Modern Physician
740 N. Rush St.
Chicago, IL 60611
312/649-5200
http://www.modernphysician.com
The monthly - and soon to be biweekly - title Modern Physician provides-up-to-date
news and information on staffing, legal, labor, regulatory, socioeconomic and
financial issues relevant to physicians whose job descriptions also include
administrative and management responsibilities. Launched in October 1996 as
a spin-off of sister publication Modern Healthcare, Modern Physician
reaches 32,000 physician executives who serve in leadership roles in medical
groups and clinics, integrated delivery networks, hospitals and healthcare systems.
Publisher Crain Communications plans to switch the title to biweekly in January
2001 (PRN, July 17). Daily news is posted to the magazine's Web site
at http://www.modernphysician.com.
- Ann Brandstadter
CONTENT/CONTACTS
Editor Karen Petitte stresses that readers turn to Modern Physician not for news about clinical developments, but rather to keep up with trends in healthcare financing
and delivery. The average reader is a physician with management responsibilities - e.g., a CEO of a medical group, a doctor who serves on the board of a hospital, or a VP of
medical affairs. Many readers are trained as MDs and have gone back to school to get an advanced degree.
A major focus for Modern Physician is products and services that can help healthcare organizations cut costs (e.g., by leveraging new technologies, streamlining
processes, improving the quality of the care they deliver and reducing paperwork). Hot topics: reimbursements and dealing with HMOs; best practice profiles of successful
organizations; and innovative entrepreneurial ventures in the healthcare arena. To wit: a recent series examined how physician-health system relationships are changing in the race
to deliver better quality healthcare.
Contact Petitte at 312/649-5324 or [email protected]. Pitch technology and quality control stories to reporter Joseph Conn at 312/649-
5395. Finance stories are the domain of reporter Neil Versel: 312/649-5397.
PITCH TIPS
One major issue on the radar screen is physician burnout - a chronic problem that's causing many physicians to walk away from the profession entirely. Petitte wants to hear
about new techniques and strategies for tackling this challenge from a management perspective.
"Managing Your Practice" stories also are strong bets. The editors are constantly on the lookout for new technologies that help organizations streamline administrative
functions such as appointment scheduling and patient contact.
Also on the horizon: more local and regional coverage (news) that explores the inner workings of specific medical organizations. News items relating to local events are
greatly appreciated. "We believe strongly that healthcare is very much a local business," says Petitte. "While there are lots of trends nationally, there are functions that vary
greatly from market to market."
When it comes to the logistics of the pitch, any old method will do, Petitte says. "I don't get too hung up on the format. If it's good information, we'll take it as a little
note in a bottle."
COMMENTS
As usual, familiarizing yourself with the pub before you pitch is imperative. "You'd be surprised how many people call here and ask us if we've heard about a new drug
approval," Petitte says. "We just don't write about that. [Yet] we get at least six of those a week."
Focus instead on how a new product or service is improving operations inside a particular medical group - and provide evidence of success in terms of dollars and cents savings.
"We want to see examples of real products that are being used now," Petitte says.
In pitching Modern Physician, think big. Editors are quite willing to tackle long-term topics and weighty issues. The challenge du jour is helping readers understand
and embrace the Internet as a primary medium in which consumers seek out healthcare information and advice.