Archive for October, 2006

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John
Seng

MMA: Continue to Build…Or Break It?

Tuesday, October 31st, 2006

With mid-term elections now less than a week away, America may be casting a whole new set of priorities for the next couple of years. If there is a shift in leadership, one industry that will undoubtedly undergo changes is health care.

Take, for example, the Medicare Modernization Act. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) makes no secret that one of her first actions - "within the first 100 hours of taking over the House" - will be to rewrite the prescription drug benefit (Wall Street Journal, 10/25/06). Such action will make waves all across the country.

Medicare's new prescription drug benefit, a bipartisan effort passed in 2003, has certainly seen its share of bumps since coverage began in January this year. The rollout was at times confusing and frustrating - painful even - for seniors and those looking after their best interests. But when you see that nearly 33 million seniors and people with disabilities are now receiving drug coverage, you have to admit it's not all bad. Considering the fact that MMA was the biggest change to Medicare in its 40-year history, aren't a few bumps understandable? I'd argue that any large scale consumer program will feel some pain before smooth sailing. So therein lies the rub: Do we build on what's been accomplished so far and give Part D a chance to succeed or do we back up three steps and overhaul?

In 2006, the average Medicare beneficiary saved $1,100 by enrolling in Part D. More seniors receive prescription drug coverage today than ever. In June, a Kaiser Family Foundation study showed that eight out of every 10 seniors who have signed up said that they are satisfied with their plans (Wall Street Journal, 10/25/06). Sounds like a plan... that's actually working.

Surely a program as large and important as MMA needs to be regularly reviewed with a critical eye. But with momentum building for a government program that's already proven worthwhile for the health of seniors and the disabled, why begin breaking it up in a matter of hours?

Bonnie M.
Public Affairs

Posted in Health Care Industry, Health Policy, Public Affairs
By John Seng | No Comments »

 
jseng
John
Seng

Health Care in the Media

Thursday, October 26th, 2006

Last week, Slate magazine published a provocative and controversial piece titled, "TV Really Might Cause Autism." The title itself was sensational. After all, we are interested to know what causes autism and if Slate's writers know the answers, then by all means, we should all be reading Slate. But, the truth of the matter is the article was based on a few Cornell professors -- economists actually, not doctors -- who did a statistical analysis showing there might be some correlation between the rise in autism in a few states and the availability of cable television. They also looked at weather reports, figuring that kids watched more TV during rainy or snowy days.

From their study, they calculated that "just under 40 percent of autism diagnoses in the three states studied is the result of television watching." I can't say I understand how they got that figure, and to be fair, I haven't read the actual Cornell research study. But it does seem like someone is making a big leap -- and that somebody might be the authors at Slate, who found the need to report this as-yet-unpublished study and blame the cause of autism, as complicated and mysterious a disease as scientists have seen, on television.

I honestly don't know if television has a causal link to autism. It's an interesting theory, considering that the rise in the incidence of autism -- which no one can deny -- began in about 1980, which is precisely when cable and kids-oriented television began to proliferate the airwaves. My concern, really, is regarding the media -- and the power of the media in reporting health care issues. We have all seen examples of how the media can cause panic, sometimes unfounded. Everything from mothballs to air fresheners have been said to cause cancer. We worry about the mold in our homes, the mercury in our fish -- and certainly in our vaccines. Not all of these concerns are unfounded, but I do think the media has a responsibility to be overly cautious when reporting medical issues, especially issues regarding our children.

In this case, we may be in luck. If the study Slate based its article on is wrong, the worst thing that happens is that people may just stop their toddlers from watching so much television -- and maybe that's not such a bad thing after all.

Miriam W.
Spectrum Blog Contributor

Posted in Disease Awareness
By John Seng | No Comments »

 
jseng
John
Seng

Blogosphere: Reliable or Deniable?

Thursday, October 19th, 2006

Aside from demonstrating the value of goodwill and honesty, the USA Today piece also illustrates the challenges blogs present to the constitutional right of free speech. Surely not the first or last of its kind, the suit brings to light how significantly the flow of public content has changed in just a few years.

Previously, content available for public consumption was filtered through standard media practices. Today, the Internet allows for distribution of raw content from anyone who chooses to offer an opinion. We face these issues every day in the health care arena, where private citizens offer their experiences in medical treatment for a range of diseases, sharing potentially dangerous medical "advice" for patients looking for health education online.

The challenge of the Internet is to manage unregulated public content without endangering visitors with unreliable information. As we continue to adjust to new ways to access information, we must also adjust to new "rules"-or lack thereof. As with most legitimate writing, bloggers should source where they find information and comment from there. Believing something to be true and promoting it without substantiation may only serve to undermine a blog's credibility.

Both bloggers and visitors must understand the limitations of the content and appreciate that not all information is reliable and trustworthy. Especially in health care, it is critical that visitors consider the source of online medical information and the potential for unchecked information. Armed with the right perspective and a critical eye, a new generation of more educated and conscientious "surfing" may emerge.

Good thing you came to this blog for reliable information.

Spectrum Blog Editor

Posted in New Media
By John Seng | No Comments »

 
jseng
John
Seng

Do Unto Bloggers…

Thursday, October 5th, 2006

Freedom to speak one's mind to the entire world is an enticing door that blogs have opened for those bold enough to share their views. But since when were blogs granted license to defame falsely without implication? It comes as no surprise that, as reported recently in USA Today, bloggers are being targeted by a variety of libel suits. David Milum of Georgia is likely the first among a slew of bloggers who will be sued over what some perceive to be a growing recklessness of content on the Web. As the article notes, there's another pending $2 million libel suit against him. That may indeed be excessive litigation, but that's a high price to pay for voicing your opinions, founded or unfounded.

Since when did we lose sight of the Golden Rule? Bloggers should feel free to express themselves, but should also be conscious of how their words can affect others. People seem to forget that blogging is not merely gossiping to one's friends-unless you have a billion friends. Blogs are, in effect, a mini-publishing company. The power that blogs use to inform and unify is the same power that can be used to divide and destroy. To further complicate the problem, blog conversations are not just one-to-many; postings can also generate a conversational fractal pattern.

Companies have an even greater responsibility with blogs because they represent the views of many. Spectrum works for a variety of health care organizations that are interested in joining the blogosphere, having recognized the medium's potential influence. Because of the points mentioned above, we always counsel that it shouldn't be entered into lightly. Here are some tips if your company is considering starting a blog:

  • Monitor other blogs along with traditional media. It is important to know what is being said about your company online. 
  • If your company is being maligned, carefully weigh your decision to issue a rebuttal. If it is a simple, legitimate complaint, try to integrate it into your customer feedback loop. If it is downright untrue, you can respond as such, but beware of the possible backlash. Sometimes it is better to let the comment lie than to fan the proverbial flame. Use lawsuits only as a last resort, as they are costly and may be ineffective. Worse, they could do more harm to your brand reputation than the original comment.
  • One of the great appealing elements to a blog is its timeliness. If your company can't publish anything without a two-week legal review, the blog will likely not be relevant or interesting to potential readers. Streamline the review process to two days at the most.
  • If you are hosting an unbranded blog using advocates or patients, be prepared to allow these stakeholders to blog at will (within reason, of course).  The best blogs will include such individually provided content.
  • Posts should be an appropriate extension of the company's brand.

Spectrum Blog Editor

Posted in Health Care Industry, New Media, PR Industry, Public Affairs
By John Seng | No Comments »