Medical Device Link.

Originally Published MX September/October 2005

CONTRIBUTORS

Marketing medical products is more art than science, so even experienced marketers can learn a lot from the work of others. In this issue, MX looks at medtech marketing from a variety of perspectives—including those offered by winners in the Medical Marketing Association's 2005 International Awards of Excellence competition.

Topspin

Rasmussen

If a company with a new medical product runs into a lack of interest from traditionalist physicians, that's not necessarily the end of the story. The next step may be to go to the consumers with news of the firm's innovative technology. Pamela Rasmussen, vice president for corporate communications at Digene Corp. (Gaithersburg, MD), recounts the success her company has had in doing that in this issue's Topspin column, "Consumer Power". Now, a diagnostic test that looks for a precancerous condition unknown to most women—until the manufacturer launched a multichannel direct-to-consumer marketing campaign—is something about which women are asking their doctors. Rasmussen can be reached at pamela.rasmussen@digene.com.

Martinson

Brekke

Business Planning & Technology Development

At a time when many people see a U.S. healthcare system that is out of control, medtech manufacturers would be remiss not to include a course in health economics in their R&D curriculum. There are ways to generate solid health economic data without spending a lot of money or setting up an entire new business department. In their article, "Demonstrating Value to Payers", Melissa Martinson, PhD, and Rosemary Brekke discuss the hows and whys of producing such data. Martinson is a health economist with Princeton Reimbursement Group (Minneapolis), a consulting firm that operates from a new office in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as in the Midwest. She has 20 years of experience in medical device and pharmaceutical clinical trials, health economics, and outcomes studies. Brekke is director of strategic planning for Princeton Reimbursement Group. She has spent a quarter-century designing, directing, and implementing corporate reimbursement strategies. Martinson can be reached at 952/345-6404 or via e-mail at mmartinson@prgweb.com, while Brekke is available at 952/345-6408 or rbrekke@prgweb.com.

Diston

A good way for medtech executives to sustain long-term growth, build or maintain market share, and avoid overconcentration in one area of the market is to conscientiously install a businesswide, top-to-bottom environment of creativity and innovation, as Andrew Diston says in his article, "Creating an Innovation Culture". A culture of innovation, says the author, takes advantage of the talents of everyone employed at the company. Diston is managing director of the U.S. office of UK-based Cambridge Consultants (Boston) and a senior vice president in the firm. He has nearly 20 years of experience in developing medical products. Diston can be reached at info@cambridgeconsultants.com or by telephone at 617/532-4700.

Advertising, Distribution, & Sales

Kurtz

Many medical technology companies accustomed to marketing devices to healthcare providers and payers have only recently begun to consider using retail channels to sell products directly to consumer end-users. Pharmaceutical companies have shown the way. They have also uncovered the pitfalls. In her article, "Cracking the Consumer Market", Debra Kurtz cites medtech executives and their product designers who have gained retail marketing experience. They support her thesis that retail holds potential but is another world, governed by its own rules. Kurtz is founder and president of Kurtz Consulting Inc. (Vernon Hills, IL). Specializing in sales and marketing consulting for medtech companies operating in both conventional and retail markets, she emphasizes here the prerequisites for a successful retail launch and the obstacles companies unfamiliar with direct-to-consumer marketing will have to overcome. Kurtz can be reached at 224/715-1538 or via e-mail at consulting@debrakurtz.com.

Copyright ©2005 MX