The goal of this blog is to help figure out how healthcare can leverage some of the digital technologies available today. We aren’t going to talk about drug discovery or innovative products themselves, but rather the sales and marketing of these products. We’ll talk about how patients and doctors find out about products, determine if they are right for them, how they stay on therapy (or quit), and how digital technologies can make this all simpler for everyone. Fact is, healthcare is far behind almost every other industry in terms of leveraging digital technology to market their products and interact with their customers.

I’m hoping to change that just a bit.

Now, understand that my goal isn’t to put more money in the hands of pharma companies (though I am a former pharma employee). My goal instead is to improve patient care. For some pharma companies, this will increase their sales, but for others, my ideas are going to cut into their sales. It’s all about who’s willing to listen and implement what’s possible. Digital technologies can help improve adherence to treatment and help determine which people are the right candidates for a given therapy. Ignoring this fact wastes billions of dollars and probably costs a lot of lives.

I know, it all sounds a bit dramatic, but it is. Can something like Facebook or YouTube really save lives by improving healthcare? The answer is yes and I hope to show you how.

So, here’s the premise: Digital technologies properly utilized in healthcare can save lives. Simple, right?