New Software Forecasts Healthcare Trends
Forecasting geographic healthcare usage trends is challenging for industry marketers who need to make savvy strategic planning decisions.
Avenir, a new software program launched by Healthdemographics, tackles this challenge by projecting market supply and demand for medical services.
The San Diego-based provider of proprietary healthcare databases and related decision-support software uses statistical algorithms to project a particular market's healthcare usage.
The analysis can be used for geographic maps, charts or bar graphs. Essentially, the program allows marketers to make presentation-quality maps of cities or counties that show a need for specific health needs, like rehabilitation services and evaluating pregnancy rates within a given ZIP code, says Michael Chermak, Healthdemographics's COO.
Avenir can forecast current year and five-year healthcare usage rates using localized factors in 369 geographic areas based on:
- Demographic changes;
- Regional variation in usage rates;
- Stringency of medical management in a given area; and
The software program starts at $20,000 (pricing depends on level of customization and number of facilities). A second version is set to launch this summer. (Healthdemographics, Carl Li, 1800-590-4545, ext. 31)
New National Directory Targets Senior Market
A new directory provides publicists with industry-specific information on more than 200 senior-targeted newspapers and specialty publications.
The senior marketplace of more than 68 million mature Americans controls 77 percent of the country's financial assets.
The "Publicist's Guide to Senior Media," published by PromoWorks, a Westlake Village, Calif.-based agency, provides contacts at senior sections for daily newspapers, nationally syndicated writers and columnists, senior-oriented newsletters and specialty publications.
In addition to the media contact listings, the directory also provides tips on creating senior-targeted advertising, direct mail campaigns, brochures and publicity material. The 130-page directory costs $34.95. (PromoWorks, 805/379-3910)
Crisis PR Package Handles Newspaper Details
When a crisis hits, PR pros working in the trenches often are at a loss to crank out a strategic plan of action and the detail-oriented work of media relations and project coordination.
Valassis Communications, a Livonia, Mich.-based agency that specializes in newspaper-based sales promotions, recently launched a crisis management package that provides print-based marketing solutions.
The program called Valassis Crisis Response can help with various types of crises, ranging from product recalls and labor unrest to a celebrity spokesperson gone bad. The services include:
- Newspaper adss that can be placed to its database of up to 13,000 newspapers nationwide in 24 hours.
- Full-color Inserts can be printed and shipped to newspapers in a few days, depending on the size and scope of the job.
- Assistance with ad design, copywriting, video production and Web page design.
Valassis Communications earned its crisis PR stripes with Johnson & Johnson during the Tylenol tampering case in 1986, the infamous syringe hoax involving Pepsi in 1993 and most recently the American Home Products recall of Redux last year. (Valassis, Sue Gornowicz, 734/591-4971)
For additional crisis PR help, check out the Advanced Crisis Management & Media Relations Workshop hosted by our sister publication PR NEWS, Sept. 14 and 15th at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco.
HPRMN subscribers receive a special discount. For more information call 888/707-5814.