Strategizing
Rising Up Embracing Digital Transformation for MedTech Solutions
Healthcareisn’talwayseasytonavigate.An
experiencedhealthcarePRfirmcanhelpyoustay ontopofdevelopingtrends,alertyoutonegative reviews,orresearchregulatorychangesthatcanimpact yourbrand’sreputation.
Publicrelationsagenciescanserveasyourspokespersonor yourtrustedadvisor.Healthcareorganizationsareespecially vulnerabletocrisissituations,andapublicrelationsagency canhelpyouproactivelyplanfor,trainfor,andbeprepared torespondtoanypotentialcrisisthatmayarise.
Theinteractionofthehealthcaremarketingagenciesison differentlevelstocommunicatethecorrectinformationto therightaudiences.Themeaningofvaryinglevelsof communicationisrelatedtothetypeofmessage,andto whomtogiveitisthemainemphasis.Forexample,what messageyouneedtosendtoyourgeneralcustomersis entirelydifferentfromwhatyouwillsendtoyourinventors.
AnotherimportanceofPublicRelationsinahealthcare organizationisthejobofbrandbuilding.Intoday’sworld,
thebrandneedstostandout,especiallyinhealthcaresectors withalotofcompetition.Tomakeyourorganization’s presencemorerobustthanwhatisrightnow,youneedto workonbrandawarenessandbuildingwithyourPublic Relationscompany
Theorganizationthatisexistingforyearsintheindustry musthavecreatedsomereputationornarrativesinpeople’s minds.HealthcarePRcompaniesensurethatthemedia recordsareinfavourofthecompany,andthereputation whichisthuscreatedissustainedforanextendedperiod. SpearheadingthesePRcompaniesaretheexceptional leaderswho,withtheirskillset,arehelpinghealthcare organizationstofulfilltheirdesiredgoalsandassistingthem toscaletheirprogresstogreaterheights.
Embracingthejourneyofthesecoherentpersonalities, InsightsCare’slatestedition,“10MostTrusted HealthcarePRLeaderstoFollowin2022,”highlightsthe significanttransformationstheseleadershavebeen empoweringinthemodernhealthcareniche.
Flipthroughthepagestoknowabouttheseleadersandtheir innovations.
Have a Delightful Read!
-Abhishek Joshi
Prominent Name in Health and Science Marketing Niche C O V
Editor-in-Chief Pooja Bansal
Senior Editor Anish Miller
Managing Editor Pooja Shah
Assisting Editors Saloni, Drishti
Visualiser David King
Art & Design Head
Co-designer Paul Belin
Art & Picture Editor Mrunalinee, Rohil
Business Development Manager
Amy Jones
Marketing Manager John Smith
Business Development Executives
Sarah Wilson, John Smith, Alex Vincent
Sales Executives Kelli, Bill, Anna
Technical Head Jacob Smile
Assistant Technical Head Amar Sawant
Technical Consultants David, Robert
Digital Marketing Manager Alina Sege
Assistant Digital Marketing Manager Renuka Kulkarni
SME-SMO Executives Gemson
Sonia Raizada Circulation Manager Tanaji Fartade
Research Analyst Eric Smith
Claire Long Managing Director
90TEN Group 90ten.co.uk
With a degree in biochemistry, Claire loves working on some of the most life-changing therapies. Claire brings a compe ve streak and a big smile to 90TEN.
LaVoie Health Science lavoiehealthscience.com
Hunter hunterpr.com
Guillaume Viallaneix Founder and President MedTech Momentum, Inc. medtechmomentum.com
Donna is a leader of specialized thinkers in health and science marke ng and a proven strategic communica ons execu ve in biotechnology, healthcare, medical device and pharmaceu cal fields.
Experienced marke ng PR professional and PR agency CEO with an award winning record within the in the marke ng communica ons industry.
Guillaume Viallaneix is the Founder and President of MedTech Momentum Inc., with over 30 years of experience as an execu ve and entrepreneur
Kathy Bloomgarden CEO Ruder Finn, Inc. ruderfinn.com
Kathy holds decades of experience in steering Fortune 500 companies, startups, nonprofits and more through important communica ons moments, crises and milestones.
CAN adver sing Ltd can-adver sing.com
Lisa has a very visual eye and a keen awareness of what 'works.' As such she is a tremendous asset to any adver sing campaign or video produc on.
Leading Crosby's team of professionals, Raymond sets the strategic direc on for one of the Mid-Atlan c's most successful integrated marke ng firms.
Veteran communicator. Message master, smartest strategist, and levelest head in a crisis. Tenacious client advocate. Deep roots in TV and print journalism and government communica ons.
Sarah, along with her talented team of PR professionals, has worked with numerous interna onally renowned companies and corpora ons over the past 16 years in Los Angeles.
TransMedia
Thomas leads the TransMedia Group, an award-winning public rela ons firm serving clients worldwide since 1981, and has conducted remarkably successful media campaigns and crisis management for America’s largest companies and organiza ons
Donna LaVoie President and CEO Grace Leong CEO and Partner Lisa Dodd Co-founder and Director Crosby Marke ng crosbymarke ng.com Raymond Crosby President and CEO Sachs Media sachsmedia.com Ron Sachs CEO and Founder Sarah Robarts President Ballan nes PR ballan nespr.com Group transmediagroup.com Thomas Madden CEO and Chairperson
Corevaluesoftheagency centeraroundapassionfor humankindandsupporting theinnovationthatits clientsaredevelopingto improvelives,whetherthat isinmedicaltechnology, digitalhealth,bioscience,or pharmaceuticals.
President and CEO
Developingnewinnovativetherapiesandnew
diagnosticoptionstopatientsrequirescomplex understandingofdiseasestate,patientselection, regulatoryprocessandmore.Communicationisessentialat everystageofthehealthandsciencelifecycle,including duringthedevelopmentoftechnologies,productsand servicestoimprovethelivesofpatients.
Communicationiscrucialwhetheritinvolvestreating currentandincomingpatientsorsharingpatient informationwithanotherfacilityoragroupofdoctors, nurses,orspecialists.Acomplianceprogramisimperative toensurethatlegal,ethicalandprofessionalstandardsare metandcommunicatedthroughouttheentirehealthcare system.
Likewise,LaVoieHealthScience(LHS)helpshealthand scienceorganizationsextendvisibilityandoptimizevalue fortheirtechnologies,productsandservices.LHSdesigns andexecutesstrategiccommunicationsprogramsincluding
publicrelationsandmarketingaswellasinvestorrelations andcorporatecommunications.
DonnaLaVoie,President,andCEOof LaVoieHealthScience,launchedtheagencyin2001, followingasuccessfulcorporatecareerwithsignature biotechcompaniessuchasGenzymeCorporation(now Sanofi)andAlkermes,Inc.,wheresheledstrategic communicationsfunctionsduringtremendousgrowth, includingproductandbusinesslaunchesaswellas internationalgeographicexpansion.
ThroughDonna'spassionforhealthandscience,LHSis rankedamongtheTop30independenthealthcare communicationsagenciesintheUnitedStatesaccordingto O'Dwyer's2022publicrelationsfirmrankings,oneofInc. 5000'sfastest-growingprivatecompanies,andBoston BusinessJournal's2022Fast50representingthe50fastest growingcompaniesinMassachusetts.Shehasalsofostered strongrelationshipswithotherthoughtleadersinthefield tosolidifyvariousstrategicalliancesbroadeningLHS' healthcarecapabilities.
In2019,DonnaledLHSintoastrategicalliancewith OmnicomPublicRelationsGroup(DASGroupof companies)tobringhealthcompaniesabroadersetof capabilitiesandgeographicexpansionofservicesbringing over2,000expertsworldwidetoLHSclients.
Donnaisaprovenstrategiccommunicationsleaderin healthandscienceinnovation.Sheisatrustedadvisoron strategiccommunicationsissues,especiallyaroundcomplex issueswheremultiplestakeholdersareaffected. Shebrings auniquecombinationofpublicandinvestorrelations expertise,includingproductlaunchexperience.
Forover21years,Donna'seffortshavebeenfocusedon buildingLHS'healthandscienceconsultingpractice,while overseeingkeyaccountstrategies,agencystrategic direction,corecompetencyandmethodologydevelopment, aswellasgrowthstrategiesandteamdevelopment.
Donnaisalsopassionateaboutgivingbacktothehealth andscienceecosystembyparticipatinginconferences whetheritbeonapanelorteachingmethodologyaround developingacompanypresentationusing The LHS Fifteen® Slide Presentation methodology.Shealsosetstheculture fortheagencytogivebacktothecommunityasamember
Asanacknowledgedleader inhealthscience communicationswithboth publicandprivate companyplatforms, LaVoieHealthScienceis recognizedasatop30 independenthealthcare agencyintheUS.10 Most Trusted Healthcare PR Leaders to Follow in 2022
oftheBoardofAdvisorsofLifeScienceCares,a collaborationofcompaniesintheBostonareaworkingto reducepoverty
Whiletalkingaboutthecompany'soperations,Donna shared, “We help our clients create awareness, gain recognition, and achieve optimal value for their initiatives, technologies, products and businesses. Our expert team of investor relations and public relations professionals design and execute communications programs that allow a client, product, or initiative to reach its goals. We deliver a proven track record of designing and executing creative, strategic programs that effectively position and engage key stakeholders, with measurable return on investment.”
Corevaluesoftheagencycenteraroundpassionfor humankindandsupportingclientswhoaredeveloping innovationstoimprovepatientliveswhetherthatisin medicaltechnology,digitalhealth,bioscience,or pharmaceuticals.
LaVoieHealthScienceisafast-movingfirmwitha collaborative,creativeapproachcustomizedtoitsclients' businesses.LHSpridesitselfonleadingwithstrategic intentanddeliveringbasedonthatpremise.
SpeakingaboutthevisionofLHS'services,Donnasaid, “Vision is an interesting word and something we ask our clients about all the time. We are carefully building an agency with a keen focus on health with services in investor relations and corporate communications as well as public relations and marketing. We believe that staffing with a combination of industry specialists and functional area leads is a winning formula.”
WhiletalkingaboutthesolutionsandservicesLHSoffers, DonnasaysthattheagencyleadswithitsproprietaryLHS Immersion®methodologytohelpclientsdiscerntheir marketposition,messaging,andgo-to-marketstrategywith akeenfocusonexternalfeedbackandcompetitiveviews leadingtothedevelopmentofaBluePrintPlansettingthe courseofcommunications,whethertheclientispublicor privatetakingintoconsiderationcustomizedmessagingfor alltargetstakeholders.
LaVoieHealthSciencespecializesinanimalhealthand science,autoimmunediseases,CAR-T,cellandgene therapy,CNS,CRISPR,immuno-oncology,lysosomal diseases,MedTech,medicaldevices,neurodegeneration, oncology,ophthalmology,precisionmedicines,raredisease,
RNA,andregenerativemedicine.Theagencycreatesand executesinvestorandpublicrelationsprogramswitha targetedmarketfocusand/oraglobalpointofview
AccordingtoDonna,ArtificialIntelligence(AI)and MachineLearning(ML)continuetodriveopportunityand resultsforhealthcare,andthecurrenttimesdemandthatthe industrycontinuetoembraceandnurturetheintegrationof AIandMLintoitsworkstreams. Weseeit'suseacross manyareas,includingdrugdevelopment.
Dataisrobust,andwhenyouconsiderthatanelectronic healthrecords(EHR)system,forinstance,canhold valuableinformationandbestpracticesthatcanhelp cliniciansmakereal-timedecisionsanddramatically improvethepatientexperienceatthebedside,therecanbe noturningback.
Shecontinues, “In the IR and PR world, AI is playing a role in tracking company communication, stakeholder sentiment as well as identifying differences that aid in decision making around investment decisions in public companies. It's complex but being used quite regularly.”
Whenspeakingaboutcommunicationsolutionstomeet clients'requirementsinthehealthcareniche,Donna exclaims, “That is the million-dollar question.” Shefurther statesthatstrategiccommunicationwillalwayswintheday –providinginsightsandteachingothers.Donnabelieves, “We are all evolving and being able to provide clients with a unique perspective and point of view is mission-critical to our business.”
Theagency'sexperiencedandmulti-disciplinedteam providesseamless,integratedcommunications,offering strategyconsultingtoinvestorandcorporate communicationsaswellaspublicrelationsandmarketing initiatives.
Asanestablishedleader,Donnabelievesthatthisindustry iscomprisedofthosewhowanttomakeanimpact.While advisingthebuddingentrepreneursandenthusiastsaspiring toventureintohealthcare,shesays, “It's not for the faint of heart. It is an exciting business with extraordinary demands
which delivers on its promise. It's an industry like no others, and it is infectious to be working with companies and people who truly want to make a difference.”
BuildingoffitstrademarkedLHSImmersion®,TheLHS Fifteen-SlidePresentation®,LHSReach™,andadditional productsinESGandsocialmedia,Donnasaysthatthe agencymaintainshighexpectationsandhasbuiltan industry-leadingconsultingmodelagencythatleadswith strategyfollowedbyexecution.LHSbringsitsclientsan experiencedmulti-disciplinedteamofstrategicthinkers enhancingthedepthofinternalresources.
LaVoieHealthSciencebringsover21yearsofindustrytestedcounsel,over450provenstrategiesforitsclients, anddifferentiatedcommunicationsprogramstoengagekey stakeholders.LHSishonoredtohavewonover60awards acrossmultiplecommunicationsdisciplinesandisrated amongtheTop30independenthealthcarepublicrelations agenciesbyO'Dwyer'sPR,oneofInc.5000'sfastestgrowingprivatecompanies,and Boston Business Journal's Fast50,representingthetop50fastestgrowingcompanies inMassachusetts.
Companiesinthemedicaldevicebusiness(also
knownasMedTech),whichisunderincreasing pricepressurefromhealthcareprovidersand contendingwithdecliningreturnsfrommature technologies,mustnowlookfornovelmethodstoboost theirbottomlines.Formedicalequipmenttocontinuetobe cost-competitiveinthefuture,supplychainsmustbe digitalized.
Thehealthcaresectoruseddigitalsolutionsinseveral sectorsbeforethepandemic.However,itwaseithera piecemealstrategyoratechnologyparadigmthatworked foreveryone.Tomanageelectronichealthrecord(EHR) systemsandcreateappsthatsuitedbusinessmodels,itused technology.Buttechnologyoffersmorethanthat.
Toprovideroomforcreativityandbusinessobjectivesthat canadapttothefuture,corporationsarenowgoingastep furtherandembracingnewtechnologieslikecloud computing,artificialintelligence(AI),theinternetofthings (IoT),bigdata,quantumcomputing,andanalytics.Theyare readytohaveamajorpositiveimpactonthesector.By offeringscalablemicroservicesandadaptablestrategies,the propercloudpartnermayassistyouinaccumulating technologicalriches.
Theobjectiveofdigitaltransformationistointegratedigital technologiestolowercosts,enhanceprocessesandboost productivity.Itisnotastraightforwardpipelineprocess,but ratheranuancedschemewiththeprimarygoalof substitutingcutting-edgetechnologiesforantiquatedones.
Theadoptionofdigitalinnovationandtheaccelerated improvementofservicequalityareessentialforthe healthcaresector.Complexitycanbemanagedby organizationsemployingcutting-edgeanalyticaltechniques andquickchoices.Buildinganagilesystemthatcombines webandmobileapplications,enhancesthepatient
experience,andprovidesreal-timedecision-makingisthe heartofdigitaltransformation.
Read through to learn about how digital transformation could be the next solution for MedTech.
Someofthebenefitsthatdigitaltransformationbringsfor MedTechsolutionsareasfollows:
• Itsaveslivesandraisesthestandardoflivingforpeople allaroundtheworld.Thisisaccomplishedbydigital transformationinseveralways,includingbylowering manufacturingcosts,raisingquality,efficiently controllingoutputtomeetdemand,comprehending user/patient/customerwantsandmore.
• Strengthensconnectionswithusers,partners,consumers andpatients.
• Increasesproductivityacrosstheboardforyour company,butespeciallyintheproductionlines. Improvingthedistributionchaincanalsoresultin significantefficiencygains.
• Achieveshugeefficiencysavings,nottheleastby automatinglaboriousoperations.
• Givesdecision-makersgreater,moreaccurate,andmore currentinformationonwhichtobasetheirjudgments, whichimprovescompanysupervision.
• Satisfiesregulatorystandardsmoreeffectivelyand efficiently
• Reduceshumanmistakesbyutilizingmoreautomation
• Reduceshazardsinavarietyofareasforyourcompany. Asanillustration,considerenhancingproductqualityto lowertheriskstofinancesandreputationbroughtonby arecallscenario.
• Decreasesthetimeittakestolaunchnewproducts.
• Enhancesworkplacehealthandsafety,especiallyin manufacturinganddistribution.
• Improvesthetransmissionofknowledgewithinan organization.Thisisahugeadvantagegiventhe problemofaskillsshortagethatmanyinthesectorare dealingwith.
Whenembarkingontherouteofdigitaltransformation, someobstaclesmustbesurmounted,justlikewithany changeinthecompany.Thesedifficultiesincludegaining supportfortheswitchtocloudcomputingtechnologies, dataintegrity,cybersecurity,integratinglegacysystems
withotherplatformsandtools,changingorganizational attitudes,funding,etc.
Butwithastrategythatacknowledgesthesignificanceof digitaltransformation,appreciatestheadvantages,and acceptsthatthisisthedirectionthesectorisgoing,allthese difficultiescanbeaddressed.
Todesignthenecessarysolutionsandputthenecessary mechanismsinplace,onemustalsoneedtheappropriate partner
Toprepareforthedisruptionoftoday,thefollowingtactics couldbeconsidered:
• Adoptingahumanizedmentalityresetacrossthe advertisingofproducts.Investinnew,insight-driven talent,enablecustomercentricityatscaleandembrace partnershipsandM&Awithafocusoncustomer outcomes.
• Updatingyourtechnologyenvironment.Morethanever, technologyisthefoundationforfuturecorporate expansionandoperationalperformance.Toupgrade legacyapps,thinkaboutdeveloping,purchasing,or collaborating.
• Takingdatainsightsandreleasingthem.Createasolid datafoundationfortheentireorganization.Theuseof curateddatasetscanopenupnewchannelsandmarkets byenablingtailoredmarketingandpricingoptimization.
Afragmentedorhalf-heartedstrategywon'tguarantee economicsuccess.MedTechorganizationsmust purposefullyaltertocompetewithdisruptors.Toachieve this,theymustembracenewconnectivityandemphasize humanization,technologyanddata&analytics.
-Anish Miller
In the public relations field, some of the most
remarkable traits any PR practitioner can have are – a curious mind, an eagerness to learn about their industry, and others, as well as a willingness to improve their skills.
Havingtherequisiteknowledgeisacrucialingredientfor anyPRfirmandhavingalargebankofknowledgetodraw backonisessentialforanykindoffirmthatworksina professionalservicesfield.Thisknowledgecomesinmany forms,butamongthemostessentialistheneedforfirmsto haveanexcellentcomprehensionoftheirclientandthe marketinwhichtheyoperate.
Theabilitytoforgeandmaintainstrongrelationshipsis somethingelsethatisalsoabsolutelyintegraltoan excellentPRagency. This attribute is probably most prevalent in the practice of media relations, in which the ability to build relationships becomes essential when pitching enhancing brands and their primary client base
Arelationshipskillthattendstobemoreoverlookedisthe abilitytocreateandmaintaingoodrelationshipswith clients.Whilemanypublicrelationsagencieswillbeableto providetheirclientswithmediarelationsservicesand expertstrategiccommunicationsadvice,beingabletoalso providethemwithexemplaryservicesontopofthattruly setsGuillaumeViallaneixapart.
GuillaumeistheFounderandPresidentofMedTech Momentum,Inc,acompanythatrecognizesandknowsthe stakeholdersintheMedTechecosystem.Hissignificant expertisewithdedicationmadehim excel in the limelight as one of the 10 Most Trusted Healthcare PR Leaders in the modern healthcare industry
Adding
Guillaume Viallaneix Founder and President MedTech Momentum, IncInaninterviewwithInsightsCare,Guillaumeshared valuablefactshighlightingthesignificanceofMedTech Momentum,Inc,itscorevalues,anditsmissioninthe healthcareindustry.
Guillaume,pleasegiveusabriefoverviewofyour journeyastheFounderandPresidentofMedTech Momentum,Inc.
Ihaveover30yearsofexperienceasanexecutiveand entrepreneurintheMedTechspace.Istartedmycareerin theHealthcareindustryin1988,workingformultinationals suchasGEMedicalandCignabeforefoundingand managingMedTechorganizationsintheUnitedStatesand
Europe.BeforecreatingMedTechMomentum,Iwasthe CEO of Eden Spine,a US-based OEM with an R&D subsidiary in Switzerland.
I'veraisedcapital;workedwithsurgeonsondeveloping newtechnologieswiththeFDAtogetthemcleared,grew companies,brandedthem,andsoldafew.Iknewbusiness andMedTechmarketingfromtheinsideandwantedto sharethenewmarketinggospelthatfocusesonthepower oftheinternetandsocialmedia.
IlaunchedtheMedTechMomentumattheendof2013 whenitbecameapparentthatthecombinedpowerofthe Internetandsocialmediahadovertakentraditionalchannels ofcommunicationandthatmostdecisionsmakersin healthcarewereconfusedaboutit.Initially,Icreated MedTechMomentumtohelpmyfriendsintheMedTech industrybuildcost-effective,sustainableandscalable marketingengines.
CanyouelaborateonMedTechMomentum,Inc.'score valuesandmissioninthehealthcareindustry?
Ourcorevaluessupportourvision,shapeourcorporate culture,andreflecttheessenceofwhoweareandwhywe areinbusiness.Theyhelpusstayfocusedinourdecisionmakingandgiveuscleardirection.Mostimportantly,they helpusrecruittherightstaffandmakekeydecisionsby stayingtruetoyourguidingprinciples.
· WedeliverauniqueMedTechexperiencethat happenstobeinmarketing.
· Yes,MedTechMarketingsaveslives!
· Weareinbusinesstoimpactsocietypeacefullyand respectfullyforthegreatergood.
· Alwaystreatothersthewayyouwanttobetreated, evenifyoudisagreewiththem.
· Bedrivenbypassion,curiosity,disciplineandmost importantly,empathy
· Thereisnevertoomuchcommunication,both internallyandexternally
· Goodisnotenough;exceedingexpectationsisthe onlygoal.
· Out-of-the-boxsolutionsareexpected.
· Never,everannounceaproblemwithoutsolutions.
· Alwaysthinkstrategically,asyoudelivertactically
· Everybodylovesasurprise!
· Wearenotsuppliers;wearepartners.
· Enjoyandcelebratesuccesses!
· Beyourself!
TellusmoreaboutMedTechMomentum,Inc.,itsvision, andhowitprovidesproductsandserviceswhich dramaticallyenhancebrandstoincreasesalesinthe healthcareniche?
Noagencyunderstandsandknowsthestakeholdersinthe MedTechecosystemthewaywedo.Asyou'reaware,just knowingthemechanicsofmarketingisnotenough. Understandingmarketconditions,technicalinnovations, regulatoryaffairsandthecompetitivelandscapeiskeyto craftingsuccessfulmarketingstrategiesintheInternetera.
AtMedTechMomentum,weknowthehealthcarespace, connectthedots,andensurethatourclients'marketing plansareachievableand100%alignedwiththeirbusiness objectives.
Toprovethatpointandmaximizetheirchancesofsuccess, wehaveevenassembledaneliteMedTechSpecific AdvisoryBoard,availabletoourclientsonanas-needed basistohelpthemmakekeystrategicbusinessdecisions. Noothermarketingagencycanmakethatclaim!
CanyouelaborateontheintegrationofAIandits impactonthePRniche?
WeallknowAIsignificantlyimpactstheworld;PRisno differentineveryniche.AIisimprovingsomanyareasof PR,includingmonitoringcontent,mediadistribution, contentcreation,andaudiencetargeting.Itisdoingsofaster andmoreefficiently,enhancingtheoutcomesofPR campaignsandexpeditingwhatoncewasadaunting process.
Havingexpertiseincraftingandexecutingresultsorientedmarketing,whatisyouropiniononupskilling indigitalmarketingtostayrelevantintheindustryfor thelongrun?
Constantlyupskillingourteam'sskillsetisatthecoreof whoweareasacompany Asthedigitaleracontinuesto evolve,soshouldtheskillsandknowledgethatwemust obtaintoensureourclient'ssuccess.
Wenotonlyprovideexternaltrainingopportunitiesfor growth,butwealsoorganizeweekly"knowledgetransfer meetings"whereallemployeeshaveanopportunityto sharewithotherssomeoftheknowledgeandskillsthat theypossess.
Ourgoalistoconstantlydisseminateknowledgefromone partoftheorganizationorindividualtoanother.Trainingis partofthereasonfordoingit,butitalsoboostsmoraleand increaseseverybody'soverallexpertiseandproductivity.
Beinganexperiencedleader,whatweretheinitial challengesyouencounteredfollowingthebiggest challengesonthewayahead,andwhatweretheways youoptedtoovercomethese?
Wehavepartneredwithover120privatelyownedor publiclytradedMedTechcompaniesinthepasteightyears. Ourclientsincludeoriginalequipmentmanufacturers (OEMs),contractmanufacturers,medicalpractices,medical softwaredevelopers(SaaS),andcutting-edgeorganizations inthefieldsofartificialintelligence,nanotechnologiesand robotics.
WhilemostofourclientsareheadquarteredintheU.S., quiteafewarefromEurope,theMiddleEast,Asiaand NewZealand.WeareaboutiqueMedTechmarketingfirm withaglobalfootprint.
So,asyoucanimagine,ourbiggestchallengeistoadaptto eachcompany'svisionandgoalsandtoalignthemarketing strategiesthatwedeliverwiththeactualbusinessplanthat thecompaniesaretryingtoachieve.
Wecansuccessfullysolvethechallengebecauseweare MedTechindustryinsiders.Weknowthemarketandthe technologies,andinadditiontodeliveringcreatively,we quicklybecomethetrustedstrategicadvisorsofthe companieswepartnerwith.
Beingalong-termtrustedadvisortothepeople,what wouldbeyouradvicetothebuddingentrepreneursand enthusiastsaspiringtoventureintothepublicrelations industry?
PublicRelationisaboutclearlyunderstandingthegoalsand challengesofthetargetaudienceyouaretryingtoreach, presentingstraightforwardsolutionstothechallengesyou areaddressing,stayingonascriptfromacopywriting perspectiveand,mostimportantly,followingclearSEO guidelines.Therestwilltakecareofitself.
HowdoyouenvisionfurtherstrengtheningMedTech Momentum,Inc.'sstrongholdin2022andbeyond?
Asafull-serviceagency,wehaveclientsatdifferentstages intheirlifecycles.Somepre-revenuecompaniesare lookingforabrandingandmessagingstrategybeforea fundraiserorproductlaunch.Somearewell-established organizationslookingtogetintoacceleratedgrowthmode forvaluecreation,preparingforanupcomingIPOora liquidityevent.
Weareconstantlystrengtheningourvaluepropositionby implementingthelatestdigitaltechniquestoboostbrand awarenessandleadgeneration.Mostimportantly,weare investinginhumancapital.
Wecurrentlyhaveateamof28creativepersonalitiesand MedTechMarketingstrategicadvisorswithapassionfor developingsuccessfulorganizationsinthemedicalspace. Marketingiswhatwedo,butourreachgoesmuchfurther!
NeverforgetthatMedTechmarketing,justlikemusic,isas muchanartasitisascience.Itiseasytolearnhowtoplay aninstrumentordesignaprettywebsitebutwritingahit songorengagingvisitorsonasiteisdifficult.Because successfulcommunicationisabout'thefeel:It'semotionally driven!AtMedTechMomentum,wemakesurethatwe understandourclients'values,theirvision,andmost importantly,whytheydowhattheydo.Wecallit "emotionalbranding."
Backintheday,motherswillstoptheirchildrenfrom
owningphonesbeforeturning18years,oreven watchingmovies,becausetheyarescaredand worriedaboutwhattheymightseeonline.Ithasbecome inevitabletonotgoonlineforwork,recreation,or socialization,becauseweliveinthedigitalage.Ourmental healthheavilydependsonthecontentweconsumeandwe musttakepersonalprecautionarymeasurestoguardour personalhealthstartingfromtheupstairs;thementalhealth.
These digital contents include the type of movies we watch on (YouTube, NetFlix, T-Series, etc.), broad casts on radio & tv stations (CNN, BBC, NDTV, Best Life On TV), podcasts on Spotify etc, pictures and videos on social media (Twitter, Koo, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Share chat, etc), cinema movies, and many more digital avenues to access contents virtually.
Whatyouseeorlistentoonlinehasagreat,long-term impactonyourmentalhealth,whichiswhyyoumustbe verycarefulofwhatyouconsume.Havingtherighttoview anycontentdoesnotmean,youshouldspendallyourtime listeningtoeverythingyoucomeacross;learnwhentocall itaquitanddosomethingbetterandhealthy,suchas walking,running,readingorevencooking.
Itisanyonlineplatformrangingfrommobileapplications toonlinesupportgroupsthataimstoreducethegap betweenpatientsandmentalhealthcareprovidersby providingonlinecounsellingandtherapy Thesetypesof appsaredevelopedundertheguidanceofmentalhealth expertsandcanbeusedbyanyoneabove18years.
Dr. Misker Kassahun is a general medical practitioner who graduated from St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College in 2020. She is currently the co-founder and executive director of GIV Society Ethiopia. This local not-for-profit organization works to tackle social challenges via volunteerism. The organization's flagship project is monthly free medical outreach. For the past 20 months, it has given 3000 underprivileged community members comprehensive medical service via 800 volunteer health professionals in 8 sub-cities of Addis Ababa.
Dr. Misker is passionate about mental health, healthcare leadership, and youth empowerment. Dr. Misker hopes to use social media to bring awareness to mental health and reduce stigma. She mainly uses LinkedIn for her advocacy work.
AgoodfriendChidiebereMoses,theCustomerRelations ManageratInsightsCareMagazine,askedme; How can I choose contents that are good for my mental health, Before
Ireplied;Assomeonewhospendsmostofmytimeonline,I thoughtIwouldsharesometoolsthathelpmymental healthandproductivity ThiswillincludetheMentalHealth Speakers,Exercises,MediaChannelsandCompaniesto listentosuchas:
MentalHealthBoostingExercises:
Ÿ Aerobicanddance-basedexercises(KukuwaFitness).
Ÿ Yoga(YogawithAdriene).
Ÿ BreathingExercise(Myfavoritebreathingexercise sequencebyClarkKegley).
Ÿ WimHoff-TheIcemanneedsnointroduction.
Ÿ GuidedmediationsonYouTubeonspecifictopicthatI feellikeIneedmoreawarenessandclarity.
Ÿ WakingupbySamHarris-Containsdailyguided mediations,uniqueseriesofmeditations,and conversationswithsomeofthemostdistinguished psychologists,psychiatrists,andspiritualleaders.Anapp thatIcan'trecommendenough.
MentalHealthProductivityTips(Freeapps):
Ÿ Any.do-ato-dolistforprioritizing&categorizingyour activities.
Ÿ StayFocused-Toblockappnotificationsandlimitthe usageofsocialmedia.
YouTubeChannelsforMentalHealthandWell-being:
Ÿ AndrewHuberman-apodcastbyaneuroscientistthat focusesontheconnectionbetweenthebrainand perception,emotions,andbehavior.
Ÿ SchoolofLife-groupofpsychologists,philosophers,and writerstalkingaboutself-understanding,psychologyand relationships.
Ÿ JordanPeterson-Aprofessorofpsychology,clinical psychologistandYouTubepersonalitytalksabout behavioralpsychologyandself-improvementandinvites accomplishedpeopleintheirfield.Hislecturesareamustwatch,andhisbooksarealsoamust-read.
Ÿ JoeDispenzaandBruceLipton-Thesetwoauthorsand speakerstalkaboutEpigenetics,theconnectionbetween belief(mindset)anddiseases,andself-healing.
MentalHealthOrientedPodcasts:
Ÿ OnPurposewithJayShetty-heinvitesinsightfulguests fromallwalksoflife.Hetalksabouthealthyhabits, wellnesstips,andhowtocopewithdifficulties.
Ÿ TheAnxiousAchiever-aLinkedInPodcastandmust listenaboutanxietyandmentalhealthintheworkplace. Thehostinvitessuccessfulleaderstosharetheirstories abouttheirmentalhealthjourney.Ihighlyrecommend thispodcasttopeopleinleadershippositions.
SocialMediaPagesforMentalHealth:Instagram Pages:
Ÿ MarkManson-isabrutallyhonestauthorwitha refreshingtakeonlife.Checkouthiswebsite,articles, YouTubechannelsandbest-sellingbooks.Hismonthly newsletterisamust-read.
Ÿ Neurohacker-apagethatgivesneuroscience-basedtips thatcanbeimplementedindailylifeandactivities.
Ÿ Thebraincoach-apagerunbyaclinical neuropsychologistfocusedonmentalhealth,self-care, psychology,productivity,andrelationships.
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BooksforyourMentalHealth,enrichingyouwiththe rightknowledgetostayabovethecurve.
Ÿ MaybeYoushouldtalktosomeonebyLoriGottlieb-a therapist'smemoirthattellsyouhowallofusgothrough challengingpersonalandprofessionaltimes.Theremight comeatimeweneedit.
Ÿ MeditationsbyMarcusAurelius-acollectionofpersonal writingsbytheRomanEmperoraboutStoicphilosophy.
Ÿ Ihopeyouwillfindthemhelpful.Thesearemy suggestionsandwhathelpsmeandworksforme.
th WorldMentalHealthDayonOctober10 ,2022,likeevery otheryearbeforeandinthefuture,remindsusofthe necessityoftakingcareofourbrain,senses,environment, andoverallhealth.Everythingarounduscontributestohow wethinkandreacttothingsandlifeingeneral.Ifitdoesn't happennow,itwillsurelyhappeninthefuture,soensureto watchyourenvirons,whomyouassociatewith,andwhat content(digitaloroffline)youconsume,tostayastep aheadofthetrouble.Beingmentallyhealthyhelpboosts yourlife,work,andguaranteesmoresuccessineverything youdo.Allprofessionsmustpayattentionandtakeall necessarycorrectionmeasures,beitachild,man,or woman,nooneisleftoutofthistopic.
Thepanoramaofaccesstothepharmaceutical marketgloballyhaschangedsignificantlyoverthe pasttenyearsandattractedalotofattention.This islargebecauseofthehealthcarereformsundertakenby governmentsworldwidetomanagetheirskyrocketing healthcarecosts.
Themainforcesbehindpharmaceuticalbusinesses' commercialsuccesshavehistoricallybeenR&D,salesand marketing.Thisconventionalmarketaccessstrategyis relativelylinearandfocusessolelyonpriceand reimbursementoperations,butitalsoentailsinteracting withdoctors,pharmacistsandregulatoryagenciesto promoteincreasedproductuptake.Wedefinemarket access,however,asaprocedurethatguaranteesalleligible patientshavequickandongoingaccesstotheproductatthe propercost.
Sincepatients,payersandadvisorygroupsnowplaya largerpartinmedicaldecision-making,thecompositionof stakeholdershasalreadyrecentlychangedtoincorporate them.Thesemodificationshavecompelledashiftinmarket accessfromtheconventionalprice-basedstrategytoa value-basedone.Duetothis,pharmaceuticalcompanies nowplaceagreateremphasisonimprovingmarketaccess tosucceed.Astrongmarketaccessstrategythatistailored tothedifficultiesofacertainmarketorcountryiscrucialto thesuccessofnotonlyanewproductbutalsothe organizationasawhole.
Let’s dive into what it would take to obtain pharmaceutical accessibility.
Themarketaccessscenariohaschangedovertimefortwo mainreasons:
Theincreasingelderlypopulation,riseinchronicillness prevalence,andincreasingexpensesofinnovative treatmentsareallcontributingtorisinghealthcarecosts: Duetorecentimprovementsandreformsintheirhealthcare systems,emergingmarketsbehavesimilarlyto industrializednationsliketheUnitedStates,wheretherise inhealthcareexpensesisadirectresultofrisingdiagnostic andancillarycosts.
Thepricingandreimbursementoptionsfornewproducts arebeingconstrainedbyincreasedscrutinyofthestated productvaluebyhealthcareauthorities.Referencepricing
andgenericproductsubstitutesaretwomethodsthathave alreadybeenusedtoincreasetheaffordabilityofmarketed goods.
Overtime,anewandvariedgroupofstakeholdershave emergedasaresultofthesetwofactors.However,thishas madeitmoredifficultforpatientsingeneralandthemarket togetdrugs.
Payersarethestakeholderswithutmostdominance.They activelycontributetothedevelopmentoftreatment regimensandhaveanimpactondoctors'prescribing practices.Payersareessentialtoanewproduct'ssuccessin themarketandwillcontinuetorulethemarketaccess situation.
Moresothaninthepast,patientsareconcernedaboutthe medication'sefficacyandseekacureinadditiontojust treatment.Inactuality,ifthereisnoreimbursementoronly partialcoverage,thesignificanceofthedrugeffectwill furtherincrease.
Pharmaciesareimportantplayerswhohavethepotentialto affectdrugaccessbyregulatingtheproduct'saccessibility intheretailoruninsuredmarket.Insituationswhen reimbursementisgiven,pharmaciesmayalsohavean impactonbrandselectionbymakingsubstitutions.
Governmentorganizationsandregulatorybodiesarea complexgroupofstakeholdersthatareessentialinbuilding aframeworkforpharmaceuticalcompaniestooperatein andinfluencinghealthcarepolicy(e.g.,settingpricingand reimbursementguidelines).
Thehealthcaresystem'sdecision-makingenvironmenthas grownrathercomplicated,withentangledtiesbetween diversestakeholders.Bytherapeuticarea,different stakeholders'participationinthemarketaccessprocess differs.Understandingthevariousstakeholders'needsand interdependenciesisessentialsinceithasasignificant impactonhoweffectivelymarketaccessinitiativeswillgo.
Duetogreaterawarenessamongregulatoryand reimbursementauthoritiesoftheneedforvalueabove existingtreatments,themarketaccessrolehas
progressivelygrowninrelevanceindevelopedeconomies. Pharmaceuticalbusinesseshavestartedtointegratethe marketaccessfunctionwithintheorganizationtodealwith thisdynamicregulatoryenvironment.Onlyasmallnumber ofbusinesses,meanwhile,presentlyhaveamarketaccess teamwithwell-definedrolesandduties.Asaresult,the majorityofpharmaceuticalcompaniestodaytakea fragmentedapproach,withsales,marketingandregulatory departmentseachhandlingaportionofthemarketaccess responsibilities.
Marketaccessisstillnotaswellorganizedinemerging nationsasitisindevelopedmarkets.Therelevanceof marketaccessfunctionshas,nevertheless,increasedasa resultoftheshiftingeconomicenvironmentandchanging healthcareregulations.Despitethis,pharmaceutical companiescurrentlyconcentrateoncertainaspectsof marketaccess(pricing,channel,stakeholdersand governmentagencies),andthereisnocomprehensive strategytoaddressallaspectsatonce.Additionally, comparedtodevelopedcountries,thesemarketshavemore complicatedregulatoryandhealthcarelandscapes. Therefore,itcanbechallengingforpharmaceutical companiestoidentifytheappropriatestakeholdersto involveinthemedicationapprovalprocess.
Tosucceedincomplexmarkets,pharmaceuticalcompanies canadoptstrategieslike—Integratedmarketreachtactics thatstartwithproductdevelopment,fosteringsuccessful collaborationamongdiversecorporatefunctionstofostera cultureofteamwork(e.g.,sales,marketing,regulatory, etc.),Keyaccountmanagement(KAM)andspecialized stakeholdermanagementteams,Usingacomprehensive stakeholdermanagementstrategy,Greatercomprehension ofthepartnershipbetweenstakeholdersandmarketaccess, Communicationthatiseffectivewithbothinternaland externalstakeholders,Establishingthebestprocedures, strategies,and,mostimportantly,personnel.
-Anish Miller
Healthcareisanever-evolvingindustry,andpublic relationsisbecomingmorecrucialthaneverin thisniche.Businessesfromregionalcare collectivestomedicalpracticesinvesttoensureperpetual publicrelationsbymakingitapartoftheirmedical marketingplantogetaleg-uponthecompetitionand promotetheirbrandinthesector Thecompanyhandling thepublicrelationsofmedicalpracticeplaysavitalrolein creatingandmonitoringthecommunicationsbetweenthe medicalpracticeandthepublic.
WhenwethinkofPRcompaniesthatthriveonenabling reliabilityinthehealthcaresector,wetendtothinkofthe comprehensivefundamentalslikequalities,skillsandtraits primarilyfocusedonimprovingthequalityoflife.Thisis whereTransMediaGroupexcelsasoneoftheleading multi-lingualcompaniesthathaveprovidedbreakthrough communicationstrategiesthathaveincreasinglychanged thehealthcarespace.
Underthecoherentleadershipandthequintessentialskillset ofThomasMadden,CEOandChairperson,TransMedia Groupcitesnumerousawards,accoladesandarticles praisingitsworkovertheyears.Hisjourneyfrombeinga journalisttooneofthewell-knownnamesinthehealthcare PRindustryhasmadehimachievegreatclientsandfurther buildasuccessfuloutcome.
InaninterviewwithInsightsCare,Thomasspeaksabout hisjourneyinthePublicRelationsindustryandshowcases thecrucialaspectsthatmakehimstandoutasa trusted PR leader inthesector
TransMedia Group is an expert at pitching its clients to the appropriate media who be interested in their stories.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Thomas,pleasegiveusabriefoverviewofyourjourney astheCEOandChairpersonoftheTransMediaGroup.
Icameupfromtheranksofjournalism,workingatseveral newspapers,includingThePhiladelphiaInquirer After seeingthatIcouldbeinterestedinteachingjournalism,I discoveredI'mabetterdoerthanateacher.So,Iwentinto anareaIthoughtcouldusemyjournalisticskills—PR.I joinedaleadingPRfirminNYCatthetimeandfromthere, IwentintonetworkTV,firstatABC,thentoNBCbefore startingmyPRfirm, TransMedia Group inNYC.
Canyouelaborateuponthecorevaluesuponwhich TransMediaGroupisbuiltandwhatisitsmission?
TransMediaGroup'scorevaluesarefocusedontellingour client'sstorieseffectivelybyapplyingourjournalistic know-howandskillstomakethemattractivetothemedia toaccomplishourmissiontomakeourclientswidely knownandgreatlyrespected.
The Quintessential 'PR Man
TellusmoreaboutTransMediaGroup,itsvision,and howitprovidesproductsandservicesandenhancesthe brandtoincreaseitssaleseventually?
TransMediaGroupisanexpertatpitchingitsclientstothe appropriatemediawhobeinterestedintheirstories.If necessary,togiveourpitchessomerunwayforthemtotake off,we'llwriteanddistributenewsreleases,combinedwith postsonsocialmediadesignedtospeeduptheprocessof makingourclientsbetterknownandinmanycases, famous!
CanyouelaborateontheintegrationofAIandits impactonthePRniche?
TransMediaGroupisalwayslookingforsystemsthatare informedorinspiredbyhumanreasoning,usinghuman reasoningasaguidebutarenotdrivenbythegoalto perfectlymodelit.AnexcellentexampleofthisisIBM Watson,whichbuildsupevidencefortheanswersitfinds bylookingatthousandsofpiecesoftext,recognizing patterns,andweighingevidencematchingthosepatterns. It'sbasedonpeoplecomingtoconclusionswithouthard andfastrulesandcanbuildupcollectionsofevidence instead.Watsonisabletonoticepatternsintextthatprovide alittlebitofevidenceandthenaddthatevidenceuptoget toananswer
Beingpopularlyknownasthe"PRMan",whatisyour opiniononupskillingindigitalmarketingandcustomer relationstostayrelevantintheindustryforthelong run?
Digitalmarketingisofgrowingimportanceinpublic relations,andthebetterwecangetatit,themorevaluable PRwillbe.Messagingneedsmanyformsanddifferent routestoreachtargetswithimpact,anddigitalhasbecome aprimaryformofmarketing.This,combinedwith impactfulcustomerrelations,hasbecomethemainframein buildingsuccessfuloutcomes.
Thomas,youbeinganexperiencedleader,whatwerethe initialchallengesyouencounteredfollowingthebiggest challengesonthewayahead,andwhatweretheways youoptedtoovercomethese?
Thebiggestchallengeformewasgettingclientstolistento myadviceastheyhadtheirnotionsaboutcommunication. Still,Iperseveredtogaintheirconfidenceuntilthey followedmyadviceandcouldseeitworkingingenerating
positivemediacoverage.OneofthewaysIaccomplished thiswasgettingtopexecutivestoseereportersliketheir childrensometimesnotunderstandingandwhoneededan explanationthatcamewithasmile.
HavingwonsomanyawardsincludingthePublic RelationsSocietyofAmerica'sBronzeAnvilforaPR campaign,whatwouldbeyouradvicetothebudding entrepreneursandenthusiastsaspiringtoventureinto thepublicrelationsindustry?
Iwouldadviseyoungpeopleinterestedinpursuingacareer inpublicrelationsfirsttounderstandjournalismandhow mostjournalistsareseekingtoferretoutthetruthandthe realmeaningbehindactionsandstrategies.
HowdoyouenvisionfurtherstrengtheningTransMedia Group'sstrongholdin2022andbeyond?
Wearebuildingourinternationalcapabilitiesbybringing onboardpeoplewhospeakotherlanguagesbesides English,whichishowwe'resecuringclientsinother countries,whichIseeasagrowthareaforus.Also,we haveaddedothercomponentstoourfirm,includingafully licensedtalentagencycalledMaddenTalent,fromwhichwe canpullspokespersonsforourclients.
Besidesthis,Iseemywritingsofarticlesandbooks includingmylatestWORDSHINEMAN,nowavailingon Amazon,whichisfulloftipsonhowtomakewritingmore inviting.Anddon'tforgetmyweeklyblog,whichisalso helpingtoexpandthereachandfrequencyofimpressions ourPRfirmmakesforclients.
