REGIONAL COST VARIATION
A study conducted by the Healthcare business of Thomson Reuters has found vast differences from one city to the next in the amount spent on healthcare for Americans with employer-sponsored health plans. The study assessed the use and cost of healthcare services for 23.5 million Americans in 382 metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) in 2009. The MSA with the lowest healthcare spending for the commercially insured—$2,623 per person—was Ogden-Clearfield, Utah. The highest spending MSA was Anderson, Ind., at $7,231 per person. “There are some unexpected findings here. The bottom line is that it’s risky to set policy based solely on Medicare evidence, because we’re seeing a different picture when we look at other patient populations,” said Bill Marder, PhD., senior vice president for research services at Thomson Reuters and lead author of the paper. “We clearly need to do more in depth research to better understand how these complex spending variations translate into variations in value for patients.” For the complete study, visit: http://thomsonreuters.com/content/healthcare/pdf/white_papers/474284
THERAPEUTIC AREA FORECASTS
GlobalDate has released two new reports, “Hypercholesterolemia Therapeutics – Pipeline Assessment and Market Forecasts to 2017” and “Cancer Pain Therapeutics—Pipeline Assessment and Market Forecasts to 2017.” The reports identify the key trends shaping and driving the global hypercholesterolemia market and the global cancer pain therapeutics market, respectively. They also provide insights on the prevalent competitive landscapes and the emerging players expected to significantly alter the market positioning of the current leaders in both markets. Both reports were built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research and in-house analysis by GlobalData’s team of industry experts.
Behaviorists at MicroMass Communications have uncovered significant differences in attitudes and actions between individuals diagnosed with high cholesterol alone vs. people diagnosed with high cholesterol plus one or more other metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes or hypertension. Despite these differences, one striking similarity is evident—neither group is very good at taking cholesterol-lowering medications as prescribed. These findings, plus a discussion of their implications, are summarized in a new paper from MicroMass that marks the third installment in an ongoing series of insight studies examining issues of importance to pharmaceutical marketers, healthcare providers and healthcare educators.
NEW PHYSICIAN EVENTS
CollaborativeCARE Conference (C3) announced joint marketing relationships with medical associations and societies, a leading medical journal and other prominent organizations in the health care industry as it readies to launch the inaugural event in Long Beach, Calif., Nov. 15–20, 2011. C3 will provide integrated education across the health care spectrum to advance coordinated care and improve patient outcomes.
PHARMACY COUNSELING BILL
U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) has officially cosponsored S. 274, the Medication Therapy Management Empowerment Act of 2011. This National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS)-endorsed bill highlights pharmacy’s growing role as healthcare providers and showcases pharmacy’s pivotal position in the healthcare delivery system. S. 274 seeks to enhance pharmacy’s ability to partner with their patients on counseling and medication therapy management (MTM) services with the goal of increasing medication adherence.
APP FOR SMALL PRACTICES GE
Healthcare announced the release of Centricity Advance–Mobile, a native Apple iPad application, designed for primary care physicians in small practices. With Centricity Advance–Mobile, clinicians utilizing GE Healthcare’s Centricity Advance, a complete web-based EMR and practice management system, won’t be tethered to their desktops. As Centricity Advance customers, they can walk with their iPad wherever they like while continuing to interact with the patient and the patient record.
BIOTECH FELLOWSHIPS IN NYC
The New York Biotechnology Association (NYBA) announced the launch of the NYBA Fellows Program, a new initiative to help grow and nurture New York’s emerging life science companies and entrepreneurs. The NYBA Fellows Program offers a two-year fellowship providing early-stage companies of seven employees or fewer with full access to the complete NYBA portfolio of benefits, including the NYBA group purchasing program, member services, and discounted access to seminars, conferences, and networking events.
BIRTH CONTROL IN TURKEY
WomanCare Global completed an extensive training initiative for 78 physicians in conjunction with the launch and introduction of Essure in Turkey, Mexico and 3 African countries. Each training program, facilitated by Matthew Reeves, MD, MPH, WomanCare Global’s Vice President for Medical Affairs, involved extensive use of the state-of-the-art virtual reality Essure Simulator, donated to WomanCare Global by its manufacturer VirtaMed AG. VirtaMed’s simulators combine classroom teaching and practical training, with the goal of offering physicians the best education possible. The Essure procedure, FDA approved since 2002, is the first permanent birth control method that can be performed in a physician’s office in less than 10 minutes (average hysteroscopic time) without hormones, cutting, burning or the risks associated with general anesthesia or tubal ligation.
