BERKELEY, Calif., May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Vivacare, a Direct-to-Patient (DTP) education company, today announced a partnership with Graceway Pharmaceuticals, LLC, a specialty pharmaceutical company. Vivacare will provide Graceway Pharmaceuticals with physician and product marketing services in support of Aldara(R) (Imiquimod -- Cream 5%). Studies estimate that half of patients fail to follow the treatment plan recommended by their physician. This results in approximately $300 billion in additional annual costs to the United States’ healthcare system. Partly to blame for patient non-adherence with therapy programs is inefficient doctor-to-patient communication and dissemination of information.
Vivacare enhances the physician-patient relationship by providing medical practices with online patient education resources. With Vivacare, physicians can easily create and customize their own online Patient Library simply by selecting the information that reflects their specialty and unique approach to care. Patients benefit by gaining convenient access to information on medical conditions, tests, procedures and medications directly from their most trusted source -- their own doctor.
Graceway Pharmaceuticals, LLC is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on bringing branded prescription products to the United States market through acquisition, in-licensing, and product development. Graceway’s prescription products include Aldara(R) (Imiquimod -- Cream 5%), a topical treatment for superficial basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer) and actinic keratoses (pre-cancerous lesions), as well as external genital warts. To date, Vivacare has developed online patient education libraries for 1,200 dermatologists and their patients. Graceway views its partnership with Vivacare as an important part of its patient outreach and patient education programs.
A recent study found that 66% of physicians cited an increase in medication compliance when they provide patients with educational materials. Thus, pharmaceutical firms like Graceway use Vivacare’s service to deliver product information directly to patients to improve adherence. Recent surveys illustrate that pharmaceutical marketers are opting for DTP online information channels like Vivacare’s as a cost-effective alternative to traditional forms of marketing. CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc., which produces medical therapies for the dermatology market, is also working with Vivacare to reach patients who have been prescribed its Oracea product for rosacea.
For physicians, Vivacare’s service pays numerous dividends. Delivering information to patients at the right time is difficult. In fact, 81% of physicians report difficulty in providing appropriate paper-based handouts to their patients during office visits. In addition, eight million Americans use the Internet every day to find health-related information, but studies reveal that most people would prefer to receive information from their own physician. Moreover, doctors frequently waste time addressing inaccurate information patients have found online. By using Vivacare, physicians can provide their patients with a trusted, accurate and convenient educational resource that is always up to date. Rather than scrambling for the correct handout, all physicians have to do is tell patients to “go to my online library.”
“Referring patients to our online Patient Education Library allows us to educate them in advance on their condition, which streamlines patient interactions and improves the quality of discussions,” said William Paronish, M.D., Dermatology, Northern Cambria Medical Center Advanced Skin Care Program. “Vivacare provides good basic information for my patients, and lets me add information specific to my practice. It’s easy. And, Vivacare’s set up of my web site and Library was very smooth. I’ve already recommended it to several of my fellow dermatologists.” Dr. Paronish’s online Patient Library is located at http://www.ncmcascp.fromyourdoctor.com.
“Vivacare is committed to helping physicians deliver the information and tools their patients seek to manage their health. We have been well-received by physicians by giving them control of the content and making the service free, and easy to use,” said Dr. Mark Becker, CEO and founder of Vivacare. “Doctors, patients and pharmaceutical companies all win by achieving shared goals like improved patient satisfaction and increased compliance with treatment regimens.”
Pharmaceutical firms are given the opportunity to enhance content regarding their products in Patient Libraries by adding branded information, such as tips on how to apply a medication or rebate coupons. However, Vivacare does not place product advertisements on Patient Libraries, nor does it provide access to, nor share, individually identifiable patient data.
About Vivacare
Vivacare (http://www.vivacare.com) provides Internet-based tools designed to improve patient knowledge and medication compliance. The company creates online, customizable Patient Libraries for medical practices and delivers direct-to-patient (DTP) educational services to support pharmaceutical partners. Vivacare was founded in 2005 by Dr. Mark Becker, a pediatrician with more than a decade of direct experience in developing patient education programs and using Internet-based tools to support medical practices. He previously founded Salu, a company that provided practice web sites and education services for more than 20,000 medical specialists. Privately held Vivacare is headquartered in Berkeley, CA. For more information about Vivacare, call us at (510) 848-2060, send email to partnership@vivacare.com or visit us online at http://www.vivacare.com.
CONTACT: Kent Streeb, +1-530-908-9225, kent@kayacommunications.com, for
Vivacare
Web site: http://www.vivacare.com/
