A worthwhile challenge would be to harness the same peer pressure that encouraged us to eat an extra holiday cookie into encouragement to run an extra mile the rest of the year. Which is exactly the idea behind fitness bands like Nike+, Jawbone Up, and Fitbit. They help us track our progress, and also share and compare it with the progress of others.

In 1988, students arriving for their first day of classes at Harvard Medical School were surprised when they were greeted by a group of AIDS protesters who poured fake blood on the sidewalk and held up signs advocating against what they called "elegant science."

Healthcare in the United States is a mess for numerous reasons, and many institutions are attempting to apply their fix. Buried in this mess is a healthcare topic that is rarely discussed.

In her recent article (Medical Marketing & Media, Nov. 3, 2013) Zoe Dunn posed the question "should Pharma abandon social media?" Her premise was that, in a world where brand marketers change every 18 months, can there ever be enough commitment for long-term tactics such as social? And she is right, to a point. The trouble is that today, at least in the Pharma space, social media is still widely considered a tactical "nice to have."

According to Pew Research 72% of U.S. Internet users have gone online in the past year specifically for health-related information - a number that will surely grow with the continued rise of healthcare consumerism. It has never been more important for health brands to deliver engaging digital experiences. Here are five web design trends that can help your organization do just that.

To say it has be an interesting past few months for the healthcare and wellness industry would be the understatement of the year. The consumer health and wellness space is evolving and shifting at a rate and level never seen before. Of course, the rollout of the Affordable Care Act is a big reason why. But, perhaps more importantly, it is the part technology is playing. The consumerization of technology has propelled massive changes that have created a newly empowered consumer more involved and in charge. And it's causing major disruptions with how to target, reach and engage with these …

Lately it's been hard to let a day go by without following the next intrigue on Obamacare. At this point, it's probably fair to say there isn't a living soul who considers the website a success. And while I'll refrain from expressing a point of view on the legislation itself or on the details of project planning or technical competency, I did want to dig deeper to understand the nature of the "complexity" that has marred the heart of Obamacare-the exchange. After all, there are many technologically complex data exchanges that we depend on-airline traffic management, ticketing, loan offers on …

What does it take to be a good patient marketer? There is no one background that makes a person a perfect fit for healthcare marketing. Certainly a good education, including within the discipline of marketing, is a good start. But I have seen successful patient marketers with a wide variety of backgrounds. Yes, they all have a serious work ethic, a sharp mind, a willingness to learn, and some rock solid skills, but they also typically have a few less obvious areas of strength that really distinguishes them. Here are four areas to consider as you start or continue your …

A trend in pharma is to create unbranded campaigns with a measurable call to action, most often a phone call or click to a website. These campaigns focus on providing disease awareness, education and resources with the goal of starting a dialogue with patients that can grow over time.

With the furor over the Affordable Care Act continuing unabated, it's easy to forget that healthcare is about much more than legislation and arguments over who will be responsible for paying the nation's ever-increasing medical bills.