Thursday, September 25, 2008

Joslin Diabetes Center launches diabetes Web network for physicians

Joslin Diabetes Center launches diabetes Web network for physicians

Joslin Diabetes Center has launched the Joslin Professional Education Consortium (JPEC), a Web-based diabetes resource and community for primary care physicians. JPEC offers free social networking among peers and colleagues, as well as access to support and education to improve patient care for diabetes. It is designed to supplement CME activities. JPEC provides members with point-of-care access to support and patient education materials and opportunities to participate in interactive dialog with experts and colleagues about diabetes and its complications. The site also features performance improvement tools for self-assessment, which allows physicians to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.

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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Longitude Health Unveils MyHealthVillage.com

Longitude Health Unveils MyHealthVillage.com

Marketwire via NewsEdge :

SOMERSET, NJ, September 11 / MARKET WIRE/ --

Longitude Health, Inc. (www.longitudehealth.com), provider of web-based, guided health and wellness solutions for mid-size, self-insured companies, today announced that it will introduce for the first time MyHealthVillage.com -- an innovative health and wellness site providing free and insightful physician-guided input and peer-to-peer support on health, wellness and a variety of common chronic conditions including asthma, cholesterol, diabetes, and weight management. The Webinar will be held on September 18th at 2:30 pm (ET) and accessed via clicking here or copying and pasting the following URL into a browser:

https://bridgeview.webex.com/bridgeview/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=667141536

Join your peers in a live Webinar, as co-founders Dr. Jan Swaney and Tracy Korman introduce MyHealthVillage.com. CMO Dr. Swaney will briefly present MyHealthVillage.com's social networking functions and CEO Tracy Korman will share the long-term vision for MyHealthVillage.com as a resource for consumers, employers and physicians.

There is one kind of support that you can get from your doctor or your HealthGuide, but there is an altogether different type of support you get from people who share similar challenges.

At MyHealthVillage.com you can join one of the "hosted" discussions:

--  Community @ MyHealthVillage.com with Jan Swaney, M.D. covering general     health and wellness subjects --  Healthy Eating & Exercising @ MyHealthVillage.com hosted by Le Greta     Hudson, M.S., R.D., C.D.E. and other nationally known nutrition and     exercise experts --  Living with Chronic Conditions @ MyHealthVillage.com hosted by     registered nurse and certified diabetes educator Cindy Sears covering     coping with common chronic conditions     

Or you can create your own discussion. The site is FREE to join and FREE to use.

The Webinar will also detail how to use MyHealthVillage.com to find support, share challenges, get practical advice and celebrate health successes with easy-to-use tools for posting comments, starting your own blog, viewing informative videos, or sending secure messages to your peers.

Please join the health and wellness conversation, register now.

https://bridgeview.webex.com/bridgeview/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=667141536

Can't make the live Webinar? We invite you to directly log on to MyHealthVillage.com -- find support, share your challenges, get practical advice and celebrate your successes.

About Longitude Health, Inc. & MyHealthVillage.com

MyHealthVillage.com is owned and operated by Longitude Health, Inc. (longitudehealth.com), a privately held, company offering comprehensive web-based, guided health and productivity improvement solutions for consumers, employers and physicians. Its flexible tools and holistic approaches provide incentives, integrate with primary care physician oversight and enable social networking support for a completely collaborative solution leading to sustainable, long-term, healthy life style habits. Longitude Health's MyHealthVillage.com portal and HealthGuides provide a highly valued benefit while at the same time improving productivity, reducing health related costs and improving health related quality of life.

Based in New Jersey and with operations in Missouri, Longitude Health (www.longitudehealth.com) is a privately held, investor-backed company offering comprehensive web-based, guided health and productivity improvement solutions for mid-size, self-insured businesses. Its flexible tools and holistic approaches provide incentives, integrate with primary care physician oversight and enable social networking support for a completely collaborative solution leading to sustainable, long-term, healthy life style habits. For further information on Longitude Health visit www.longitudehealth.com.

 
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Comcast launched Web and video on demand programming for breast cancer

Comcast launched Web and video on demand programming for breast cancer

Comcast has launched the "Pink Ribbon" campaign, a multiplatform video-on-demand and online initiative that provides programs about breast cancer that can be watched at home. The campaign offers more than 20 hours of content from Lifetime Networks, Discovery Health, and other partners. In addition, a partnership with Comcast and Breastcancer.org is part of Lifetime Network's 14th annual Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign in October. Beginning this week and continuing through October, Comcast customers with On Demand service will have free access to related programs, including episodes of Sex and the City and other shows and movies.

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The HealthCentral Network has the Third Largest Online Health Audience

The HealthCentral Network has the Third Largest Online Health Audience

PR Newswire via NewsEdge :

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The HealthCentral Network (www.HealthCentral.com) is the third most visited online health property behind WebMD and Everyday Health. The HealthCentral Network had 10.7 million unique visitors in July according to comScore. With the recently announced acquisition of TheBody.com, the company now reports a total of 11.3 million monthly unique visitors for July.

Through its unique approach of building highly-targeted, condition- specific and wellness web sites, The HealthCentral Network attracts not only a large audience, but a highly engaged one.

"Through acquisitions and strong organic growth, The HealthCentral Network has become one of the most visited online health sites," said Christopher M. Schroeder, CEO of The HealthCentral Network. "While having a large audience is important, The HealthCentral Network's unique ability to attract the highest quality, most engaged health consumers is even more valuable for advertisers."

According to comScore, the five most visited sites in the online health category, and their monthly unique visitors, are:

     1. WebMD                      17.27      2. Everyday Health            14.70      3. The HealthCentral Network  11.36*      4. Revolution Health          11.33      5. AOL Health                 11.10  

* Includes July 2008 comScore data and internally-reported figures for the recently-acquired TheBody.com. Numbers can be found at comScore under "The HealthCentral Network Properties," or at THCN.com under "Media Relations."

In January, The HealthCentral Network received a significant minority investment from IAC/Interactive Corp, and IAC Chairman Barry Diller sits on The HealthCentral Network's Board of Directors. The company recently announced two significant acquisitions: TheBody.com - the #1 HIV/AIDS interactive resource; and, MedTrackAlert - a leading provider of customized health and wellness news and information. The company also recently joined with IAC to create an online pharmaceutical marketing network that reaches over 50 million consumers.

About The HealthCentral Network

The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. By offering connections to renowned experts, a network of patients and caregivers who share "real world" experience, and in-depth information, sites in The HealthCentral Network make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and caregivers. The HealthCentral Network also manages the highest-quality health advertising network, not building size for size's sake - but targeting condition-specific audiences who value and engage with information from marketers on their terms.

SOURCE HealthCentral Network

 
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Online Video is an Emerging Channel for Physicians to Connect with Pharmaceutical Companies

Online Video is an Emerging Channel for Physicians to Connect with Pharmaceutical Companies

PR Newswire via NewsEdge :

NEW YORK, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Physician interest in live video detail from sales reps is growing, according to the ePharma Physician(R) v8.0 physician market study by pharmaceutical and healthcare market research company Manhattan Research. Currently, about 45,000 U.S. physicians meet via online video with their sales reps, and over 300,000 more show interest in interacting with sales or other company representatives online.

Physicians already engaged in video detailing with sales reps are, for the most part, highly satisfied with their experience, according to the study. This sentiment may explain why these physicians are consistent users - physicians already participating in live video detailing sessions do so with an average of seven reps per month. Some pharmaceutical companies are already including this communication strategy in their plans - Aptilon recently added two additional top 10 global pharma companies as clients of their AxcelRx Live video detailing service.

"Incorporating live video details in the physician-sales rep relationship can be a win-win for both groups," said Meredith Abreu Ressi, Vice President of Research at Manhattan Research. "Depending on the company, it can be a cost-effective strategy for sales forces looking to reach physicians spread out over a wide territory, and physicians enjoy the flexibility and interactive features the sessions offer. Pharma companies should pay close attention to rep call centers that give healthcare professionals access to company representatives via telephone or web chat at any time, as many physicians express interest in this type of service."

Free Professional Marketing White Paper

Our professional marketing white paper, "Plugging into Physicians: Digital Marketing & Sales Strategies for Healthcare Companies," contains market data and trends for pharmaceutical, device, biotech, and healthcare companies looking to leverage technology to improve physician relationships in 2009. Download here: www.manhattanresearch.com/research/white-papers/plugging-into- physicians.aspx

About ePharma Physician(R) v8.0

ePharma Physician(R) v8.0 was conducted via online survey methodology in Q2 2008 among 1,681 online practicing U.S. physicians. The study and advisory service has determined the leading online physician destinations based on the number of physician visitors as well as the content satisfaction of those who visit and provides in-depth analysis of top product and corporate pharmaceutical websites, health portals, online journal sites, specialty- specific sites, newsletters, society sites, physicians and Web 2.0, physician online communities, electronic detailing, Tablet PCs, online conferences, physician customer service portals, tech-enabled sales forces, physician CRM, and more. For more information: www.manhattanresearch.com/products/Strategic_Advisory/ePP/

About Manhattan Research

Manhattan Research conducts annual research studies among physicians and consumers, including Taking the Pulse(R), Taking the Pulse(R) Europe, Taking the Pulse(R) Asia, ePharma Physician(R), Cybercitizen(R) Health, Cybercitizen(R) Health Europe, and ePharma Consumer(R). Broad consumer and physician research is complemented by targeted analysis among more than 80 consumer therapeutic segments and 25 physician specialist segments.

Manhattan Research, a Decision Resources, Inc. company, is a leading market research and advisory firm for pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. For more information, visit www.manhattanresearch.com, email sales@manhattanresearch.com or call 1.888.680.0800.

About Decision Resources, Inc.

Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at www.DecisionResourcesInc.com.

 
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Boehringer Ingelheim sponsoring RLS education initiative

Boehringer Ingelheim sponsoring RLS education initiative

The Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Foundation and National Sleep Foundation are teaming to help increase awareness and understanding of RLS through a new Web site and public service announcement. The initiative is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. The site, www.WhatisRLS.org, will launch in time for RLS Awareness Week September 21–27, the groups said. The site will feature educational information and testimonials from RLS patients, a search tool for finding local healthcare professionals who specialize in RLS, a symptom diary, and other tools.

 
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'Groundbreaking' campaign discusses HIV/AIDS in Hispanic community

The Kaiser Family Foundation and Univision Launch First National Spanish-Language Media Campaign Featuring HIV-Positive Latinos and Loved Ones

PR Newswire via NewsEdge :

Groundbreaking Ads Confront Stigma and Debunk Myths in Response to Latino AIDS Crisis

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Kaiser Family Foundation and Univision Communications Inc, the nation's leading Spanish-language media company today unveiled "SOY..." ("I AM..."), a groundbreaking Spanish-language media campaign featuring the personal stories of a diverse group of Latinos living with HIV and the people who love them. The campaign was previewed today for approximately 3,000 members of the HIV/AIDS community during the opening plenary session of the 2008 United States Conference on AIDS (USCA) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. SOY... will debut nationally on Univision network and radio in conjunction with National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) on October 15th and continue throughout 2009.

For the first time in a national media campaign, SOY... profiles HIV-positive Latinos and their loved ones speaking openly about subjects not commonly discussed in Hispanic households. Campaign participants range in age from two teenage sisters (one positive, one negative) from Los Angeles to a 77-year-old grandmother in Puerto Rico and her daughter in Miami who has been living with HIV for more than ten years.

Developed by Univision and the Kaiser Family Foundation, SOY... includes 12 original public service ads (PSAs) each in television and radio formats and Spanish-language HIV/AIDS information and resources available online through a dedicated website (http://www.univision.com Uniclave: SIDA) and via a toll-free Spanish-language hotline (1-866-TU-SALUD). The campaign was developed as part of Enterate del VIH y SIDA! (Get the Facts about HIV and AIDS!), a long-standing public information partnership established in 2001 between Univision and the Kaiser Family Foundation to provide culturally relevant Spanish-language information and resources about HIV/AIDS.

"Univision has enjoyed a long-standing partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation, building on Univision's legacy of informing and empowering our audience," said Ivelisse Estrada, senior vice president, Corporate and Community Relations for Univision Communications. "SOY... encourages families to openly discuss the topic of HIV/AIDS."

"Despite its significant impact on the Latino community, AIDS is not discussed in many households," said Tina Hoff, vice president and director of Entertainment Media Partnerships at the Kaiser Family Foundation. "By helping to personalize HIV/AIDS through the individuals who opened their lives for this campaign, SOY... seeks to break down the stigma that allows this disease to spread."

Emmy-winning Univision journalist, Teresa Rodriguez, previewed SOY... today at USCA during a special plenary session examining the AIDS crisis facing U.S. Latinos. As part of the session, SOY... participants "Dee" and "Milagros" were joined by Dr. Carmen Zorrilla, an HIV-specialist OB-GYN at the University Hospital in Puerto Rico, and Guillermo Chacon of the Latino Commission on AIDS for an intimate discussion of the importance of speaking openly about HIV with family and loved ones, in schools, at churches and throughout the Latino community.

SOY... is an official media component of NLAAD. Univision and Kaiser are working with the Latino Commission on AIDS and the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) to distribute HIV/AIDS information resources and SOY... programming materials to community organizations, state and local health departments and local clinics across the country.

About HIV/AIDS and U.S. Latinos

Of the approximately 1.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, about 200,000 are Latino. Latinos have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, accounting for 19 percent of AIDS cases diagnosed in 2006 while comprising only 15 percent of the U.S. population. Latinos are testing positive for HIV, being diagnosed with AIDS and dying from the disease at higher rates than whites in the United States. As the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group in the United States, addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS in the Latino community takes on increased importance in efforts to improve the nation's health.

About Univision Communications

Univision Communications Inc. is the premier Spanish-language media company in the United States. Its operations include Univision Network, the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the U.S. reaching 97% of U.S. Hispanic Households; TeleFutura Network, a general-interest Spanish-language broadcast television network, which was launched in 2002 and now reaches 85% of U.S. Hispanic Households; Galavision, the country's leading Spanish-language cable network; Univision Television Group, which owns and operates 63 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Radio, the leading Spanish-language radio group which owns and/or operates 70 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and 5 stations in Puerto Rico; and Univision Online, the premier Spanish-language Internet destination in the U.S. located at http://www.univision.com. Univision Communications also has a 50% interest in TuTv, a joint venture formed to broadcast Televisa's pay television channels in the U.S. Univision Communications has television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States.

About the Kaiser Family Foundation

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit private operating foundation, based in Menlo Park, California, dedicated to producing and communicating the best possible information, research and analysis on health issues for policymakers, the media, the health care community and the general public. Information on the Foundation's HIV/AIDS policy work, journalism training programs and media partnerships to educate the public about HIV is available at http://www.kff.org; daily news summary reports, webcasts and other online content on developments in HIV/AIDS are available on http://www.kaisernetwork.org; country-level facts and data are available at http://www.GlobalHealthFacts.org; and resources for reporters covering HIV/AIDS are available at http://www.GlobalHealthReporting.org.

SOURCE Henry J. Kaiser Foundation

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