Company Sells Health Info to Pharma Companies

Lynn Jusinski — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:36:00 GMT

Would you share your personal health information on the Internet, including intimate information like how sexually active you are or how heavy your menstrual cycles are? Well, more than 27 million people have, according to a New York Times article on...(read more)

A Standard Problem

Cheryl McEvoy — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:59:00 GMT

Everyone has an opinion about what will make nationwide EHR adoption. But the one thing most agree upon is the need for standards. A number of organizations and government entities have already vowed to develop a common language or designated format for...(read more)

Add Pens to the Department Budget

Cheryl McEvoy — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:06:00 GMT

My college roommates are visiting this New Year's Eve, and I'll regrettably have to inform the medical student of the group that her collection of drug pens is in jeopardy.

According to the New York Times, the pharmaceutical industry has agreed to stop wooing medical practices (or whatever they were doing) with free trinkets that advertise company products. Starting tomorrow, oversized clicky pens and clipboards inquiring about sleep patterns will begin dwindling from the supply closet.

While I doubt my former roommate will be relegated to combing EBay pages for a coveted Zoloft pen, I'm sure the plain blue Bic just won't be the same.

I must admit the subliminal drug advertisements can be overbearing; I've been in some doctors' offices that have enough posters to rival the billboards in Times Square. Couple that with the inundation of obscure commercials--"I don't know what Nexium treats, but I WILL ask my doctor about it!"--and it's easy to see why critics blame drug companies for trying to influence physician and consumer decision-making when it comes to selecting medication.

But will eliminating free pens and mugs have any real effect? With big budgets and a long list of physician targets, pharmaceutical companies certainly have other financial strategies that are much more effective for cozying up to clinicians, not to mention the lobbying muscle they flex on Capitol Hill.

Once again, it all boils down to quality patient care. If a patient needs the blood thinner that happens to be written on your pen, prescribe it. If another brand might work better with his body chemistry, pick another.

I'm curious to see what HIM professionals think about the change. Do you get similar perks from vendors? Do you use tissue boxes or scroll around mousepads that list product names? Would you be sad to see the free gear go?

If pharmaceutical goodies do in fact disappear from doctor's offices, I can't say I'll miss them. Forget the branded clipboard; I'll lean on a magazine. With the Claritin ad on the back cover, of course.

ADVANCE Perspective: HIM : drug companies

Company Sells Health Info to Pharma Companies

A Standard Problem

Add Pens to the Department Budget