representatives will focus on a smaller number of customers, and will be hyper-focused on meeting customers’ needs and providing value. The PharmaVOICE article provides insights into how the role of sales representatives will change as these new models are implemented.

As new models are implemented, sales activities to lower priority audiences and prospects will require different approaches. An efficient and impactful alternative is to use teledetailing representatives to reach out to and develop relationships with these audiences.

Additionally, new options for administrative support for healthcare providers and field-based representatives will be implemented. In the future, sales teams will focus on building relationships and providing value-added consulting services to healthcare providers and health systems. Handling administrative issues is important, yet time-consuming. These activities can be cost-effectively handled through telesales representatives.

Check out the November/December 2012 issue of PharmaVOICE for insights into how the role of sales representatives will evolve as new sales models are implemented.

I’d like to hear your thoughts and ideas on how sales models are changing. Do you agree with the opinions included in the PharmaVOICE article? Is your company moving towards implementing these changes? If so, please share some of the challenges you are encountering.
Here is a link to a white paper on this topic.
Shifting Pharma Sales Models to Focus on Providing Value