My Notes from Mobile Healthcare by BDI1

The Mobile Healthcare Communications 2012: Case Studies and Roundtables took place on Thursday, January 26, 2012 in NYC and featured six case studies and two roundtable discussions. The event was presented by the Business Development Institute and PR Newswire.

The case studies had a strong emphasis on text message programs, which somewhat surprised me, but makes sense given the comfort level the industry has with social. All-in-all a great day with lots to consider and think about, plus many networking opportunities.

I was glad to see quite a few people I know while meeting some new industry professionals. Below are my notes for four of the six case studies. Please note these notes are a mix of direct takes and interpretations or thoughts I had during the presentations. Thanks to all for sharing!

Monique Levy, Manhattan Research, opened with “Multiscreen Health”. I must have been hepped up on coffee because I took the most notes on this one:

• it is a multi-screen world and most owners have multiple devices
• focus on simple tasks for consumers > reminders, look-ups, etc.
• Smart/cell users, use the web twice as much as apps
• Where do consumers use smartphone for health? Home.
• We are heading toward data capture and electronic medical records via mobile
• conversation around he physician has shifted from smartphone to tablet
• Could  see up to half of physicians on tablet by year end
• iPad allows physician to show instead of tell
• How physicians want to receive information – 75% Web, 50% Print
• Longer form reading on desk/laptop, short burst phone/tablet
• Haven’t studied what physicians show patients
• Haven’t studied if tablets are wi-fi or 3g

Dr. Katherine Malbon, Mount Sinani Adolescent Health Center, spoke on her Text in the City program.

• Started with chat, advice, and health remedies
• sign-up for service by texting short phrase to a number (post campaign determined this confused users)
• HIPAA compliant and security critical
• must keep a text program simple and personal

Peter Gannon, Within3, spoke to “Successfully Collaborating with Healthcare Professionals”

• Create a community akin to an advisory board
• He provided a good list of reasons people give for not creating a community (among those items, off-label discussion, adverse events, etc)
• Addressed the need to have Education and risk aversion, risk monitoring, and risk mitigation
• Advisory Board is most common point of entry for online, but clinical trial, speakers bureau, medical science liaison, medical association sponsorship and custom engagement communities are also options
• Digital advisory boards can have web casts, forum, profiles, resources and can have lower cost while maintaining quality
• Can always pilot the program and roll out to additional audiences over time
• Moderator is critical, must understand both the group and the platform/medium
• If partnering with an association, trust and transparency are critical
• Must commit and nurture these programs, can’t build it and hope they come

Coming out of the break I didn’t take notes and missed a portion of the next two so I’m not going to share my very brief notes, but will say that Jenna Mons, Allergan, presented “The Power of Integrating Mobile into the Marketing Mix” and “Text4Baby” was presented by both Shwen Gwee, Edelman and Susan Can Johnson and Johnson.

The final case study presentation was by Xavier Petit, Shire, “Building a Long Term Strategy for Mobile.”

• 85% traffice that is mobile is iphone/Android
• Mobile Optimized vs. Responsive Design
• Mobile health users: 61% web and 32% apps
• Overall online users: 43% web and 28% apps
• Overall people see a traditional adv, use search to learn more, and are purchasing via mobile
• Email – design for smartphone

Following the case studies there were round tables, which are comprised of a facilitator or two and attendees.

The first I attended was “Apps vs. Mobile Web for Healthcare Communications” with moderators James Miller and Xavier Petit. As it turns out Miller and I had known one another through the Healthcare Marketing & Communications Council where I’d previously worked. This round table had a nice mix of people from a range of backgrounds. I’ll speak only for myself. It seemed that there is no competition between these approaches, but instead you need to consider what you are trying to accomplish, identify where the end user will most likely be, and select the interface that is most appropriate for the situation.

The second roundtable was “Integrating Mobile and Social” co-moderated by Mario Nacinovich, AXON, and Theresa Jacobellis, Huntington Hospital. Nacinovich and I have also known one another and it was good to discuss this topic with him that didn’t even exist when we first met.

This group also had a good discussion. We talked mostly about instances when mobile and social would be appropriate to target for a campaign and when maybe not so much. It would seem there are opportunities out there, but companies need to be very careful to inform their employees on social policies and think programs through in detail.