Spectrum

Today´s blog comes to us from our GLOBALHealthPR partner in Germany, fischerAppelt. 

The reasons and motives for internal communication are as diverse as their possible outcomes. This is especially true in global healthcare organizations, where messages considered clear and straightforward in one region might not be understood the same way in another. For this reason, implementing effective internal communications strategies across multiple locations is crucial. [Read more…] about Internal Communication in Healthcare: Speak and Let Speak

Today’s blog post comes to us from Lindsay Ford of Spectrum, GLOBALHealthPR U.S. partner and Chair.

The United States is not alone in its enduring healthcare dilemma.

Around the world, the provision of accessible and affordable healthcare is undeniably challenged by a shortage of skilled healthcare professionals, the physical distance between patients and their providers, and the high cost of essential healthcare equipment. With epidemics of infectious and chronic illnesses affecting both developed and developing countries, there is an urgent need to use innovative, technology-supported innovations to transform the manner in which medical care is delivered to populations. Increasing the use of electronic and mobile health (mHealth) systems for medical service delivery not only improves access to care, but also saves money while providing higher levels of quality care. [Read more…] about Digital Doctors Lessening the Divide in Health Communications

 

Today’s blog post comes to us from Lindsay Ford of Spectrum, United States partner and chair of GLOBALHealthPR.

We’ve all heard the pros and cons of the industry’s outlook in Europe, the US and some Asian nations, but information from South America and Southeast Asia can be scarce.  However, new data suggests that opportunity may lie in two countries, one that has been mostly overlooked and one at the forefront of global headlines.

The new data provide insight into the growing global market for pharma. EyeForPharma, an industry hub led by senior level executives, highlighted these two markets, as well as the markets of several countries across the globe.

[Read more…] about Emerging Pharma Worldwide

Zambia efficiently tracks medical histories and public health. “Why not bring it to the US?” asks Brittany Allgood of Spectrum, GlobalHealthPR partner in the United States.

In a land where health care illiteracy is prevalent and disease outbreaks can spread quickly due to poor environmental and sanitation conditions, how do you efficiently document individual medical histories and monitor public health?

In Zambia, health care institutions are using innovative technology to track and cater to health care needs. SmartCare – conceived in 2003 and developed by Zambia’s Ministry of Health and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention – is an electronic health record (EHR) system designed with local challenges in mind.

How does it work?

Similar to loading money onto a D.C. Metro SmartTrip card, medical personnel can load a patient’s health care records onto a SmartCare card to be taken home for safe keeping. Records include personal information about illness, prescriptions, lab results and more, and data analysis of records can reveal trends in the spread of disease.

The SmartCare system is designed to function in areas with minimal telecommunication capabilities and frequent power outages. Lending credibility to the system and expanding its reach, the World Health Organization, USAID and UNICEF are among SmartCare partners.

The result?

In addition to aiding doctor efficiency with user-friendly, rapid data-entry capabilities, SmartCare is intended to improve data accuracy and enable cost-effective, confidential, life-long quality health care.

With the benefits to Zambian patients in mind, I wonder how this system can be applied to improve health care in other parts of the world. For example, considering the system’s reliability and ease of use, how could it be used to improve health care in disaster relief situations?

What’s up with electronic medical records in the U.S.?

Even in a community where the average person can complete a medical form unaided, there are benefits to implementing an EHR system. Think about it – how much time have you wasted filling and re-filling out forms at the doctor or dentist office? Are you sure you remembered every detail each time?

We’ve all heard about the Affordable Care Act, which goes into effect on January 1, 2014. We won’t go into the details here, but one program initiative is to advance the transition from paper records to EHRs. According to Medical News Today, many question the ease of use and integration process of this new IT system, and there’s no doubt that others are concerned about privacy issues.

Can we take a lesson from our friends in Africa?

A SmartCare system in the U.S. could address concerns about ease of use and confidentiality of EHRs. Personally, I’d appreciate having a password-protected card or flash drive containing all my medical records and insurance information. If doctors and dentists accepted this form of information transference, it would save a lot of time during visits.

What’s your take on adopting EHRs in the U.S. – an important initiative or expensive waste of time?

 

 

Featured in the May Issue of Marketing Farmacêutico
By John J. Seng, Founder and President of Spectrum in Washington, D.C.; Chair, GLOBALHealthPR

One of the goals we strive for at my Washington, D.C.-based health communications firm, Spectrum, is flawless performance for clients. We invest the time to ensure that we completely understand our clients’ needs in the U.S. marketplace, and design creative, strategic plans grounded in science and research. We then move forward with every expectation of “smooth sailing.”

[Read more…] about Global Pharma Public Relations – “Get Local” and Demonstrate Value