Asthma is an inflammatory disorder of the airways, which causes attacks of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing ... and some 34 million Americans now suffer from the condition. There are three important steps to combat the attacks, and they include seeking medical attention early when you start developing problems, avoiding triggers (common asthma triggers include animal dander, dust, changes in weather, mold, pollen, stress and tobacco smoke, just to name a few), and taking medication.

Or why your media planners and content strategists should be BFFs.

When was the last time you got into the brain of a researcher, or let one get into yours?

Healthcare organizations and providers are not exempt from lessons that have been learned by brands and social marketers in other industries. The main lesson is that today's consumer is more empowered than ever before. Their ability to conduct research online from any number of sources and to compare and share with friends, family or experts makes them a very different breed from yesterday's healthcare consumer.

The speed of social rules the day. We traverse platforms faster than we can blink an eye. Can social channels get any faster or more amalgamated? I'm sure. So how do healthcare brands keep up with the speed and intensity of relationships that are being formed in a variety of channels by consumers and healthcare professionals? How can brands form ongoing and valued relationships with their customers?

Healthcare marketers are a paradox in that they have the luxury of being able to speak directly to their audience's favorite topic-themselves-yet tend to fail miserably at it.

These are boom times for the organic sector, as American consumers are increasingly seeking "organic" or "all-natural" options. According to the 2011 Thomson Reuters-NPR Health Poll, if given a choice, 58% of US adults would prefer to eat organic-and the marketplace has responded accordingly. In fact, according to market research done by Mintel, even a few years ago the "no additives/preservatives" claim was the second most common claim in the United States, with 2,243 new products launched with it. But this organic consciousness goes far beyond the purchasing of food according to claims on a label; organic consciousness is really …

Cardiovascular disease (which includes heart attacks, stroke, angina pectoris, atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis, and high blood pressure) remains the number one killer in North America, and high cholesterol levels bring on an increased risk to these diseases.

"If you are boring, you work in auditing, and if you are boring and work at an agency, you work in media." This was a quote I heard in a client meeting last week. Beyond annoying me, this statement triggered me to think about the role of media in healthcare marketing today.

Social media is permeating our personal and professional lives everywhere you look-even in the healthcare industry. As more hospitals, clinics, doctors and medical staff are joining social media platforms, it is imperative that healthcare providers have a comprehensive social media policy in place. Don't have a policy in place yet? Looking for some motivation?