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More drug companies using
smartphones to spread info
» The Centers for Medicare & Med-
icaid Services has selected Companion
Data Services to provide data processing
and hosting services for the government’s
National Level Repository. The repository Increasingly, drug companies questions on a drug’s formulary
will track incentive payments distributed to are putting their in-house med- status and to request samples
providers showing a “meaningful use” of ical staffs on call so providers or educational resources.
electronic health records. can ask product-related ques- “AstraZeneca is committed
Photo: iStockphoto
tions or report adverse events to providing healthcare profes-
» The New Mexico Health Care via smartphone. sionals with timely and accurate
Association (NMHCA)/New Mexico A “Contact Manufactur- information on our products,”
Center for Assisted Living (NMCAL) has er” feature, which launched More drug companies are using said Elizabeth Shaheen, AZ
selected Silverchair Learning Systems as its recently on the iPhone and smartphones as a way to keep senior manager, commercial
providers better informed about
preferred online training partner, accord- iPod touch, lets providers call the benefits and drawbacks of
communications.
ing to the selected vendor. The partnership medical affairs groups at two their medications. “The Epocrates contact
will improve caregiver training across pharma companies, Pfizer and manufacturer iPhone applica-
the state, according to the association. AstraZeneca, and pose on-label director, worldwide commu- tion provides physicians another
Silverchair offers training and education questions. The feature now nications, added that the 40 way to ask product questions
for long-term care workers, at www.silver appears in the drug profiles brands—which include Lip- and receive an accurate response
chairlearning.com. of 40 Pfizer brands and eight itor, Chantix, Viagra, Pristiq, from AstraZeneca at their con-
AZ products available through Sutent and Celebrex—are its venience.”
» NuStep recently introduced its T5XR mobile vendor Epocrates’ drug most widely prescribed prod- The first company to use
Recumbent Cross Trainer. The new prod- reference. ucts and the ones which elicit the tool, Pfizer piloted the fea-
uct offers an extended range of features, “This is a way for us to pro- the most queries. ture on Epocrates earlier this
adjustments, and versatility, according to vide providers with greater The AZ products include year with just seven brands,
the firm. Learn more at http://www.nustep. access,” Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall, Nexium, Symbicort, Crestor, enabling users to access only
com/products/t5xr/index.php. Pfizer SVP and chief medical Atacand and Seroquel. In addi- the AER feature.
officer, said recently. “This puts tion to clinical questions and Providers asked to be able
» The Advanced Wound Management us literally in their hands.”