HealthEd president Kristin Patton is a firm believer that what’s good for the patient is good for the brand. The result is another good year for the educational marketing specialist. “It’s been fantastic, and that’s saying a lot considering what a challenging time it is for the healthcare industry,” says Patton. “We have experienced rapid growth and been able to partner with clients in new, more strategic ways.”
Key clients include Amylin, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
“We are channel-agnostic,” explains Patton, “so our primary focus is on delivering the right solution regardless of the targeted touchpoint.”
The firm took on two major initiatives in late 2007 and early 2008—the launch of sister agency HealthEd Encore and the enhancement of its interactive offering.
Patton is adamant that HealthEd’s unique skill sets—it even employs certified health educators—must not become a commodity. “The industry has swung a bit from being promotional to being informational and it has changed the definition of education somewhat,” she says. “Truly effective education is grounded in the combination of behavioral science, health literacy and learning principles. It takes training, it takes certification and it yields actionable behavior. Not every agency can do it well, but many say they can.”
From the July 01, 2008 Issue of MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media
