Health Care Social Media

In the last few years, data has changed the landscape of the healthcare public relations (PR) industry where I work as a digital specialist. The change has been largely driven by the use of digital technologies and social media.

Pharma is comfortable with the idea of running focus groups and advisory boards to poll the opinion of traditional key opinion leaders. However, the industry has shown less aptitude to date in using the always-on, global focus group that is the Social Web not to test but rather to lead the design of its campaigns. Whilst human-centred design is arguably already the focus of pharma’s work, the diverse implications this observation gestures towards have been inadequately thought through to date. Looking to an example of leading human-centred design from other verticals, in this presentation Tom Hulme describes how IDEO allows observes human behaviour to inform its design of prototypes which it then asks them to test.

A supercomputer with 3,000 graphics processing units simulates the microbial structure that antiretroviral drugs attack.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week launched its first investigation into an unregulated Urinalysis app, a warning to health app makers.

Interest and confidence in direct to consumer pharma marketing is waning in those territories that permit it as the healthcare consumers’ voice has become audible through social platforms. In the majority of geographies that do not permit DTC advertising, other approvable promotional methods have been challenged by our increasing reticence towards or active dislike of sales messaging, and our willingness to express our displeasure. Is this a function of the challenge to the supremacy of traditional, broad spectrum advertising that social poses, or is social a spur to the creation of messages specifically designed only to appeal to segments of a massively fragmented audience? Silence Media’s Lee Henshaw describes the utility of split testing and geo-targeting in advertising.

To be clear, Microsoft MSFT -0.64% made no official healthcare announcement today. At least none that I’m aware of. They did, however, announce their latest home entertainment console – the new Xbox One (pictured above) – and that does make for some really interesting speculation on the intersection of home entertainment and home health. That intersection hasn’t arrived – but it’s definitely coming and it’s likely to get here a lot sooner than we realize.

The Digitally Sick team discuss the question: Does pharma need an injection of external talent to speed up the adoption of digital technologies and sharpen their digital strategy?

The pod chats with guest Alex Clarke from Sanofi about what this talent would be, what they would do and how this would improve pharma digital.

We also discuss the pharma agency landscape and ask if this needs a reboot.

The field of 3-D printing technology is revolutionizing industries across the spectrum, from the arts to electronics.

Panel one at Velocity discussed the implications for pharma of collaborative working, big data and a scientific approach to advertising that were outlined in the previous presentations.

The speakers Kai Gait, Lee Henshaw, Michael Plimsoll and Tom Hulme were joined by Faisal Ahmed, James Read, Tim Ringrose, Andrew Widger and Tim Davies.

The social revolution has taught pharma that customers are not bars on a chart, or numbers on a spreadsheet, but that they are people. However, the potential of big data to inform healthcare decision making at a population level has blurred the issue somewhat. Michael Plimsoll of Adobe Systems Europe explains how far from being an instrument of alienation, effective analytics can inform, connect, and personalise contemporary business practice.

Is digital a strategy, a way of thinking, a context, or a milestone in an ongoing journey for the pharma industry towards an evolving future the outlines of which it is only now beginning to discern? Who better to review and assess possible digital futures for pharma than Kai Gait, a long-standing and globally respected digital expert who has helped shape the industry's thinking through his personal contributions.

PokitDok, Caremerge, MangoHealth, Asthmapolis, and Allayo are our picks for HealthBeat 2013's 5 coolest consumer apps.

Digital health may be garnering all the glory for its promise to transform health care, but take a closer look and you’ll find a promising next wave of health care investments.

The latest potential use for Google Glass is great news for doctors and hospitals.