Despite all the buzz and fanfare for digital advertising and social media, television still dominates the media strategies of big pharma. The massive reach of TV and persuasiveness of sight, sound and motion are part and parcel of the successful marketing of prescription medications like Nexium, Lipitor and Viagra. So, is it realistic for midsize and smaller over-the-counter (OTC) pharma brands to engage TV as a lever without the luxury of big budgets? First, let's set the record straight about the tube.

Gone are the days when you'd show up for an appointment and wait maybe 15 minutes before seeing your doctor. Today, specialists are in such high demand and practices face such enormous profitability challenges that long waits are routine. It's bad enough that you're sick and need to see a doctor. But to be stuck in the waiting room seems terribly unfair. What this means from a health and wellness perspective is that there's increasing opportunity to help educate patients and their caregivers about their disease before they even begin the dialogue with their physician.

Hospitals are on the farthest end of the spectrum from the "happiest place on earth," but some healthcare organizations are finding out they don't have to be. One of the most unlikely suspects is now a consultant to healthcare-Disney.

We've all seen the data. Moms, and new moms in particular, are the most digital-savvy audience. Moms are significantly more likely to have smartphones, blogs and Twitter feeds. Our media director calls this trend "baby down, power on." In fact, 90% of moms are online.

When people don't feel well, they're likely to tell someone about it - a family member, a coworker, a friend or, if the symptoms are severe enough, a medical expert. Many will actively seek out more information about their condition and, of course, what is the most effective remedy for their pain. In the online social sphere, consumers are doing all of the above, with 34% using social media to search for health information. Healthcare marketers could learn quite a lot if they'd take time to listen.

Over the course of work days, weeks, months and years, it's easy for health care marketers to lose direct contact with their primary audience: patients. There are, of course, people in your organization whose job it is to stay in constant contact with these people. Maintaining a system to stay connected with these colleagues can provide a win-win for marketing departments looking for great content and for patients who are trying to navigate their own healthcare needs.

Talking of technologies and innovation in healthcare leads us to wonder how these technologies are introduced in to the healthcare environment, and the role of the healthcare professionals in the adoption process.

To craft the strongest, most targeted pitch, you have to understand your audience's world view. This means going beyond the numbers to understand a person's daily life. What is it like to travel with diabetes? How does your daily life change if you're living with chronic pain?

When it comes to recruiting patients for clinical trials, physicians typically rely on two sources, patients within their practice and patients who respond to advertisements. There is, however, a third source that could potentially provide a wealth of patients for clinical trials-physician referrals

It's hard to pin down when it all began, but today there is a plethora of awareness months for a range of different causes, including many disease states. The disease-focused awareness months aim to raise funds for research, as well as share information on the cause, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a specific disease. They are usually sponsored and promoted by major charities in partnership with public service organizations and medical associations.