Friday, March 16, 2007
Web Marketing Association Best Pharmaceutical Website Trends
Best Pharmaceutical Website Trends Detailed in New Report from the Web Marketing AssociationNew Web Marketing Association Internet Standards Assessment Report includes historical data derived from a decade of hosting premier Internet award competition, WebAwards, provides best practices for pharmaceutical Web design
West Simsbury, CT (PRWeb) March 16, 2007 -- www.07webaward.org -- The Web Marketing Association, host of leading website awards competition WebAwards, recently released the Internet Standards Assessment Report (ISAR), which includes specific benchmarking data to help the pharmaceutical industry create more award-winning websites.
"As the standard of excellence for websites continues to increase, web visitors are increasingly picky about what they consider to be an effective website," said William Rice, president of the Web Marketing Association. "Pharmaceutical is one industry that has continuously kept in step with the overall ISAR index. Now that drug companies can market directly to the consumers, we are looking at the websites on a whole new level this year."
The WebAwards competition evaluates pharmaceutical websites on seven criteria that combined create effective websites:
Design
Innovation
Content
Technology
Interactivity
Copywriting
Ease of use
The latest ISAR Index indicates that pharmaceutical web sites have generally been in line with the overall ISAR Index
Pharmaceutical Websites are above average in terms of design, content, copywriting, and ease of use. Content and copywriting continue to be the strong points for pharmaceutical websites.
With the changes in marketing strategy directly to the public by many drug companies, it appears that their Web efforts have kept up with overall Web development, but not exceeded it. Perhaps this is due in part to the amount of regulation within the industry.
The 2006 WebAward for Best Pharmaceutical Web site went to Studiocom for CVS Medicare Expert
Other past winners include:
- 2005 SimStar for BotoxCosmetic.com
- 2004 Abdi Ibrahim Pharma - MagiClick Digital Solutions for Healthcare Portal - Morning After Pill
- 2003 Insight Interactive Group for CrohnsResource.com Website
- 2002 ivpcare, inc
- 2001 Ion Global China for Loreal Paris China Web Site
- 2000 Digitas LLC for Baush and Lomb Website
- 2000 AGENCY.COM for Alluna Sleep Web Site
- 1999 SmithKline Beecham for Avandia
- 1998 Nicholson NY for Zyrtec
- 1997 for SmithKline Beecham for Café Herpe
Companies and organizations wishing to have their pharmaceutical Web site evaluated against the ISAR Index and be considered for a WebAward, which can help boost a Website's credibility and marketing efforts, can learn more at www.07webaward.org
To request your copy of the 2007 WebAward ISAR report, please visit: http://www.webaward.org/isar_report.asp
The Internet Standards Assessment report and the 2007 WebAwards are sponsored by the following leading organiztions: Burst Media, PRWeb, Misukanis & Odden, Small Army, SimpleFeed, ExactTarget, ad:tech conferences, NewsUSA, eComXpo, MediaPost's OMMA conference, TopRank Online Marketing, Creative Chocolate Printing Company, OTOlabs, Internet World UK, Search Engine Strategies, Webmaster Radio, Rovion's InPerson and eMarketer.
2007 WebAward Call for Entries
The Web Marketing Association will soon be accepting entries into its 11th annual international WebAward Competition. The WebAwards is the standards-defining competition that sets industry benchmarks that the Internet Standards Assessment report is based upon. The pharmaceutical industry represents an important category in the WebAward competition, and the Web Marketing Association will again be honoring the Best Pharmaceutical Web site of 2007. Participants will receive valuable feedback and the opportunity to earn peer recognition. The deadline for entry is May 31, 2007 and the WebAward Web site is located at www.07webaward.org.
About the WebAwards
Now in its 11th year, the annual international WebAwards competition sets the standard of excellence in 96 industry categories by evaluating Web sites and defining benchmarks based on the seven essential criteria of successful Web site development. The goal of the Web Marketing Association, sponsor of the WebAwards, is to provide a forum to recognize the people and organizations responsible for developing some of the most effective Web sites on the Internet today. Entrants benefit from a Web site assessment by a professional judging panel and the marketing opportunities presented to an award-winning Web site. For more information, visit www.07webaward.org.
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Press Contact: WILLIAM RICE
Company Name: Web Marketing Association
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 860-558-5423
Website: www.07webaward.org
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Unfilled Prescriptions Contribute to Health System Woes
YourRxCard.com: Unfilled Prescriptions Contribute to Health System WoesYourRxCard.com offers a free discount coupon card that can reduce drug costs by as much as seventy-five percent.
Baton Rouge, LA (PRWeb) March 15, 2007 -- High prescription drug costs for the uninsured and underinsured lead to countless unfilled prescriptions. Those unfilled prescriptions cost the nation billions of dollars, damage the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of Americans and, as a cruel irony, drive up prices even more.
A Kaiser Foundation study notes that nearly fifteen percent of those with medical insurance have left prescriptions unfilled because of costs concerns. The same study found that nearly one-third of senior citizens have left prescriptions unfilled due to an inability to pay. These findings are consistent with a statement from Dispensing Solutions that notes, "The pharmacy industry currently reports that about 30% of prescriptions written by physicians are never filled by the patient."
Those numbers don't surprise Rex Bowden, Jr., the Chief Risk Officer for YourRxCard.com. "Those in the prescription drug gap are forced to make very difficult decisions. In many cases, they are simply unable to meet the costs of their drugs. Unfortunately, they leave prescriptions unfilled."
Bowden argues that these unfilled prescriptions are one of the "hidden problems" in the current system. "People don't think about the unfilled prescription problem, but it's a very real issue. It damages health, increases societal costs and contributes to growing prescription drug costs."
Bowden isn't alone in his assessment. Erica Siguer of Harvard Medical School has noted that, "The health implications of missed doses and unfilled prescriptions, especially given the chronic nature of many ailments among the elderly, is cause for concern." Sam Ervin, the Chief Executive Officer of SCAN, a non-profit social HMO has explained, "Failure to take medications as prescribed is ultimately a cost to taxpayers. One study estimated that unfilled prescriptions cost our country as much as $25 billion in 1996, not including the indirect costs of decreased functioning and reduced quality of life."
"The failure to have those important prescriptions put to use is an unmitigated disaster," argues Bowden. "The patients' health is at risk and the resultant deterioration in their conditions leads to even more costly treatment requirements. At the same time, pharmacies are forced to bear restocking expenses and deal with other problems that drive up prescription costs for everyone."
Lower prescription costs should serve to decrease the number of unfilled prescriptions. Bowden's company, YourRxCard.com, is working toward that goal by offering a free discount coupon card that can reduce drug costs by as much as seventy-five percent.
"The reasoning is simple," he states. "We've found a way to reduce the cost of those medications, we'll see fewer unfilled prescriptions. That works to everyone's benefits. It reduces overall healthcare costs, improves overall health, and removes one of the factors contributing to high-cost prescriptions."
Cardholders can use YourRxCard at over 55,000 pharmacies nationwide, including many of the largest and most-recognized chains. "A discount card won't solve all of the health systems problems," observes Bowden, "but it can assist in solving the unfilled prescription problem."
Contact:
Rex Bowden Jr.
YourRxCard
11608 Darryl Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70815
Phone: 225-266-7941
Web: www.YourRxCard.com
# # #
Press Contact: Rex Bowden Jr.
Company Name: YourRxCard.com
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 225-266-7941
Website: www.YourRxCard.com
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