Almost every healthcare public relations professional is aware that the use of alternative media is on the rise. Expert say the industry can no longer be constrained by the use of traditional media such as television or radio, as more and more practitioners are finding that alternative media has targeted audiences such as patient advocates, physicians and clinical staff.
For example, medical Web sites and closed circuit television programs are just a few innovative ways to reach doctors through multi-media. While Internet services are the leader of the pack, others such as audio, video, broadcast fax and cooperative mail are being used in the healthcare public relations and marketing field. According to the 1995 HCI Medical Promotion Audit (MPA), alternative media accounted for 12 percent of total promotion to healthcare professionals. To provide you with a convenient single-source reference to these media, Healthcare PR & Marketing News has put together comprehensive descriptions and audience coverage for more than a dozen of these new media and reported them on the list that follows. The alphabetical listing is only a sample of some of the services available.
The Abstract-a-Card System
Published by: Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc. P.O. Box 240008 Memphis, TN 38124 Tel: 901-682-1001/Fax: 901-682-6992
Description: A unique desktop interactive medium which includes abstracts from medical literature in a particular specialty.
This system includes a file box, file cards, and a quarterly publication. There is advertising for the sponsor on the file box, on each file card, and in the publication. The system is available for every medical specialty.
American Medical Association Multimedia Group
Produced by: American Medical Association 515 N. State Street Chicago, IL 60610 Tel: 312-464-2585/Fax: 312-464-4190 e-mail: [email protected]; Internet:
http://www.ama-assn.org
Description: Topic-specific Web sites supported by educational grants featuring peer-reviewed clinical studies and abstracts for physicians and other healthcare professionals, patient education materials, and support groups online. Educational materials in print, video, audio, CD-ROM and other formats.
America's Health Network
Produced by:: America's Health Network 1000 Universal Studios Plaza Building 22A, Orlando, FL 32819 Tel: 407-224-8555/Fax: 407-224-6820
Description: America's Health Network is the only cable television network for around-the-clock health and medical information. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, America's Health Network's physicians and other medical professionals - supported by the world-renowned Mayo Clinic - provide highly-visualized answers to viewers' most pressing questions.
Eight live Ask the Doctor series cover family medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, family therapy, diet/nutrition, sports medicine, veterinary medicine, and other clinical areas of substantial viewer interest.
AUA Video Digest
Produced by:: Williams & Wilkins 351 W. Camden Street Baltimore, MD 21201 Tel: 410-528-4068/Fax: 410-528-4452
Description: AUA Video Digest is a series of 60-minute videotaped programs issued four times a year. Each issue contains five peer-reviewed segments highlighting the latest state-of-the-art surgical/diagnostic procedures in the field of urology. The Digest accepts advertisers for the begginning and end opf the tape.
Better Health Network
Produced by:: A CNN Programming Service 4950 W. Kennedy, Suite 200 Tampa, FL 33609 Tel: 813-281-8775/Fax: 813-281-8923
Description: A place-based preventive health television network airing in medical waiting rooms nationwide. Programming is Produced by: CNN's Health Unit in conjunction with BHN's Medical Advisory Board.
The one-hour program loops throughout the day during patient hours and is designed to entertain while it educates, and is changed monthly. Viewing equipment and programming are free to qualifying physicians and is advertiser supported.
CliniForms, Inc.
Produced by:: CliniForms, Inc., a division of MediMedia, USA, Inc. 373 Park Avenue South 6th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: 212-779-8300/Fax: 212-779-3544
625 N. Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611 Tel: 312-751-3462/Fax: 312-266-0809
Description: CliniForms are patient record charts with an area reserved for a product message. Provided free to high prescribing physicians. Ads can range from $500 to $1,000 for about 1,000 forms.
Drug InfoNet
Published by: Drug InfoNet Taylor Road, Jamesville, NY 13078 Tel: 315-498-5462/Fax:315-492-1740 e-mail: [email protected]/
Description: Interactive World Wide Web site (http://www.druginfonet.com) featuring product and disease information, "Ask the Experts" forums, and educational materials free to millions on Internet users worldwide. Provides promotional opportunities to reach specific, targeted healthcare audiences.
Healthcare Information Programs
Produced by:: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 4530 W. 77th Street Minneapolis, MN 55435 Tel: 612-832-7891/Fax: 612-835-3460
Description: Packagers of clinical, patient education, and consumer health information in all media. Specialize in producing health communications programs for pharmaceutical companies, emphasizing the educational needs of primary care physicians and their patients.
HealthLink Communications Inc.
Published by: HealthLink Communications Inc. 127 W. 24th Street, 6th Floor New York, NY 10011 Tel: 800-222-3993 Internet: http://www.greenlight.ca/healthlink/
Description: CD-ROM; video journals, live satellite videoconferences via customized networks. All media can be underwritten with advertisements.
Health-Link USA
Produced by:: Health-Link USA, Inc. 70 Pascack Road Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07675
Tel: 201-391-6306, 201-391-8851 Fax: 201-307-9348 Internet: http://www.health-net.com
http://www. familyinternet.com
Description: Provides short national health radio programming with real-time audio on disease-specific web sites. Consists of over 360 radio stations broadcasting health vignettes and 21 medical/consumer Web links that will carry each health vignette broadcast in real time for one full week.
Health-Link is also health/medical information content provider and marketing consultant for "familyinternet" and "health-net," a major mall-type Web site (http://www.healthlink.com) with 47 subsites providing family interest publications, pediatrics, and general interest medical disease management programs.
MedWorld
Published by: Power-Pak R Communications, Inc. 4940 Northdale Blvd., Tampa, FL 33624 Tel: 813-269-6900/Fax: 813-269-6935 e-mail: [email protected]
Description: MedWorld is an on-line healthcare network designed to meet the education and informational needs of physicians, pharmacists and patients.
Features include Internet access, e-mail, teleconferencing (chat rooms), and local dial-up access using 950-IATT.
Newsline
Produced by:: Global Newsline, LLC 331 Park Avenue, Hoboken, NJ 07030 Tel: 201-792-1900/Fax: 201-792-3955
Description: Newsline is a closed-circuit television news program aired over four days during medical association conferences and on TV monitors at the convention center. Using anchors to interview key presenters and association executives, and gathering priority news and information identified by the medical association, Newsline is a fast-paced, daily report of meeting activities.
Advertisers receive up to 4 minutes of advertising time (30 to 60 seconds each) within every half-hour program that is broadcast in a continuous loop throughout the day and night.
PharmXcel
Produced by:: Allied Digital Technologies Corp. 1301 Avenue of the Americas 14th Floor New York, NY 10019 Tel: 212-757-6800/:Fax: 212-757-5230
Description: Videos, noncontrolled drug samples, and informational materials are packaged in an individual box, specially designed for individual projects, and distributed to target markets.
This reduces sales costs, offers greater control of the message and is an economical way to meet marketing objectives.
Phone Cards
Produced by:: Health Care Marketing Services, Inc. 95 First Street, Suite 200 P.O. Box AP Los Altos, CA 94023 Tel: 415-941-3955, 800-4-MAILING Fax: 415-941-2303
Description: A new premium which features the client company's name and product and offers the customer free prepaid calling time anywhere in the country. Each time a card is used, a brief identity message from the client company is heard.
An added feature is capturing information on who is calling. A variety of fulfillment programs using special prepaid phone cards are available. These programs include name capture and special messages from the client to the card user. Cost is about $20 a card.
Physicians MarketPlace
Published by: The MarketPlace Group, Inc. 89 Access Road Norwood, MA 02062 Tel: 617-762-6600/Fax: 617-762-1300
Description: Physicians MarketPlace is magazine that features editorial in the form of a feature cover story. It focuses on topics of interest to office-based physicians. All articles are written by MDs and Ph.D.s for the physician in private practice.
Topics range from what to look for when purchasing office diagnostics, to timely news stories focusing on legislation affecting the physician's office. Guaranteed circulation 132,000 monthly.