Originally Published September 1999

ADVERTISING, DISTRIBUTION, & SALES

Teri Louden

What began as a quiet trend is rapidly emerging to become what many consider will be a major transformation of our nation's healthcare industry. Consumers have not only taken a prime seat at the healthcare table, they are now also taking charge of the podium.

Consumers have become a driving force in the healthcare industry, demanding choice and access in their managed-care plans, spending cash out-of-pocket on alternative medicine and self-care services, and making healthcare the number-one topic searched on the Internet. Pharmaceutical companies launch billion-dollar drugs overnight by utilizing direct-to-consumer marketing campaigns. And yes, even the medical device industry has now begun to hear the wake-up call.