Do physicians need a CNN for CME? Some vendors think so andare implementing real-time educational offerings.
“The doctor will not accept in their consumer life what theyaccept in their professional life: that the forest fire happened two months agoand they hear about it now for the first time,” said Bob Stern, CEO of breakingmedical news site MedPage Today. “That’s an unacceptable experience.”
The “rapid-distribution” model of presenting news frommeetings or journals with credit is becoming more important as a way to meetphysician needs, agreed Mario Nacinovich, Jr., co-founder/co-CEO, FissionCommunications. Indeed, “some CME stakeholders are reconsidering the lengthycontent development and production processes associated with traditionalenduring materials,” he said.
That’s not to say the traditional model is dead—far from it.According to a recent Pri-Med study, readership of one of its print CMEnewsletters rose 85% from 2005 to 2006. The study shows physicians still valueprint as a way to obtain information on new treatment options and therapies,Pri-Med’s director of physician insights, Anne Goodrich, said.
Others making the immediacy push include vendors such asEpocrates, which disseminates scientific findings in lessons on handhelddevices.
But MedPage Today is seriously embracing thedaily news model. Its redesigned homepage contains about 12-15 storiesdisplayed in a newspaper-like format and more standalone video stories.
From the January 01, 2008 Issue of MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media
