Each week Fard Johnmar, Envision Solutions' founder, offers insight, information and commentary on healthcare-related issues on his blogs, Envisioning 2.0 and HealthCareVox.  Click the links below to read some of the best posts from both Weblogs. 

Healthcare & Technology:
New Information, Audiences & Controversy
Over the past few years, technology has greatly expanded the availability and scope of healthcare information. It has also increased marketers' ability to reach new audiences.  The articles below focus on a few of these new technologies and the controversy they have generated.    

- Targeting A Captive Audience:
Marketing To Patients In The Waiting Room

- Phreesia's President & CEO Responds
To Waiting Room Marketing Post

- Sermo, Inc. Physician Social Network
Illustrates Best & Worst Of "Wisdom Of Crowds"

- A Conversation With Sermo, Inc.
CEO, Daniel Palestrant, MD

Pfizer's Torcetrapib Troubles

Pfizer spent nearly $800 million developing torcetrapib, a potential blockbuster medication that raises "good" cholesterol.  However, in early December 2006, Pfizer announced that it had stopped a critical clinical trial because patients taking the drug were more likely to die.  These articles examine Pfizer's troubles with torcetrapib before and after it decided to cease development of the medication.   

- Examining Pfizer's Torcetrapib Conundrum

- Examining The AHA-Pfizer Torcetrapib Flap

- Torcetrapib's Impact: Are Lawsuits Looming For Pfizer?

Taking The Pulse Of The Healthcare Blogosphere

In July 2006, Envision Solutions and The Medical Blog Network launched the first global survey of healthcare bloggers.  While the healthcare blogosphere is rapidly growing in size and importance, little is known about the activity and opinions of large numbers of health focused bloggers. 

The results are in.  Many of those surveyed say they blog about their personal experiences or to help others.  In addition, a substantial minority hide their identity.  Click here to download a free 49-page report about the survey and learn more about this group of active healthcare bloggers.   

True Transparency

Healthcare communicators have long urged pharmaceutical companies to develop partnerships with medical societies, patient advocacy groups and other third parties.  They argue that these alliances can help bolster the industry’s image and marketing efforts.

However, the media and public are starting to become more skeptical of industry-third party initiatives.  If advocacy groups are viewed as less credible, the potency and value of cause alliances will be greatly diminished.   Avoiding this will require greater transparency and proactive communications.

Click here to read an article Envision Solutions developed on this important topic from the January 2007 edition of Communiqué.