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John
Seng

How Do Americans Want Health Care Reformed?: Why Not Just Ask Us?

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Last year my firm, a health policy and communications firm called Spectrum, decided to find out for ourselves since no one else really had. We designed a national study, the Spectrum Health Value Study, of how Americans values health products and services, as if they were spending their own money.

The results were interesting. They demonstrated that people tend to like what they already have and don't want much change. The May 2009 report by Simon & Co., our health affairs partner firm, concluded in part: (more...)

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

 
jseng
John
Seng

The Dr. Oz Show To Bring Mass Exposure To Rare Disease

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Yesterday, we accompanied our pro bono client, The Progeria Research Foundation (PRF), to a taping of The Dr. Oz Show at NBC Studios in New York. You know, 30 Rock.

(l-r), Genetics Expert Jeffrey Innis, MD, PhD, Mott Children’s Hospital, University of Michigan; Television’s Dr. Oz; John Seng, President, Spectrum

(From left to right) Genetics Expert Jeffrey Innis, MD, PhD, Mott Children’s Hospital, University of Michigan; Television’s Dr. Oz; John Seng, President, Spectrum

Spectrum has worked closely with PRF since 2003 to raise awareness of Progeria, a rare, and thus far incurable disease that causes rapid aging among children. Most children live no longer than 20 years. (more...)

Posted in Disease Awareness, Public Health, Research
By John Seng | 2 Comments »

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jseng
John
Seng

Larger World Of Health Care Markets Now At Your Doorstep!

Monday, February 8th, 2010

If you work for a health-oriented company that offers products or services internationally, you might be interested to know that our GLOBALHealthPR partnership expanded significantly in the past year, with exciting new access and capabilities in four countries among Latin America, Europe and Asia. Herewith our new names and faces, transmitting the best savvy in important health care markets around the world. (more...)

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

 
jseng
John
Seng

Mr. Obama: Unite The Health Of Our State With The State Of Our Health

Friday, January 29th, 2010
Green area highlighted denotes the health reform section in the White House transcript of President Obama’s State of the Union Address, a little less than 8 percent.

Green area highlighted denotes the health reform section in the White House transcript of President Obama’s State of the Union Address, a little less than 8 percent.

My fellow Americans: President Obama read through nearly half of his 2010 State of the Union speech Wednesday evening before he arrived at, and all-too-briefly reviewed, what I still consider the nation's number one challenge, and indeed crisis: health care.

Interestingly, he described it as health insurance reform, which is a curious refinement from "health reform" or "health care reform." More unfortunate is that  the subject of health reform as Mr. Obama's #1 agenda item - prior to Scott Brown's surprise win of the open Senate seat in Massachusetts just nine days earlier -ultimately won less than eight percent space and time overall in the President's speech.

Whatever your politics, the newly sidelined health reform and our declining health as a nation deserved more time and a profound call-to-action from our leader. (more...)

Posted in Congress, Food Policy and Nutrition, Health Care Industry, Health Care Reform, Health Policy, Public Health
By John Seng | No Comments »

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jseng
John
Seng

Spectrum Supports Haiti Relief Via Doctors Without Borders

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Given the disastrous earthquake that struck Haiti this past Tuesday, with fatalities estimated in the tens of thousands and unspeakable destruction and chaos, Spectrum's choice of Doctors Without Borders as our holiday beneficiary couldn't have been more fitting or timely. The company has made a donation to Doctors Without Borders for Haiti relief efforts.

Should you wish to support Doctors Without Borders and/or help spread the word throughout your digital media universe (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), just click on this link to their portal page.doctors3

Personally, all my challenges seem tiny compared to the grief and suffering befalling a country already in difficult circumstances. Thank you for doing whatever you can do to support our global neighbors.

Posted in Community Involvement
By John Seng | No Comments »

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jseng
John
Seng

Forget Words. Bricks and Mortar Needed to Rebuild Trust and Confidence.

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

Babson College President Len Schlesinger asked more than 200 public relations agency professionals at last week's 2009 Critical Issues Forum (sponsored by the Council of Public Relations Firms @CouncilPRFirms) at the Yale Club in New York to write down the essence of what public relations people do. After a minute, he asked for a show of hands to demonstrate on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being most confident, who felt that their written response would be a 5? 

Only two PR people raised their hands, and both happened to be sitting at my table: Louis Capozzi, former head of MS&L PR, former chair of the Council, as well as my longtime mentor and a former boss; and well, me. I didn't see Lou's response, but I wrote that PR agencies "help clients dialog with their audiences for the purpose of advancing their organization goals." But I'm sure Lou's answer was smarter than mine. When I find out, I'll let you know. But I felt strongly about mine.The Critical Issues Forum was headlined "Aftershock: Rebuilding Trust & Confidence in 2010," and while we all pondered the myriad problems, there's scant agreement on how to get to sunnier skies. (more...)

Posted in New Media, PR Industry
By John Seng | 1 Comment »

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