As you may be aware from my previous blog IDS UK is very busy at the moment with preparations well and truly underway for displaying leaflets and posters in GP surgery waiting rooms, pharmacies and via leaflets2u.co.uk. With our second cycle of the year fast approaching the whole office is busy – a lot of hard work goes behind the well stocked display’s that are often taken for granted in your local surgery or pharmacy!

In my last blog I recommended a recent Google report that highlighted how healthcare professionals use the internet to aid clinical practice, in conflict to this the first UK study of how GPs respond to printout-wielding patients shows how online information can have a negative effect. Published in The British Journal of General Practice the study concluded that GPs use cognitive and behavioral techniques to deal with their negative responses to patient armed with internet printouts. One GP admitted to a “heart beat moment” when faced with patients quoting information from the web, and another said that they experienced a “sense of doom” when patients arrived armed with print outs.

Here at IDS this caused some degree of surprise, as great believers of recruiting un-diagnosed patients and the importance of patient awareness we know the benefits of the informed patient. During a much deserve IDS coffee break it was concluded that perhaps it was more the type of information that was being brought into the consultation room that caused concern. Patients downloading information from untrusted websites may well prove a source of anxiety for GPs. The leaflets displayed in IDS racks, and via our leaflets2u.co.uk site are subject to strict guidelines and regulations – unlike information on the internet.. Feedback from GPs on our service shows that they appreciate the information featured in the leaflets we bring to their waiting room, and that their consultations benefit. Before returning to our desks it was decided that although some patient information may be a source of stress for GPs the information.

Congratulations to our French office, IDS Sante who have confirmed a pharmaceutical vaccination campaign for €425,000 for 2010. With more activity planned for the year it is thought the final figure will out do the 2009 contract worth €480,000. The services that IDS can offer are ideally suited to such vaccination based campaigns.

Every year thousands of vaccination leaflets are sent to GP surgeries, but do not reach the intended destination. IDS UK can ensure that every leaflet is prominently displayed in the waiting room, in a wall mounted rack designed for that purpose. Additionally we can display posters and distribute healthcare professional packs, ensuring a compressive campaign that reaches its target markets.

Talking of vaccinations, good luck to Oscar (son to our Online Development Manager) who is due for his 3 month baby jabs – hope all goes well!

Oscar Prepares for his baby jabs

I hope you are all enjoying the short bursts of sunshine and the promise of spring. Here at IDS we are busy preparing for our April cycle and looking forward to displaying new leaflet titles in GP surgeries, pharmacies and online. Speaking of online activity, the Google study, “Connecting with Physicians Online” (November 2009) has been doing the rounds at the IDS UK offices.

The report that concluded that the internet is an integral part of clinical practice, although covered American physicians provides useful information on how healthcare professionals use the web. The report found that:

• 86% have used the internet to gather health, medical, or prescription drug information.
• 58% access the internet more than once a day.
• 31% made a change in a patient’s medication as a result of online research
• 30% initiated treatment as a result of online research.
• 73% Consider the internet to be a standard part of clinical practice

The report which confirms what most of us had already guessed, “The internet…has transformed medical practice” proves an interesting read and is worth a look – just search using the report title.

Hi Everyone!

Firstly apologies for not being in touch sooner – I have been busy providing information on distributing healthcare information into GP surgeries, pharmacies and online to companies preparing for their 2010 marketing activity. Elsewhere in the company has been equally busy as January see’s our next merchandising cycle. Preparation for the field teams’ visits to GP surgeries and pharmacies to update leaflet display racks is well under way. Although busy, the office mood seems to be lifted by the addition of this year Christmas tree and an abundance of festive sweets and chocolate.

The end of November saw the prestigious PMEA awards, where our Managing Director, Edward Pickering donned black tie and took to the stage to present an award. Along with Paula Dawson (IDS UK Sales Manager) Edward enjoyed a night of glitz, which provided an excellent opportunity to catch up with a number of IDS UK’s pharmaceutical clients.

I hope everyone is enjoying the run up to Christmas, be sure to get in contact if you have yet to finalise your 2010 healthcare awareness campaigns!

Sarah

Glitz and Glamour At the PMEA Awards

Hi Again Everyone,

Sam here, I’m back this week to begin introductions of the whole IDS UK team here at Head Office.

First things first, we have to introduce our MD Edward Pickering. He works hard keeping the team together and helping the sales team with new clients and leads. He also works very hard on new projects, getting them started and coming up with new ideas. He certainly is the brain behind the business.

Then we have Patrick who is Sales Manager here at IDS UK. He makes sure he gets a lot of sales in for the WIS, Help2Health and Leaflets2U services, getting important information out there in Doctors Surgeries, Pharmacies and Online. Patrick has moved away from the South recently but is still in the office for a couple of days every week, and is the practical joker of the company, always guaranteed to make us all laugh.

..Until next time…

Sam!

xxx

Hi Everyone,

I’m back and Sarah is off this week, lucky her, so you’ll only have me to hear from this week.

Looking back at each cycle for WIS and Help2Health we have talked about all the aspects of merchandising , leaflets and the warehouse, but obviously they need something to merchandise, and the IDS UK Key Installer team make sure that this is all sorted for us. They get their tools out and look after all of our doctor’s surgery WIS leaflet racks, installing them, repairing them, collecting them, relocating them, and without them and that service we would have nothing to put our patient information in! The Key installer cycle is just about to begin, so we are busy arranging new doctor’s surgery installations and relocations, and collections from those that are closing down.

The pharmacy Help2Health racks are slightly different because they are so big we have them delivered by courier to the pharmacy and then they are merchandised by our team.

Take Care!

Sam

IDS Key Installer Tool Belt

A report issued by The National Audit office puts the cost of drugs wastage at at least £100 million a year! It’s not surprising therefore that patient engagement is a major issue for both the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry.

Kyp Holdings released a research paper this month on prescription medication which shows:

• Interest in all aspects of medication and treatment increases with age.
• People rely on the internet as a source of information almost as much as doctors.
• All groups questioned would prefer to learn more from pharmacists.
• 43% state they have failed to a complete a course of medication.

To see more visit their website.

I hope it’s of interest!

Sarah.

Hi Everyone, Sam here. Sorry I missed you last week, its been a bit busy here in Ops as the cycle for WIS and Help2Health has begun and we’ve had lots of paperwork in from our team who have been out delivering leaflets toDoctor’s surgeries & pharmacies

It seems to be never ending around cycle time, because although we are busy now, preparing for the cycle is even worse. We have a lot of paperwork to get together for 51 IDS  team members, and a big meeting with the team managers to arrange.  At the same time we are arranging deliveries of leaflets to the warehouse, so that’s a kit per surgery of leaflets can be made up, that’s over 6000 kits, or A LOT of leaflets. WIS is a huge service, and Help2Health is growing too requiring just as much preparation work, but now that’s over, its never ending and we have to process each and every Surgery and Pharmacy Report form, making sure everything is ok for next time. Phew! We’ll all be looking forward to Christmas!

On a much sadder note, Zoe Chamberlain is leaving us today for a career in London, we will all miss her very very much! Good Luck Zoe!

Take Care, Sam.

Can't you see why we'll miss her?

Getting hold of certain leaflets can be a very time consuming process for healthcare professionals (HCPs). Trawling for hours on the net and contacting the individual organisations involved is a frustrating process that is not always successful. To provide a central ordering point for HCPS, and an efficient way for leaflet suppliers to get their leaflets to a healthcare market we launched www.leaflets2u.co.uk.

Leaflets2u, is an online leaflet library that allows HCPs to view and order a wide variety of healthcare leaflets completely free of charge. Leaflets arrive within 7 working days, ready for distribution to appropriate patients. Leaflets2u benefits the HCP, the patient and the leaflet supplier! Take a look.

Best wishes,

Sarah

My previous IDS blogs have shown that Waiting Room Information Services (WIS) and Help2Health provide a unique way to target patients with healthcare messages; but I have yet to explain Hand2Health, a service that helps our clients reach healthcare professionals.

Hand2Health refers to healthcare professional educational packs that contain items such as samples, leaflets, posters, questionnaires and giveaways. Every 3 months our own merchandisers are able to personally present the packs in up to 6,000 GP surgery sites. This personal presentation makes the packs stand out and means that they are much less likely to be discarded than unsolicited mail.

We have had many campaigns that use Hand2Health packs alongside WIS or Help2Health, often when there is limited or no sales force. The result, a combination of leaflets displayed in racks and direct communication with healthcare professionals that has real impact.

That’s all from me for the moment; I’ll be back next week to introduce our online leaflet service Leaflets2u.

Best wishes,

Sarah