Category Archives: Health information

Does being an empowered patient mean being a bad patient ?

Posted on April 23, 2012 | 1 Comment

I’m reading a couple of books on being an empowered patient and I have to say that I am somewhat surprised by the content.  It seems that the author of one books wants patients to question everything because physicians play favorites and don’t tell you everything. Others wants patients to stop making mistakes because one study showed that doctors interrupted their patients an average of eighteen seconds into an appointment. Continue reading →

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Posted in Focus on patients, Health information

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Some stats on eHealth consumers and wired physicians

Posted on March 13, 2012 | 6 Comments

More and more people are using the Internet for health while fewer patients are going to see their doctors and picking up prescription medications.  Physicians are also becoming more reliant on smartphones and want to use social media but for now their main concern is sharing information with each other. Continue reading →

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Posted in Health information, Health information online, Internet

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Type 1 Diabetics reach out to each other for support and help

Posted on March 8, 2012 | 9 Comments

Last summer we did some research with both caregivers and people with Type 1 diabetes. The objective, for a biotech company, was to learn where Type 1 diabetics go for help and support and listen to what they want in online/offline information.   While the research is almost a year old it is still relevant today and after participating in an online Twitter discussion last night I just wanted to share some of the top level findings. Continue reading →

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Posted in Health information, Internet, Social media and healthcare

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Memory loss and statins

Posted on February 29, 2012 | Leave a comment

Cognitive (brain-related) impairment, such as memory loss, forgetfulness and confusion, has been reported by some statin users and people being treated with statins may have an increased risk of raised blood sugar levels and the development of Type 2 diabetes. Now there are more reasons for patients to be worried about taking statins. Continue reading →

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Findings from online health seekers

Posted on February 14, 2012 | 9 Comments

After 11 months of both qual and quant research a final report was issued  to my client and I wanted to share some of the top-line results with my readers.   There is nothing that I believe is eye-opening but there is a lot of good insights that wanted to share within the pharma community.  Remember the search for online health is a journey with a lot of stops along the way. Continue reading →

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Posted in Health information, Health information online

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A social media site where doctors earn points ?

Posted on February 6, 2012 | 2 Comments

At Health Tap users post questions and doctors post brief answers. The service is free, and the doctors aren’t paid. Instead, they engage in game  like competitions, earning points and climbing numbered levels. They can also receive non monetary awards — many of them whimsically named, like the “It’s Not Brain Surgery” prize, earned for answering 21 questions at the site.  Ha? Continue reading →

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Posted in Bad practices, Health information

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Is there an opportunity for mobile health apps ?

Posted on January 25, 2012 | 1 Comment

I keep hearing about how mobile is “set to explode” for brands and marketers but is this true for health ?   The answer to that it depends if pharma can really deliver on the promise of mobile applications for health which means putting users first. Continue reading →

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Posted in Health information, Mobile healthcare marketing & trends

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Not another study on a medication that I take !?

Posted on January 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

How much worse can it get for consumers and their healthcare ?  Now a report says that statins increase the risk of developing diabetes in postmenopausal women, according to a new study published in Archives of Internal Medicine. The study provides more evidence and details about the previously reported link between statins and the development of diabetes.  More confusion for patients to work through. Continue reading →

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Content is king but does the drug industry understand that ?

Posted on January 2, 2012 | 3 Comments

When was the last time you though of a pharma brand as an expert or authority on a health condition ?  Chances are it’s been a long time.  One brand, Lipitor, comes to mind when I think of cholesterol but other brands have not made that emotional content connection to be thought of as an authority on health conditions they treat. Continue reading →

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Side effects may cause some women to quit breast cancer drugs early

Posted on December 12, 2011 | 1 Comment

Some women stop taking their breast cancer drugs early, and a study reveals why: side effects from the medication may be more than they can bear.  The study included 686 postmenopausal women who were taking aromatase inhibitors, which halt estrogen production in postmenopausal women whose cancer cells are fueled by the hormone, thus reducing the risk of the cancer returning. Continue reading →

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Alzheimer’s Disease and Boomers fears

Posted on December 6, 2011 | Leave a comment

Americans are equally afraid of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease as they are of getting Alzheimer’s disease themselves.  Approximately one in two American adults (49%) are as afraid of taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease as they are of getting the disease themselves.  Boomers biggest fear when growing old?  Loosing their ability to think, reason and remember.   Continue reading →

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