This week I attended a webinar hosted by IBM on the trends for in-home medical devices based on research done in 2010 with over 1,300 US and UK consumers by IBM’s Institute for Business Value. (Here’s the link to the webinar http://bit.ly/bSgY73 )

What I found most interesting was that the research toppled some well-established assumptions such as: 1) consumers are unhappy with their current in-home wellness devices; and 2) in-home devices are mainly used for known health conditions (vs. preventative care devices).  On both counts the research results came back opposite of the ‘common assumptions’.  It seems that consumers are satisfied with their current devices and are ready for more, especially as people become so attuned to using small hand-held electronic devices.  And it seems that the message about preventative care and the benefits it affords is making its way into the home. That to me equates to market opportunities for ‘prevention devices’ (like tracking exercise and physical activity) and even remote monitoring of “someone’s changing health conditions”.

In a recent white paper I co-authored with Tom Scearce (@TLOTL) on Lead Generation, see blog posting below dated March 16, 2010, we highlighted the trend that many Primary Care (PC) organizations (think small private practices) are selling their practices to Acute Care (AC) organizations (think hospitals and health systems) due to many factors.  The New York Times article below captures the reasons quite nicely.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/26/health/policy/26docs.html

But it’s got me thinking more about the importance this shift will have on Medical Marketers plans for the not-too-distant future.  If the purchasing decision maker is now part of the corporate office instead of the practice office then your message needs to target the right audience with the kind of information they are seeking.

I’m not saying that the physician is removed from the purchasing equation, but I am saying that the purchasing agent is added to this equation.  Where formerly in the ‘old’ PC model there was usually the physician, maybe the nurse and potentially the office manager as the decision maker(s) for a new product purchase, with the transition to AC owned practices expect added focus on workflow efficiency gains, product volume discounts, etc.

So keep that in mind when you’re reviewing your launch plans for that next medical device product.  Don’t assume the world is the same as it was as recently as 2005 because it isn’t.

Tom Scearce, aka The Lord of the Leads, is a respected colleague & expert on all things involving Lead Generation.  He runs his own consultancy business focused exclusively on this important area of business development.  After working together recently on an engagement in the medical device segment, we decided to collaborate on a white paper to share some fresh ideas with Medical Device Marketers.  Because it’s all about making your life easier, right?

Here’s the link to this new white paper: “How to increase demand for medical devices in today’s changing and challenging market”

I’d certainly appreciate your comments on this topic.  Feel free to share with those you believe may benefit from this information.

Last week I was invited to the Jesse Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University as a guest lecturer for a group of MBA students.  Professor Siddharth Singh asked me to share from my experience of almost 20 years, about launching new products in a variety of industries around the world.

So here’s the list I came up with after thinking about the best & worst new product launches I’ve been involved in and what I’ve learned from them.

1) Ask yourself: How is marketing viewed within the organization?  As a function, like HR or Facilities Management or as a business leader and decision maker.
2) No navel gazing. Always look for new information & opinions outside your organization/team/corporation.

Read the rest of this entry »

My husband usually groans when he hears me make the following comment, “Guess what, it has high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in it.” I’ve been on this food-aware kick for about 2 years now where I read all food labels before deciding whether to purchase an item. And I kept telling my husband that, like trans-fats, HFCS was on my list of foods to avoid.

So imagine my glee when I saw the following commercial on a major TV network during prime time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEbRxTOyGf0

At first he didn’t understand why I was so happy. But then I explained my thinking for the reason behind this commercial, funded by the Corn Refiners Association. If there wasn’t a growing negative backlash against HFCS there would be no need for them to advertise. It’s because so many people are talking about HFCS and actively avoiding consuming it that they have had to resort to these tactics. Now I’m not saying that these ads won’t be effective to convince some people that HFCS is fine. But for others, who are more skeptical, this will convince them exactly the opposite. Think big tobacco.

Read the rest of this entry »