The Information Revolution: Who's Winning?

Every political or social revolution has driving forces, winners, and losers. The same is true for the ongoing information revolution: technology continues to be a primary driver, and consumers are winning in terms of the convenience, breadth, and accessibility of content. The casualties of this revolution have included traditional news outlets such as newspapers and television, which have been replaced by social media as the most popular source of news. To survive in this tumultuous era, shrewd content producers know that their value and future depend on their ability to consistently provide reliable, useful information.

At the FUSE technology and media conference last fall, conference chair Jeffrey Litvack highlighted important media trends that publishers should be translating into strategies for growth.¹ Content personalization is increasingly crucial: 56% of websites and 67% of e-mails have some level of personalization, and consumers are responding positively. Pharmacy Times^® is determined to stay at the forefront of this trend: last fall, we relaunched pharmacytimes. com to include practice setting and topic filters to help users personalize their experience.

Litvack also noted that reader engagement with newsletters continues to rise. Pharmacy Times^® recently upgraded its e-mail platform to help optimize subscribers’ experience. Recipients may not notice a difference, but that’s the point: we want to continually and seamlessly improve readers’ experience and are investing in systems to do this.

Pharmacy Times^® is part of the healthcare communications, education, and research companies owned by Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc. (MJH). For online information about its diverse brands and services, please visit mjhassoc.com. Guided by the principles of innovation and entrepreneurship, MJH is dedicated to providing essential information and education to health care professionals and improving patients’ quality of life.

To achieve these goals, Pharmacy Times^® carefully plans its monthly issue themes, such as this month’s Respiratory Health issue, which features articles on acute cough, sublingual immunotherapy, and smoking cessation.

With live-event, continuing education (CE), and research businesses, MJH, and Pharmacy Times^® have long recognized the importance of diversification for meeting the needs of our customers and stakeholders. To learn about our Directions in Pharmacy^® conferences, at which participants can earn up to 8 CE credits in 1 day, go online to pharmacytimes.org/dip2017.

The team-based approach to medicine continues to gain momentum as practitioners, insurers, and patients realize its value in ensuring quality and continuity of care. Entrepreneurial pharmacists are embracing their expanding role by getting educated and taking action. Pharmacy Times® will soon highlight and celebrate some of these outstanding individuals through our unique Next-Generation Pharmacist^® awards. Visit nextgenpharmacist.com or pharmacytimes. com/NGPawards to learn more and get inspired by these leaders of pharmacy. We are committed to helping pharmacists and their patients be counted among the winners in the information revolution.

Thank you for reading!

Mike Hennessy, Sr

Chairman and CEO

References

• Harvey E. The top 10 media trends publishers can’t ignore. Publishing Executive. 2016;31(1):7-8.