Prescription drug spending on the rise
July 1st 2001A new report released by the Washington-based National Institute for Health Care Management reveals that spending on retail outpatient prescription drugs rose 18.8% from 1999 to 2000, from $111.1 billion to $131.9 billion. The report attributes the bulk of this growth to "increased expenditures among a relatively small number of drugs and therapeutic categories of drugs." The report also noted an increase in the number of prescriptions overall and a shift toward the use of costlier drugs.
Workers rank health benefits above raises
July 1st 2001A recent survey commissioned by Atlanta-based Consortium Health Plans, which comprises 14 member Blue Cross Blue Shield plans operating in 26 states and the District of Columbia, found that health benefits play an increasingly important role in Americans' employment choices and job retention. Furthermore, for the first time, almost two-thirds of employees surveyed said they were willing to pay extra for key services, including continued access to prescription drugs. Employees are deeply committed to passage of The Patients' Bill of Rights, to the point of being willing to pay extra for it. Employees indicated that government involvement in healthcare reform is very important; however, they are split on whether the new administration will be successful in bringing about reform.
What do consumers want in a pharmacy?
July 1st 2001When presented with a list of products and services and asked what they would most like to find in the pharmacy of the future, 30% of respondents chose an on-site nurse practitioner, according to the AmeriSource Index, a survey of 1,034 consumers nationwide released by AmeriSource Health Corp., Valley Forge, PA. When asked what their second choice was, nutrition counseling and a nurse practitioner tied at 15%. A specialist on different diseases came in next at 14%. Other top contenders for second place were kiosks with medical or diagnostic information, at 12%, and weight loss counseling, at 8%.
Empowerment selling through persuasion
July 1st 2001Aside from helping the prospects and customers succeed at what they do or want to do, salespeople are most interested in one specific behavior change: compliance to a request. In generating a positive response, six basic tendencies of human behavior take the stage: reciprocation, consistency, social validation, liking, authority and scarcity. The more of the six following persuasion influencers a salesperson uses in his or her presentation and selling approach, the greater his or her chances of closing the sale:
Study reveals new drugs, patient education changing managed care, hospitals
July 1st 2001New drugs, the increasing use of drug therapies and the emergence of consumer healthcare education have profoundly affected healthcare delivery, according to "Managed Care Trends 2000," a 15-year study of healthcare industry benchmarks sponsored by Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bridgewater, NJ.
FDA committees support petition to switch Allegra, Claritin and Zyrtec to OTC
July 1st 2001The Nonprescription Drugs and Pulmonary and Allergy Drugs Advisory Committees of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have voted that the agency switch the allergy drugs Claritin® (loratadine), Allegra® (fexofenadine HCl) and Zyrtec® (cetirizine HCl) from prescription to over-the-counter status. The panel convened in response to a petition filed by Blue Cross of California, a subsidiary of Thousand Oaks, CA-based WellPoint Health Networks, requesting the switch.
CAQH and CDC partner to launch Save Antibiotic Strength campaign
July 1st 2001In response to the growing problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the safety risks and unnecessary treatment costs posed by these "superbugs," the Coalition for Affordable Quality Healthcare, a group of 24 health plans and insurers, has joined with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to initiate a broad-based campaign to preserve the strength of existing antibiotic treatments. The Save Antibiotic Strength campaign aims to decrease overuse and misuse of antibiotics by reducing the number of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions and by promoting the use of first-line antibiotics.
Study finds nursing isn't diverse enough
July 1st 2001A new study published in the journal Health Affairs (vol. 20, no. 3) warns that the nursing profession seriously lags when it comes to reflecting some racial and ethnic populations. A University of California review of registered nursing trends shows that gaps in educational attainment account for much of the nursing profession's lack of diversity, gaps that need to be addressed. The authors examined nursing and general educational attainment in California and reviewed 1996 demographic data from the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, evaluated the educational level attained by Californians according to racial and ethnic group, and examined degrees awarded to college students in the state.
Emotion - The New Brand Integrator
June 1st 2001Driven by the quest for innovation, the intensity of competition, and the pressure to create megabrands and megamergers, pharmaceutical executives are exploring an influential force still untapped by most marketing and communication departments-the power of emotion.
Emotion - The New Brand Integrator
June 1st 2001Driven by the quest for innovation, the intensity of competition, and the pressure to create megabrands and megamergers, pharmaceutical executives are exploring an influential force still untapped by most marketing and communication departments-the power of emotion.