If you are a med tech marketer trying to make sense of how and when to engage in social media as part of your overall marketing mix then you don’t want to miss our next healthcare social media event. Schwartz MSL and MassMEDIC are co-hosting a free social media best practices working group for MassMEDIC members at our new conference center on Friday, February 3 at 8:00 a.m. in Waltham.
Representatives from Philips, Palomar, Smith & Nephew and Vention Medical will participate in a roundtable discussion on social media practices to discuss how marketing, legal, regulatory and HR can work collaboratively.
Moderated by Jim Weinrebe, healthcare practice leader for Schwartz MSL, the program will be a highly interactive session with attendees from the area's top med tech companies. You will walk away with keen insights into how to construct savvy marketing programs to engage with your key audiences to drive conversation, elevate brand awareness and boost community involvement.
You'll also get insight into the FDA's draft guidance which was released in December 2011. Don't hold your breath - it's not comprehensive, not that you expected it to be - it offers suggestions on how to respond to requests related to off-label information for products. There is some good commentary out there -- check out AdAge.com and the WSJ's Health Blog if you haven't already.
Reminder, the event is open only to MassMEDIC members and is free of charge
To register for the program, send an email to info@massmedic.com
Pharmaceutical companies are starting to reel back on the social media front with Facebook's latest move to make pages more open by enabling comments. Facebook has made consistent strides to become an even more transparent platform, often to the chagrin of the legions of users. So, in some ways, why would they treat pharmaceutical brands any differently?
Is this impacting how pharmaceutical marketers view the value of Facebook? Absolutely. This week, there has been a fair amount of discussion and pre-emptive moves from pharmaceutical giants to remove pages. Once the new Facebook policy goes into effect next week, we will likely see an additional wave of conservatism sweep the pharmaceutical marketing landscape. Surprising? Probably not. However, the universe of social media users is only growing, not shrinking, so it becomes a real challenge to weigh the risk versus reward scenarios.
Our own observations indicate that pharmaceutical marketers have already been leery of entering the unknown foray of especially since there isn't any guidance from FDA on best practices and there isn't any plan to release specific guidance in the near term.
We conducted a survey of medical device social media gurus and marketers, which indicated medical device companies are actively using social media ahead of their pharmaceutical counterparts. There is a clear opportunity and need to share best practices in several areas that could even further accelerate medical device social media engagement.
If you haven't already done so, download our free eBook on social media for healthcare marketers. We offer some practical guidance on how marketers can engage in social media while FDA guidelines lag.
Working with medical device, medical tech and pharma companies, social media is top of mind.
Healthcare marketers grapple with timing, resources, and understanding the appropriate/effective mix of social media tactics in a communications program. We counsel our clients all the time and field the questions: How much should we/can we engage? What should we post? Are we doing enough? What are your other clients doing? Some are understandably cautious and some are trailblazers.
There are plenty of ways for marketers to engage in social media initiatives today that align with your overall marketing goals. Schwartz Communications runs successful social media campaigns for our healthcare clients with business-impacting results and we'd be happy to help you.
Download our free social media eBook to learn best practices and guidance for social media. It includes the results of a survey we conducted with regional medical device trade association MassMEDIC to learn what healthcare marketers are doing or not doing with social media, as well as suggestions on how to navigate internal regulatory and legal waters. Find out which types of social media tools have been most effective for healthcare organizations and our seven basic tips for social media participation. You'll also get interesting perspective from David Harlow, lawyer and author of HealthBlawg.
Do you have questions about your own foray into social media? Do you have a social media policy or need help creating one? Get in touch with us at healthcare@schwartzcomm.com.
At Schwartz, we are particularly proud of our medical device and diagnostic PR practice. In the past 20 years, we have represented some incredibly innovative and life changing brands. From established market leaders to emerging growth companies we view ourselves as passionate ambassadors and advocates for our clients.
So, when MassDevice.com recently published their MassDevice CEO Class of 2011 we were thrilled to see five of our clients were honored as well as many other friends of the Agency.
The online business journal selected 28 of the most innovative CEOs in the medical device/medical technology sector to honor in this first “graduating” class. MassDevice.com boasts that these CEOs represent cutting-edge leadership and innovative thinking and we couldn’t agree more.
The ultimate winners will be announced on July 11 and we are looking forward to the special event taking place around the corner from our Schwartz Waltham office.
Ari is among 17 finalists in five categories to earn this prestigious distinction. Fellow finalists include financial executives at Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Hologic, YMCA, Partners Healthcare and Atlas Venture. Ari has made innumerable contributions to the financial and operational performance at Schwartz in his six year tenure at our PR Agency.
Winners will be announced on July 19 at an event featuring a keynote address by Massachusetts State Treasurer Steven Grossman.
We'll be rooting you on, Ari. Congratulations!
Posted by Risa Goldman Burgess on May 25, 2011 at 1:13 PM
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Industry is still waiting to see what the FDA is going to counsel but regardless it will still be up to healthcare marketers and their advisors on how to utilize social media effectively as a viable communications vehicle.
Participate in a survey on social media usage sponsored by the Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council (MassMEDIC), the voluntary grassroots association of medical device manufacturers and associated companies in the Commonwealth. Weigh in today before it's too late! http://tinyurl.com/3pkcvvw
Jim Weinrebe, an EVP and co-leader of our healthcare PR practice at Schwartz, will be sharing the survey results at a panel discussion on the "Use of Social Media During Regulatory Uncertainty" on Friday, May 13. Hope to see you there!
Posted by Risa Goldman Burgess on May 2, 2011 at 10:06 AM
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Healthcare marketers are in a bit of a quandary on how to effectively use social media. Draft guidance from FDA has been delayed once again and while this has been an issue for some medical device marketers others are successfully engaging in social media practices. There are also some who are not convinced social media is worthwhile. What do you think?
Are you listening? Engaging? Dipping your toes in?
Here’s your opportunity to opine. The Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council (MassMEDIC), the voluntary grassroots association of medical device manufacturers and associated companies in the Commonwealth, is conducting a survey to solicit feedback on social media usage. Click on the link above to weigh in. We'd love to hear from you.
If you are curious to know what others are doing, Jim Weinrebe, an EVP and co-leader of our healthcare PR practice at Schwartz, will be sharing the survey results at a MassMEDIC program on the "Use of Social Media During Regulatory Uncertainty" on Friday, May 13. Jim will be joined by David Harlow, lawyer and author of HealthBlawg and Jacqueline Klosek, senior counsel at Goodwin Proctor. Mary Murray with Hamilton Brook Smith Reynolds will be moderating.
The whole concept of social media in healthcare communications remains an interesting and ambiguous area for many medical device, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical diagnostic companies.
With draft guidance from the FDA pending, many healthcare marketers are still grappling with the key issues that should be taken into consideration when exploring the value and utility of social media. How are practitioners blending traditional and social media relations despite this lack of guidance? Are there already some best practices for reaching patients, caregivers, practitioners and payers?
On Monday, March 28 at noon, Schwartz Healthcare SVP Helen Shik will participate in a one hour webinar on media relations for healthcare organizations to discuss these issues. Helen will be joined by Lee Aase, director, Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media and Gary Karr, executive vice president, public affairs department, Advanced Medical Technology Association.
PR Week Editor-in-Chief Steve Barrett will serve as the moderator for what is promising to be a very lively and informative discussion. We hope you can join us for this free webinar.
Spring has sprung and with it, so has O’Dwyer’s annual rankingof independent public relations firms across the industry. Once again, Schwartz Communications was named among the top 10 independent PR firms out of 152 firms nationwide. Additionally, Schwartz is ranked sixth among the top firms specializing in technology and healthcare respectively.
Schwartz is proud to be ranked and recognized by O’Dwyer’s Public Relations News, a leading public relations and marketing communications publication. In our 20th year of business, we continue to be inspired by our innovative clients in a number of markets from clean tech to life sciences, consumer technology, health IT to security. We design and execute traditional media, video, public affairs, social media and blog programs to drive influence and maximize impact.
Check out O’Dwyer’s Public Relations News for the complete list of rankings online. The rankings will also be published in the May print edition of O’Dwyer’s monthly magazine.
Congratulations to Schwartz Client Epocrates for being named to Fast Company's 50 Most Innovative Companies annual list! Epocrates is right up there with Apple, Twitter and Facebook. Not too shabby. And, they should be on the list. Almost half of U.S. physicians use Epocrates drug reference program. The platform allows doctors to quickly and efficiently access drug information. It's amazing. The next time you take your child to a doctor's appointment, or you go in yourself, ask yourself, is your doctor a superhero or might they be using the Epocrates solution?
Our president Bryan Scanlon opined in PR Week yesterday on the wildly popular, or you could argue, unpopular, topic of crisis communications. He talks about the need to not only ensure you have a crisis communications plan ready to go but to actually walk through real-world exercises with your entire staff. Use lessons learned from others to guide your preparedness.
Jim Weinrebe, an executive vice president and co-leader of our healthcare practice here at Schwartz, recently spoke about this same issue at a Master’s Institute Program held by the Publicity Club of New England. Jim shared his thoughts on crisis communications relative to his own vast experience in healthcare communications.
How many can truly say they have a crisis protocol in place? OK, maybe a plan, but how many have thought about the utility of the latest and greatest social media tools as communication vehicles? Social media tools have an undisputable place in a crisis.
If you haven’t considered the benefits, press pause and do so. Even if you have yet to embrace the world of social media in your strategic communications programming consider these tools as a way to expeditiously respond and inform your constituents in the event of a crisis.
My first Schwartz healthcare client was: Over the past five years at Schwartz, I’ve shifted to an account load that predominantly consists of healthcare IT clients. But some of my earliest work here touched on the healthcare vertical (Honeywell Specialty Materials with pharmaceutical packaging), also some of my HR-focused clients were heavily focused on staffing solutions for the healthcare industry.
What I like most about working in healthcare is: It’s fun to see a company go from “stealth” mode to becoming a leader in its field and make meaningful contributions to how healthcare is delivered. I’ve also greatly enjoyed collaborating with organizations dedicated to helping wounded veterans, those with physical disabilities and families struggling with depression. When I’m not working, I like to: Travel, ski, try new restaurants, read, enjoy my ever-growing music collection and spend time with my wife and ten year-old son, Nate. Do things that are related to Italy, where I grew up. Collect miscellaneous things like advertising icons, antique apothecary jars and vintage vinyl.
Who had the biggest influence on your career?: Over the years, I’ve been lucky to have many mentors here at Schwartz. This place attracts a smart and talented bunch. It’s been a particular pleasure working with and learning from Dave Close, our GM, and frequent collaborator on dozens of projects in our healthcare technology practice. People would be most surprised to learn that I: I can speak fluent French…in Russian.
If I wasn’t in healthcare, I would probably be: I would be working for an organization dedicated to solving global health issues – I especially admire the work of the Gates Foundation.
Name: Mike Miliard Title: Managing Editor Company: Healthcare IT News
My first reporting job was: My first-ever reporting job was as a writer for the Boston Phoenix, an alternative newsweekly where I worked for more than 10 years. My first big reporting job in the healthcare field was more recent -- at HIMSS10 in Atlanta this past February, just a few weeks after starting at Healthcare IT News. It was quite an introduction to an exciting and fast-moving industry!
What I like most about working in healthcare is: With so much going on across the breadth of the IT space, there's never a shortage of interesting stories to write.
When I'm not working, I like to: Get outdoors with my wife and explore my beautiful home state of Maine.
Who had the biggest influence on my career: Too many people to name.
People would be most surprised to learn that I: Have somehow never been to the West Coast.
If I didn't work in healthcare, I would probably be: In college, my dream was to work in academia as a James Joyce scholar; I even studied at his alma mater in Dublin.
Name: Stacey Holifield Title: Director Company: Schwartz Communications
My first Schwartz healthcare client was: Cytyc
What I like most about working in healthcare is: Healthcare is an innovative industry that is constantly changing; an industry poised with unique business, governmental and ethical challenges that truly impact the well being of our society. I find it fascinating and a constant opportunity for learning and growth.
When I’m not working, I like to: My life outside of work revolves around three things: my adorable 14-month old son Noah whose giggles, smiles and chubby little thighs let me momentarily forget about the chaos of life; eating chocolate, lots of chocolate; and, trying to squeeze in moments of something that semi-resemble jogging and/or yoga.
Who had the biggest influence on your career?: Mary Hart of Entertainment Tonight. After I spent a semester interning in the media relations department of the show, I knew I was too cynical for the world of entertainment PR.
People would be most surprised to learn that I: I love the beach but I can't swim. Unless you consider the doggie paddle a swimming style.
If I wasn’t in healthcare, I would probably be: A very unsuccessful fiction book writer. I love to write and I would love to write a book. Someday.
Name: Debbi Kim Title: Medical Producer Company: WBZ-TV
My first job in healthcare was: Medical Producer/WBZ-TV (2000 – Present)
What I like most about working in healthcare is: there is always exciting new research, technology and other developments to report on and that we are giving important information to help our viewers stay healthy
When I'm not working, I like to: spend time with my family and friends
Who had the biggest influence on your career?: My mom who decided to become a doctor to help others because she was always sick as a child
People would be most surprised to learn: that after spending ten years as a general assignment reporter, I don’t miss being on-air one bit!
If I wasn't in healthcare, I would probably be: a teacher because I love kids!
My first reporting job was: The Associated Press, South Dakota bureau
What I like most about working in healthcare is: Covering cutting-edge technological innovations that help improve - or even save - people's lives.
When I’m not working, I like to: Spend time with the fam, go for long bike rides, read and cook.
Who had the biggest influence on your career?: A former Boston Globe reporter and journalism professor, Mitchell Zuckoff, who gave me the grounding and inspiration to ply my trade.
People would be most surprised to learn that I: Made beer for a living for most of the 1990s.
If I wasn’t in healthcare, I would probably be: Making beer.
Our very own Liz Woodhouse, VP of human resources, will join a panel of industry experts from the Boston area on Tuesday, February 9 for the Publicity Club of New England’s second annual career seeker & networking breakfast. Kirk Hazlett, a professor of communications at Curry College, will moderate the discussion.
This is a terrific forum to hear how social media is impacting the “rat race.” Across the board, life as we know it has certainly changed with the advent of Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and the myriad of other social media tools. Liz will share her expertise on how to navigate and network via the social media landscape. Professional protocol, in light of these changes, will be a hot button topic at the program.
When you convene a group of leading healthcare journalists, in front of a room full of healthcare PR professionals, sometimes there's no telling what you might hear. Journalists and PR folk, especially healthcare PR agency specialists, have a bit of a love hate relationship. We both need each other, for different reasons of course, and in light of the different media world we live in today, it's more critical than ever that we best understand how we can help each other. As a PR practitioner, I'm most concerned with finding creative and impactful ways for my medical device, biotech and biopharmaceutical clients to get their message out to their key target audiences. The game has changed and in fact continues to change on what often seems like a minute-to-minute basis. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating but you get the point.
To that end, we prepared a special report with our takeaways from this session, thoughts on how the media environment is altering communications strategies and ideas on how healthcare companies can capture the right mix of influential mindshare. Is it shocking that healthcare journalists are busy (no), have fewer resources (no) and have less time to pursue feature-based stories (no)? How about the fact that several of the reporters we heard from have yet to jump on the social media bandwagon? Probably not shocking, but interesting, yes especially when the media organizations they write for are knee deep in trying to drive eyeballs to their respective Web sites via the multitude of social media tools and channels available. Check out the report and read on to uncover the good, bad and the ugly of what to expect in 2010. Feel free to opine on our blog with your thoughts and observations, we would love to hear from you.
Jim Weinrebe presented his perspective on the role social media is playing in crisis communications management for biotech, life science and pharmaceutical companies at the Publicity Club of New England's "Crisis Communications Preparedness" program held at Schwartz Communications.
Jim, along with his fellow panelists, weighed in on the need to plan, plan, and then plan some more as it's still at the root of any good crisis communications or reputation management plan for healthcare PR. Simply put, you can't be too careful, or too prepared in today's digital media age. It's not so much that many of the fundamentals have changed but that the SPEED, unbiquity of communication and new product applications in social media, with Google Sidewiki offered as just one recent example, have the potential to outpace the planning capabilities of some of even the most seasoned practitioners.
What's very different today in healthcare, according to Jim, is diminished ability of healthcare prescription product manufacturers to control, manage or even respond to messages that are swirling around them in the social media universe. With the prolific growth in use of Twitter, blogs, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and other channels, social media content is not only broadly influencing people online, but also becoming a feeding ground for resource-constrained traditional media outlets that are constantly seeking audience generated content to embellish their reporting. The news vetting bar has never been set so low for provocative content that can get instantly posted and then picked up by influential traditional broadcast and print outlets in the blink of an eye.
While one of the fundamental rules for participation in social media is to actively listen, Jim also noted that even this basic aspect of social media etiquette poses difficult challenges for healthcare prescription product manufacturers, who could be accountable to the FDA for reporting instances of adverse events that have been identified through social media monitoring. It was noted that the industry is seeking clarity from the FDA on these and other issues related to social media, which could be at least partially forthcoming in pending public hearings on this topic in mid-November. Until such guidance is established, Weinrebe noted, prescription healthcare product manufacturer participation in social media will be very modest, and for the most part resembling more of a web 1.0 than a web 2.0 format. Meanwhile, Weinrebe said that social media has more potential to create or accelerate crisis for healthcare prescription product manufacturers. Exceptions in healthcare cited by Weinrebe were organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and American Red Cross, and even individual hospitals, who have employed sophisticated uses of social media to help effectively manage and communicate messages during public health emergencies and crises.
Jim noted that in regulated industries, such as healthcare and finance, there is still a lot of work to be done in educating senior management about the need to apply authenticity in tone to social media communications, even if the communications are nothing more than stand-by statements or simple acknowledgment that a problem has occurred. Jim counseled attendees to consider social media monitoring tools as a core part of an effective public relations strategy, while at the same noting that many healthcare product manufacturers need more guidance on adverse events reporting before even that approach can be robustly implemented.
While the healthcare industry waits with suspense for the outcomes of the FDA hearings on social media, Jim noted that clarity will not be achieved in the short term, that the deliberations will continue well into 2010 and that even by that point and beyond, a certain degree of ambiguity may still be desired by regulatory agencies as a means for cultivating preemptive manufacturer caution.
Last week, I had the opportunity to speak at a panel discussion at NortheasternUniversity, "It's Time To Brand Yourself" sponsored by the Boston Alumni Networking Exchange, the College of Professional Studies and the Communications Alumni Network. The discussion, moderated by Dr. Carl Zangerl, College of Professional Studies, Northeastern University, focused on a topic that's near and dear to all communications professionals - personal brand building.
I was joined by Michael Armini, vice president of marketing and communications at Northeastern University, Ted Chaloner, president of Chaloner Associates and Lauren Libitz, president of the Yankee Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). It was a fantastic line-up and each panelist brought a unique and interesting perspective to the more than 70 attendees who showed up for the program. With terrific questions and comments from the studio audience, my fellow panelists and I opined on the current job outlook for communications and public relations professionals, the concept of personal branding, the importance of networking and the different social media tools available including Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, to create and promote a personal brand.
Whether you are currently employed or on the hunt, establishing a personal brand is important and something that bears relevance and utility to both an employee and a job seeker. The whole idea of a personal brand certainly isn't new but with the advent and popularity of social media tools it's quickly become a key buzz word in a challenging economic environment. I think building a personal brand is very similar to building a brand, and a strategy, for a company. The same rules apply. All the tools in the world won't do you any good unless you have a clear, consistent and differentiating vision to communicate. Further, coming up with the vision is just the first part of the challenge, the second part is figuring out which social media tools to employ. There are so many out there and it's challenging to know which ones to dabble with but my recommendation is to try a few at a time. Start slow, get recommendations relevant to your industry and observe others before jumping in head first. And, just remember, keep your personal and professional brand separate !
Jim Weinrebe, executive vice president and leader in our healthcare public relations practice, will join several panelists on Monday, October 26 at Schwartz Communications for a Publicity Club of New England panel program to talk about crisis communications preparedness.
As much as we try to avoid them, crises are inevitable and usually strike at the most inopportune times. The emergence of social media alone has exponentially increased the urgency and need for being prepared. When the pressure is on, it is important to get the facts in order as quickly as possible before any public communication is disseminated and determine the key target audiences that need to be addressed. The pre-determined crisis communications team should be prepared to deliver relevant information in a timely and appropriate manner to minimize the rumor mill and restore order and/or confidence. It's absolutely critical to have a crisis communications team and protocol in place before an emergency or potentially controversial situation strikes.
Jim will be joined by several leading industry executives to discuss effective crisis communications protocol and offer insight into real world case study examples. More specifically, Jim will provide insight into managing a crisis in healthcare PR. Participants will walk away with an understanding of what works, and what doesn't, when under the gun and how to best prepare an effective crisis communications plan in a time of turmoil. To register for the program, please visit www.pubclub.org. Space is limited so please reserve your spot!
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Here’s your opportunity to opine. The 
