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BioRhythms: What's happening now in healthcare communications.

Maureen Franco Joins CB as Chief Strategy Officer

Orphan pharmaceuticals veteran Maureen FrancoCAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Cambridge BioMarketing (CB), a full-service healthcare marketing communications agency focused on orphan and specialty pharmaceuticals, names industry veteran Maureen Franco as Partner, Chief Strategy Officer.

In this new position, Ms Franco will “unify our Account Management, Clinical Sciences, and Digital Services departments into a best-in-class strategic group focused in orphan and specialty markets. And her global commercialization experience from industry adds a broader relevance and deeper resonance to the capabilities we bring to our clients,” according to CB CEO and Chief Creative Officer, Steve West.

Prior to joining CB, Ms. Franco spent 12 years at Genzyme in Cambridge where she held a number of executive leadership roles in commercial development, product marketing, global brand management, and product promotions. The last position she held was VP Global Marketing in their rare genetic disease division. Ms. Franco is a graduate of Boston College. She began her career in healthcare public relations and pharmaceutical advertising in Boston and Chicago.

“Many of our clients are developing first-ever therapies for rare or specialized conditions where the disease requires as much definition as the drug. We’re lucky to have someone of Maureen’s caliber to lead the strategic collaboration it takes to solve those unique brand challenges, “ added Mr. West.

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By Steve West
on January 13, 2012 at 10:15 am

Holidayitis Awareness Week

Do you or a loved one suffer from Holidayitis?

At the agency, a big part of what we do is framing disease states for orphan and specialty spaces. For the 2011 holiday season, we invented our own disease and got the entire agency involved. We knew we could strategize, project manage, write, and do some pretty damn good design. But who knew we could act?

Check out Holidayitis.com—and let your friends and colleagues know about it, too. Because for every unique site visit, we’re making a donation to support orphan disease research.

Here’s wishing you a great holiday season and a happy new year!

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By Mike Hodgson
on December 20, 2011 at 11:52 am

The Computer Will See You Now

Diagnosis is one of the most challenging aspects of working in the rare disease space.  A recent partnership between IBM and Wellpoint, a health benefits company, might signal a dramatic shift in how patient diagnoses are made.

IBM's Watson

IBM's 'Watson' supercomputer to be used in the healthcare sector.

 

Watson, IBM’s supercomputer, has taken on chess champions and Jeopardy! contestants. It is about to get its first real-world application in the healthcare sector. WellPoint is working with IBM to develop and launch Watson-based solutions to help “improve patient care through the delivery of up-to-date, evidence-based health care for millions of Americans.”

Wellpoint’s press release states that, “Watson can sift through an equivalent of about 1 million books or roughly 200 million pages of data, and analyze this information and provide precise responses in less than three seconds. Using this extraordinary capability WellPoint is expected to enable Watson to allow physicians to easily coordinate medical data programmed into Watson with specified patient factors, to help identify the most likely diagnosis and treatment options in complex cases.”

Watson’s potential to aid in diagnosis is amazing – and indicative of the shift in how technology has become critical in healthcare. In one test case cited by WellPoint, Watson was able to diagnose a rare disease within seconds – a case that had previously left doctors baffled.

Patients are not just data sets, though.

Practicing medicine requires a human element. Someone must perform exams, take patient histories, observe symptoms, present diagnosis, and aid in care. Diagnosis is more than seeing; it’s perceiving and placing those perceptions within the context of a patient’s clinical experiences. There is collaboration between patient and doctor in determining what is wrong.

Will the human skills of medicine (listening, communication, empathy) become more critical as technology evolves? Or will accurate data collection be the focus? Will Watson ever be asked to provide differential diagnosis? Will health insurers allow for a second opinion when they have Watson?

As marketers in the rare disease state, will disease-state education for both HCPs and patients become even more valuable? As patients, will Watson be a comforting solution for diagnosis?

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By Alyssa Meritt
on September 19, 2011 at 1:34 pm

New Faces at the Agency

We’re please to welcome three new members to the Cambridge Biomarketing family. The agency continues to add new talent and specialties to meet growing client demand. Our three latest hires all come from diverse backgrounds and will certainly bring some innovative thinking to our clients.

 

Guido Baratta
Guido Baratta
Creative Director, Interaction

As Creative Director, Interaction, Guido leads brand visual expression for all CB clients, as well as directs interactive experience across media and technologies.

His background includes 18 years of award-winning branding and interactive work for global businesses and institutions including Adidas, Nikon, Smith Medical, and Lonza. He holds a Master’s in Architecture from the University of Rome, Italy, and an MFA from the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France.

 

Jacob Drouin
Director of Media Operations

Jake brings over a decade of experience in print, digital, and social marketing, as well as strategic planning, tactical oversight, web development, and direct-mail production.

An architect of operational workflow, Jake’s knowledge of print and digital integration has been an asset for creative hubs such as Staples and Digitas where he managed the advancement of integrated media and site development. In addition, he previously worked with National Grid and Monster.com to fuse strategic planning for print and digital media, and benchmarked cost-saving measures across internal and external capabilities. He has also worked closely with the American Cancer Society as an Account Supervisor at LW Robbins & Associates.

Jake is a graduate of Plymouth State University where he earned his BA in graphic design with a focus on information architecture and consumer behavior.


Alyssa Meritt
Management Supervisor

Alyssa Meritt recently joined Cambridge BioMarketing as a Management Supervisor. Alyssa brings over a decade of digital and offline marketing experience to the agency. Her passion for pharmaceutical marketing is paired with strong strategy and project management experience.

Alyssa arrives from One to One Interactive where she was an Account Director on the Comcast account. Prior to that position, Alyssa was an Executive Producer and Digital Strategist for Hill Holliday’s healthcare accounts, including Novartis’ Diovan, Valturna and Exforge, Covidien, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Partners HealthCare, and Cleveland Clinic.

She is a graduate of both Northeastern University and Cambridge School of Culinary Arts.

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By Steve West
on August 18, 2011 at 8:47 am