Nearly every segment of the US population is smoking less, but one is dragging behind: patients with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In fact, an alarming 80% of these patients still smoke (compared to less than 20% of all Americans).

There are already many apps out there designed to help quit smoking, but none of them are designed for the mentally ill. As a recent article from Fast Co. Design notes, the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) aims to buck that trend with an app that’s particularly suited to the needs of this audience. It’s called “Learn to Quit,” and it’s currently being tested in clinical trials.

Here are a few key areas their app team adapted to tailor the experience to mentally ill patients:

• Illustrating the abstract: the therapeutic techniques used to treat addiction can be difficult to grasp through words alone. Plus, imagery can communicate so much more. So the app team thoughtfully illustrated the techniques through simple, approachable cartoons that help patients visualize their tasks
• Accounting for tremors: many mentally ill patients experience tremors, which can affect their motor skills and ability to interact. So the app team simplified the interaction types to simple tapping on large, active areas
• Minimizing cognitive load: this a a sound practice for any app, but for patients with mental illness, it’s particularly important. In this case, the app team created a flattened navigation structure and made the experience a lot more linear

As we like to say at our agency, this app is a great example of UFX — User Focused Experience. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to UX, particularly in Pharma, and it’s clear the NIDA took that to heart. Stay tuned for results from the clinical trials later this year…

Giving App UX Some TLC to Help the Mentally Ill Quit Smoking was originally published in Sample 1 on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

With Q1 under our belt, we thought it would be a good time to take stock of some of this year’s top digital healthcare trends. Below are some highlights that were put together by our Emerging Digital Group (affectionately called “Edge”). If you’d like the full, in-depth report, e-mail us at EDG@CDMiConnect.com.

Cognitive Computing

In 2016, we’re seeing an increased use of cognitive computing platforms such as IBM Watson to assist in mining and analyzing health data. These platforms are bringing new perspectives and efficiencies to diagnosis and treatment decisions, healthcare resource allocation, and customer relationship management.

The Internet of… Me

The explosion of the Internet of Things (iOT) — from smart fabrics to smart pills — is spurring more personalized, more informed, and more meaningful healthcare experiences. This year, we’re seeing the iOT become even more me-centric, and it’s giving healthcare decision makers (patients included) the means to achieve better outcomes.

Home Health Monitoring

Until recently, analyzing things like your blood could only be done by “sending it out” to the Quests and LabCorps of the world. But new products like the Cue are bringing diagnostic measures into the home. The validity and accuracy of these measures may need to be established and fine-tuned, but before long, they could be a great complement to other home health trends, like Telemedicine.

“Own”-ables

Starting with devices like the FitBit, wearables have gained traction as an extension of the self. But the next step appears to be technology that is more integrated with the individual — “ownables,” as they are being called. From tattoos that can constantly monitor vital signs to cell-sized nanoparticles that can catch early signs of disease within our bloodstream, ownables will go well beyond counting steps to better our health.

Visual Centricity

Social media platforms are becoming more photo- and video-based. Virtual reality is becoming more of a practical reality. And the potential of 360 video is becoming realized. Now more than ever, visually-driven content is king. It’s a more efficient, more engaging way to communicate ideas, and healthcare communications are starting to get on board.

Have a trend we missed? Want to read our in-depth, full report? E-mail us at EDG@CDMiConnect.com.

2016 Digital Healthcare Trends to Date was originally published in Sample 3 on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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Pretium ligula dolor eu montes non bibendum, velit est ac, in ac viverra id, non augue aliquam. Dolor id vivamus duis semper tortor, eu duis inceptos vestibulum phasellus, cras mi. Facilisis sit nulla pellentesque, leo ac non enim posuere interdum, sollicitudin amet sollicitudin nonummy sollicitudin senectus scelerisque, nisl sapien, enim dis luctus a sapien facilisis nec. Ornare a vehicula a pellentesque arcu felis, dis et cum. Wisi inceptos dolorem morbi, dui rutrum est. Imperdiet risus aliquam, purus consectetuer nulla leo irure augue, vestibulum massa eget, aliquet suspendisse scelerisque duis. Elit habitasse nunc vitae mauris consectetuer ac, dui eu accumsan interdum velit massa, nulla amet iaculis ut purus vestibulum fermentum, aliquam nunc tellus tempus nunc odio ut. Arcu nibh id magnam, tempus eu quis quisque sed, neque eu nibh senectus morbi arcu, nullam hendrerit, aenean vulputate quis cursus sociis elementum purus.

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Duis est molestie dictum ac, pretium auctor sem fermentum. Rutrum fusce metus et eros, tempus tempor semper pede ligula, ac class libero pede est est. Non sodales donec rhoncus vel, vitae tellus. Quis nisl amet sollicitudin, scelerisque arcu posuere, libero orci molestie, erat gravida malesuada sed vestibulum distinctio sit. Orci pulvinar. Risus ante ante. Vehicula in facilisis, nulla imperdiet dolore adipiscing, semper vestibulum suspendisse ut metus etiam id, ut mattis, nulla sed eget. Mauris pede, quis semper nunc, litora sed amet porttitor magna velit elit, nulla et itaque enim sem.

Lorem Ipsum was originally published in Sample 1 on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

At CDMi, we have a lot to say about digital media, healthcare, and innovation. So it’s about time we bought a microphone and shared those insights with the world. Through our exciting new podcast series, called Healthy Perspectives, Scott Wanderman and Greg Wong discuss different topics relevant to the healthcare advertising industry. Scott and Greg are both members of the Emerging Digital Group (EDG) here at CDMi and love all things creative, digital, and innovative. Along the way, they’ll bring in some of their EDG friends and other knowledgeable guests to join their conversation.

Let’s Talk SXSW

For their launch episode, the focus was CDMi’s annual trip to SXSW Interactive — the annual, industry-defining event focused on emerging digital and tech. They talked with their CDMi friends, John Deely and Jen Ohlberg, who attended the conference and heard their perspective on how virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and big data are impacting patients and the healthcare landscape.

John Deely is a Senior Vice President, Director of Digital Experience. Jen Ohlberg is a Vice President, Account Director. Both John and Jen are part of EDG.

You can find the Healthy Perspectives podcast on iTunes, Sound Cloud, Tumblr, or Hipcast.

Let us know what you think about this episode and if there are any other patient perspective topics you want to hear about. Tweet us at Twitter.com/CDMiConnect or email us at EDG@CDMiConnect.com.

Introducing the “Healthy Perspectives” Podcast was originally published in Sample 1 on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Lost in all the news about Apple defending our right to privacy was the unveiling of Apple’s CareKit: “a framework to build apps that empower people to use data to understand their health,” according to Apple COO, Jeff Williams. As it turns out, the timing couldn’t have been more appropriate. With Apple devices poised to collect even more of our personal data, it’s easy to see why the company had added incentive to fight off the FBI.

Health Data Collection, Continued

CareKit, which launches this month, is not Apple’s first foray into collecting health data. Last year they launched ResearchKit, which has already helped make clinical studies more accessible, scalable, and efficient. And before that, there was HealthKit, which started us down the road of pooling personal health data from related apps.

Well Worth Fighting For

With so much data literally at our fingertips, CareKit could help bridge the gap between quantifying our health and acting on it. From guiding post-surgery patients through home care to providing actionable insight on managing the progression of a chronic condition, the potential could literally be life-changing. It seems Apple is not just fighting to defend our privacy; it’s fighting to defend progress.

Stay tuned for another article that will delve into some of the Pharma-specific implications of CareKit…

With Apple’s CareKit Comes More Personal Info to Protect was originally published in Sample 1 on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We’re back from another action-packed SXSW, where we immersed ourselves in the latest trends and live-Tweeted and Instagram-ed to keep you up to date. We have so much to share with you live–reach out to EDG@CDMiConnect.com to schedule a roadshow. But in the meantime, we’ve pulled together some highlights:

Immersive Experiences Through VR
Virtual Reality is an exciting medium that has gained a lot of traction and attention recently. VR experiences were everywhere you turned at this year’s conference! McDonalds, IBM, Samsung, and NASA were just a few of the brands creating a fully immersive experience.

In addition to seeing VR headsets everywhere, there were several panels discussing the idea of storytelling and creating a complete VR experience. VR as we know it will be about feeling, not just about seeing.

In our roadshow presentation, we’ll explain the VR landscape, highlight what brands are doing with VR, and talk about the opportunities for health today and in the future.

The Evolution of AI + Big Data
For most of us, Artificial Intelligence reminds us of the Matrix. However, there were a few key areas that stood out this year with it comes to AI. The first is the idea of Big Data. In past years, the focus was on protecting your privacy and data, but this year was all about giving it up! As people crave more personalized resources and content, they will be more willing to give up their data. By doing so, we will be able to use AI to create smarter, better, customized interactions and resources.

Secondly, using AI can help to solve problems and change outcomes. We’ve been hearing about IBM Watson, but soon we will have smart houses, robots we can train, and sensors that can live virtually everywhere, making every experience contextual, seamless, and personalized.

In our roadshow presentation, we’ll touch on the convergence of AI, Big Data, sensors, and even robots and how these technologies can be pulled through into the healthcare space.

New Interfaces
Our daily interactions with technology are continuing to become more seamless — it’s no longer just about our interactions with desktop and mobile. This is because we are seeing the rise of things like chat and voice control. Amazon Echo and Lark are two examples of these interfaces that are available today. Through text and voice control, these platforms are allowing users to have seamless and fully customized experiences.

In our roadshow presentation, we’ll discuss how things like chatbots and voice recognition are evolving our interactions with technology.

How to Put Innovation Into Practice
Innovation and technology are quickly outpacing us. In order to keep up, we need to think of ways to work differently. One of the biggest learnings is that it’s OK to try things and fail — that’s when we get the best ideas. One way we can do this is through A/B testing. While A/B testing has been around for a while, it was a key trend at this year’s meeting. It allows us to learn quickly and adapt, making the test and learn approach a good way to experiment with failure!

In our roadshow presentation, we’ll discuss how A/B testing can help us deliver the right messages to our target audiences.

…And That’s Just the Beginning
We have so much more to share, and would love to do so with you. To schedule a roadshow or get our full recap, email us at EDG@CDMiConnect.com.

2016 SXSW Recap & Roadshow was originally published in Sample 1 on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

DTC is under attack again

Recently, The New York Times Sunday Review ran a cover story entitled “Your cure: How advertising promotes expensive drugs and treatments you may not need.”[1] This came right on the heels of a new bill introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), which seeks to ban direct-to-consumer (DTC) ads for the first three years after approval of the drug by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This recent wave of targeting DTC started back in November 2015 when the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a new policy “aimed at driving solutions to make prescription drugs more affordable.”[2] As evidence, they cited the Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: October 2015, which found that the high cost of prescription drugs remains the public’s top health care priority.[3] The AMA expressed concerns that “a growing proliferation of ads is driving demand for expensive treatments despite the clinical effectiveness of less costly alternatives.”[2]

The AMA’s specific areas of focus are:[2]

• Physician concerns about the negative impact of DTC ads
• The role that marketing costs play in fueling drug prices
• The idea that DTC may inflate demand for newer or more expensive drugs, even when they may not be appropriate

The AMA fears that this commercialization is driving the cost of prescription medicines, leading to coverage limitations, and “in a worst-case scenario, patients forego necessary treatments when drugs are too expensive.”[2]

The fuzzy connection between ad dollars and drug cost

According to Kantar Media, the advertising spend by US drug makers has increased by 32% since 2013 to $5.6 billion.[4] Prices of generic and brand-name prescription drugs have steadily risen and experienced a 4.7% year-over-year spike as of August 2015.[5]

Data from Altarum and Kantar suggest there is a potential correlation between the increase in DTC spending and the rising cost of drugs. However, these were two separate studies. There is no clear causal connection or solid proof that the spend on DTC raises drug prices. In fact, significant anecdotal data suggest they are not connected. In 2013, 27% of generic drugs experienced a price increase.[6] The majority of generics are not supported by DTC or marketed by manufacturers of branded therapies.

The other side of the coin

The same Kaiser poll that instigated the AMA’s new focus also contains a number of data points that support continued use of DTC:[3]

1. A large majority of Americans (82%) report seeing or hearing prescription drug ads.
2. About half of the US public (51%) say they think that prescription drug advertising is mostly a good thing.
3. Many say drug advertisements do a good or excellent job of telling consumers which condition or disease the drug is designed to treat (50%), as well as communicating the potential benefits (47%) and potential side effects (44%).
4. The public overwhelmingly favors requiring the FDA to review prescription drug advertisements for accuracy and clarity before they can be aired to the public (89%), an opinion held by nearly identical shares of republicans, democrats, and independents.
5. About 28% say they have talked to a doctor after seeing or hearing prescription drug ads. Of those, roughly 15% were recommended to make changes to their lifestyle, about 14% were recommended a different drug, 12% were given the prescription they asked for, and 11% were recommended an over-the-counter drug.

A hot-button political issue

Issues with drug costs have become a topic of debate in the current presidential primary races. Both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton’s campaigns have identified pharmaceutical companies as among their “favorite enemies.” The Clinton campaign has created a policy to crack down on high prescription drug costs, targeting DTC advertisements. Specifically, they want to eliminate the ordinary and necessary business expense deduction for the cost of prescription drug advertising.[7] This is aimed at curbing the cost of drugs by limiting the deductions that pharmaceutical companies can take.

Immediate action on the political front is most likely not imminent. Clinton has the clearest plan to address DTC advertising, and she would have to get elected first, and then shepherd a bill through Congress. This proposal would also run up against free speech rights, making congressional approval an uphill battle.

DTC is driving much needed dialogue

We are all too familiar with the lack of awareness among both patients and physicians that can plague treatments. This is true even when these treatments have unique and differentiated efficacy benefits. DTC raises awareness of these treatments. The patient can use this awareness to foster an informed and engaged dialogue with the physician, potentially achieving a more positive treatment outcome. Clearly, in most cases the outcome is not that the patient walks in, demands an expensive treatment, and then receives it, as the AMA seems to assert.

The Kaiser data clearly state that only 12% of people who request a specific medicine received that specific medicine.[3] Many others were prescribed another treatment, or their doctor recommended changes in behavior or lifestyle. At the very least, this suggests that DTC advertising may have improved outcomes for patients and potentially saved costs.

Looking forward

We predict that DTC drug advertising will remain a hot-button issue. It has been practiced in its current form for just a few decades and is currently only legal in the USA and New Zealand.

The pressures of healthcare costs are real for patients: 42%[3] say that drugs are somewhat or very difficult to afford. That problem is unlikely to go away anytime soon. As an industry, we need to ensure that we are making the most out of programs that aim to alleviate these problems. Furthermore, we need to remain vigilant to ensure that DTC, and drug promotion in general, do not take the entire blame for the high cost of healthcare, as other factors clearly contribute.

[1] Rosenthal E. Ask your doctor if this ad is right for you. New York Times. February 27, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/sunday-review/ask-your-doctor-if-this-ad-is-right-for-you.html. Accessed March 9, 2016.

[2] AMA calls for ban on direct to consumer advertising of prescription drugs and medical devices [press release]. American Medical Association; November 17, 2015. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/news/news/2015/2015-11-17-ban-consumer-prescription-drug-advertising.page. Accessed March 9, 2016.

[3] DiJulio B, Firth J, Brodie M. Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: October 2015. http://kff.org/health-costs/poll-finding/kaiser-health-tracking-poll-october-2015/. Published October 28, 2015. Accessed March 9, 2016.

[4] US measured ad expenditures declined 3.9% in Q3 2015 to $36 billion [press release]. Kantar Media; December 16, 2015. http://www.kantarmedia.com/us/newsroom/press-releases/us-measured-ad-expenditures-declined-3-9-q3-2015-36-billion. Accessed March 9, 2016.

[5] 2015 acceleration in health spending growth is moderating [press release]. Altarum Institute; October 9, 2015. http://altarum.org/about/news-and-events/2015-acceleration-in-health-spending-growth-is-moderating. Accessed March 10, 2016.

[6] Jaret P. Prices spike for some generic drugs. AARP website. http://www.aarp.org/health/drugs-supplements/info-2015/prices-spike-for-generic-drugs.html. Published July 2015. Accessed March 9, 2016.

[7] Hillary Clinton’s plan for lowering prescription drug costs [press release]. Hillary Clinton campaign website; September 21, 2015. https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/factsheets/2015/09/21/hillary-clinton-plan-for-lowering-prescription-drug-costs/. Accessed March 9, 2016.

CDMi Perspectives: DTC in the Crosshairs was originally published in Sample 3 on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Social media is a rapidly changing medium that allows marketers to reach consumers and patients in a whole new way. On this episode, we bought in our CDMi friend and social butterfly, Nora Travis, to join our conversation about social media and hear her perspective on how social media is impacting patients lives.

Nora Travis is a Vice President, Art Supervisor and an active member of the Emerging Digital Group (EDG) here at CDMiConnect.

You can download and subscribe to each episode here:

• iTunes
• Hipcast

Let us know what you think about this episode and if there are any other patient perspective topics you want to hear about. Tweet us at Twitter.com/CDMiConnect or email us at EDG@CDMiConnect.com.

Episode #2 of The Healthy Perspective Podcast: The Pulse of Social Media in Healthcare was originally published in Sample 3 on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We sat down and spoke to Katie Collins (@kt), the Lead Account Executive in Twitter’s new health division. Katie was at Pfizer before coming to Twitter, so she’s been in the healthcare industry for quite some time. We talked to her about how social media is changing healthcare, why patients are so drawn to Twitter, and what does the future of medicine look like because of it.

You can download and subscribe to each episode on iTunes.

Let us know what you think about this episode and if there are any other patient perspective topics you want to hear about. Tweet us at Twitter.com/CDMiConnect or email us at EDG@CDMiConnect.com.

The Healthy Perspectives Podcast featuring Twitter. was originally published in Sample 3 on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, vel a sed vestibulum. Eros posuere fermentum sit pulvinar, sed suscipit, semper eu suscipit praesent nisl, vel curabitur eget sed vel ipsum in, massa sodales. Enim lorem praesent velit magnis nascetur, vitae neque imperdiet, ut duis commodo tincidunt suspendisse, cras velit et ante in etiam id, sollicitudin gravida. Sem blandit ultricies in. Metus tincidunt, mauris dolor arcu, bibendum lectus. Ante consectetuer eget, turpis ligula commodo nullam, elit elit integer quis ipsum habitant arcu.

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Lorem Ipsum was originally published in Sample 3 on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.