Looking for a Speaking Gig?
Standpoint Inc., a New York-based speaker placement company, is looking for healthcare speakers from strategic consulting firms to present informed positions about various issues including: managed care, disease management, capitation, shareholder value creation and marketing.
Standpoint recruits professionals as experts on particular topic who, as part of their media relations and new business strategy, address business issues that affect healthcare decision makers.
To inquire about becoming a Standpoint speaker or to receive a list of current topics available by calling 212/929-7521.
General Accounting Office Investigates Nursing Homes
The General Accounting Office is investigating subacute nursing homes that advocates for the elderly say are just a marketing ploy to cash in on Medicare reimbursements.
The congressional agency is looking at the way Medicare reimburses nursing homes that claim to deliver highly-specialized therapeutic care, usually for elderly people just released from the hospital. The GAO study was requested in June by Sen. David Pryor, D-Ark., a member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. (202/789-9631)
Physician List Is Ready
American Business Information Inc.'s (ABI) database of 575,000 physicians and surgeons is now complete. The entire database has been telephone-verified and contains the most accurate and comprehensive information on virtually every practicing physician in the United States. "This database brings medical industry marketing to a new level," said Vin Gupta, spokesperson for ABI. "Our database allows them to slice and dice the information and target their marketing efforts by medical areas." Basic software for the database costs around $500. The company is headquartered at 5711 South 86th Circle, P.O. Box 27347, Omaha, NE 68127-0347, 402-593-4500. Internet E-mail Address: [email protected].
Agencies Win Awards for Healthcare Campaigns
Several Colorado agencies won the Grand Gold Pick Award presented by the Colorado Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America at its annual event in Denver last month.
The rookie of the year award went to Jennifer Logan, an account executive with Financial Communications Associates Inc. The American Heart Association nominated Logan for her volunteer contribution to that organization. Logan is a 1994 graduate of the University of Kansas. The others:
The research award: JohnstonWells Public Relations on behalf of FHP Health Care, "FHP Media Relations Measurement Program."
Innovative Use of a Medium, multimedia or video presentation award: Servoss Public Relations & Marketing and CIGNA HealthCare of Colorado, "CIGNA HealthCare Report."
Writing: Schenkein/Sherman Public Relations and Neoteric Cosmetics, "Fun with Feet, Alpha Hydrox Foot Care Press Kit."
Annual Reports, nonprofit: University Hospital, ViComm Inc., Havey Productions, "Impressions: A 24-hour Portrait of University Hospital." (Colorado PRSA, 313/789-1700)
Docs on the Net
If you're looking for doctors to add to your physician groups, a new Web site has just made your search a bit easier.
New York magazine's Health Pages has a listing and information on about 5,000 physicians and a handful of local HMOs and preferred provider networks.
Net-cruising marketers can check out their physician's office hours, learn where they went to school and what languages they speak. Those searching for a doctor can sort the list by geographic area, specialty and gender.
The database also includes physicians' hospital and insurance affiliations, experience and information about specialty procedures and costs, where applicable. It may even include a photo of the doctor. The site can be accessed at http://www.thehealthpages.com.
Consumers Are Not Using Report Cards
Consumer continue to rely more on recommendations from family and friends than on the ratings of independent organizations to choose their health plans, a recent study found.
That may change in the next few years as the federal government joins two large rating organizations in collecting and publishing more information on health plan quality.
One major problem in producing consumer-friendly report cards is that professionals disagree on what to measure and how to do it, said Clifton Gaus, administrator of the Washington-based Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, which conducted the study.
He said that employers are much more likely to use report cards than consumers. Employers find reports cards helpful in selecting and monitoring health plans' performance and in negotiating prices with insurers and managed care companies. (Agency For Healthcare Policy, 202/786-8900)
Committee Formed To Help Industry Newcomers
Potential Industry Leaders of Tomorrow (PILOT), the newest committee of the Healthcare Marketing and Communications Council (HMCC) formerly the Pharmaceutical Advertising Council has been formed to meet the needs of those new to the industry. PILOT is open to professionals with fewer than seven years of experience. (HMCC, 212/370-1701)
Job Bulletin Becomes Interactive Phone Service
The Job Referral Service of the American Society for Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations (ASHCMPR) became an interactive phone service earlier this month. The fax-on-demand service, Info Now! is accessible by calling 800/333-5421 and entering your seven-digit membership number from a touch-tone phone.
Job listings are now updated every two weeks, instead of monthly. To list a position available or wanted, mail or fax the information to Samella Brown at ASHCMPR. (ASHCMPR, 312/422-3738; fax 312/422-4579)
Clinical E-Mail Network Created
MedESystems in Tarrytown, N.Y. created MedEMail, a national electronic mail service for healthcare professionals. With MedEMail, physicians can use desktop computers or personal digital assistants to exchange messages with colleagues over an electronic network. The user base of the program includes the 50,000 members of Physician's Online, an interactive information service. (MedESystems, 914/332-6688)