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Research-based Pharmaceutical Industry's Health Contribution Presented To Special United Nations Session On Health In Africa And Other Countries
The IFPMA was invited to attend a special session of the United Nations (UN) in Geneva on health in Africa and other least developed countries, organized by the UN Economic and Social Commission (ECOSOC). Michael D. Boyd, Acting Director General of the IFPMA, gave a briefing on the research-based pharmaceutical industry"s contribution to improving health in the developing world, speaking to an audience which included foreign ministers of UN Member States and senior UN officials.
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Baltimore Sun Examines Debate Over Howard County, Md., Health Program
About 200 uninsured people have enrolled in the Howard County, Md., Healthy Howard program since it began on Oct. 1, 2008, county health officer Peter Beilenson told a county council budget panel, the Baltimore Sun reports. Healthy Howard is a network of local doctors who charge members between $50 and $115 monthly for comprehensive medical coverage. The program uses health coaches to improve residents" overall health and seeks to lower costs related to emergency care over time. Beilenson had set a goal of enrolling 2,000 people in the program"s first year. According to Beilenson, "The biggest problem with all this is me. I made the definition of success this arbitrary 2,000 number." His new prediction is for 908 enrollees by July 2010. He said, "I think it"s very clear people just don"t know about it." He added that some residents are hesitant to pay even a small monthly charge during the continuing recession. County council member Greg Fox questioned if the enrollment level justifies a second county outlay of $500,000 for the program in fiscal year 2010, adding that he supports cutting county funding in half for the program in that year. Supporters of the program, however, say it needs more time and money in order to succeed, noting that enrollees have been seeing doctors through the program only since January. Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis said the program "seems like it"s off to a great start" compared with similar local programs nationwide. She added that the program has helped 2,500 county residents, including children, find coverage through state and federal insurance programs, in part thanks to an electronic enrollment system that identifies programs they are eligible for. Howard Health Department Director of Policy and Planning Glenn Schneider said, "None of those applications would have happened without announcing the (Healthy Howard) program" (Carson, Baltimore Sun, 5/18).
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Rural Americans And The Unemployed Struggle To Get Adequate Health Insurance
"For many of the 60 million people living in rural America, inadequate and unaffordable healthcare is an immediate and growing problem," Reuters reports. "Reform is a big deal here. We"re on the edge," said Brian Wolfe, an Iola [Kansas] family doctor. Half his patients rely on government aid for the poor and elderly and some who need care don"t seek it because they can"t paỵ€¦. Rural residents are heavily represented among the 46 million Americans lacking health insurance. Many are too poor to pay for a doctor"s visit and too far from cities to reach emergency rooms and free clinics. Additionally, rural residents are disproportionately losing jobs and insurance or their seeing benefits cut as employers fire workers and cut costs in the continuing recession. When rural residents do seek care, many find long lines for a shrinking number of primary care physicians and specialists."
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Demand For User-friendly Healthcare IT Professional Services Increasing Across Europe, States Frost & Sullivan

The demand for more user-friendly healthcare IT professional services has been increasing across Europe. Companies that have delivered the right blend of 360 degree consulting, easier and shorter training sessions and exceptional operational services along with round-the-clock support and maintenance services have been displaying market leadership in terms of revenues and number of installed bases. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Healthcare IT Professional Service Markets in Europe, finds that the markets earned revenues of $2.19 billion in 2008 and estimates this to reach $3.64 billion in 2015. In this research, Frost & Sullivan"s expert analysts thoroughly examine the following markets: healthcare IT consulting services, training services, operational services and support and maintenance services. "The revenue potential of professional services in the healthcare IT (HIT) markets is significant because they create a recurring revenue stream for vendors," notes Frost & Sullivan Senior Research Analyst S. Priyan. "IT services expenditure is one of the main concerns of end users in the context of HT spending. Support and maintenance services, in particular, account for more than 50 per cent of the total professional services markets in Europe." Professional services markets in Europe are projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 7 per cent by 2015. The support and maintenance services segment is poised to continue holding a major share of overall market revenues. The development of a suite of highly customised and user-friendly services could further enhance the growth rate of the market. The already sizeable demand for experts in healthcare IT professional services is increasing in Europe. However, the scarcity of professionals with expertise in both healthcare and IT sectors, coupled with the high pay cheques demanded by professionals, are imposing more constraints on market expansion. "Mounting pressure to reduce costs in the healthcare sector will make it increasingly difficult for vendors to continue with current spending levels on the employment of professional services experts," explains Priyan. The supply of professional services experts should rise not only to meet the currently growing demand but also to control the costs associated with their pay cheques. Easily customised and adaptable training services with appreciable post-sale support and maintenance services will boost customer retention, system utilisation and overall growth of the market. Healthcare IT Professional Services Markets in Europe is part of the Healthcare & Life Sciences IT Growth Partnership Service programme, which also includes research in the following markets: Regulations Affecting European Healthcare IT, Primary Care Information Systems Market in Europe, Global Pharmaceutical CRM Markets, Laboratory Information Systems Market in Europe, and European Market for Imaging in Healthcare. All research included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants. Interviews with the press are available. Frost & Sullivan


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