PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 28, 2004 —
— Microsoft Corp. today awarded Pfizer Inc. with the first Microsoft Pharmaceutical Innovation Award at the 3rd Annual Pharmaceutical Marketing Congress. A panel of industry experts selected by Microsoft chose Pfizer based on its leadership in using technology to inform and educate physicians to improve the overall quality of patient care.
Taking advantage of industry-leading technologies, Pfizer has enhanced the productivity and effectiveness of its sales force interactions. Through enhanced communication, Pfizer is providing healthcare professionals with the most up-to-date and visually appealing information so they can make well-informed decisions regarding treatment options for patients.
Pfizer’s sales and marketing teams are leveraging compelling content, Proscape software and Microsoft®
technology to break through an increasingly cluttered marketplace with current and relevant information for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
In August, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new indication for Lipitor®
for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, Pfizer promptly disseminated the new and important information electronically to its Cardiovascular Healthcare Representatives.
“Effective communication between Pfizer’s Cardiovascular Healthcare Representatives and our customers regarding the ever-increasing and complicated pharmacological choices is critical in ensuring that physicians have the most current and relevant information available so they can make the best possible decisions about patient care,” said David Helgans, senior director/group leader in the Cardiovascular/Metabolic Group at Pfizer.
The innovative, mobile solution uses Tablet PCs, Microsoft Windows Server (TM) 2000, Microsoft SQL Server (TM) and the Microsoft .NET Framework to accelerate the pathway of knowledge from clinical researchers to physicians and, ultimately, patients. By creating, distributing and updating information electronically, Pfizer has reduced production, distribution and environmental costs associated with printed promotional materials. As a result, Pfizer is able to react quickly to market changes.
“Pfizer has been able to bring greater value to its customers with Proscape’s solution through targeted campaigns, getting the right message to the right physicians with the right frequency,” said Steve Chin, global life sciences industry manager for Healthcare and Life Sciences at Microsoft.
Microsoft’s Pharmaceutical Innovation Award will be presented annually to the eligible pharmaceutical company that demonstrates market leadership in its use of technology to improve key functions of its business operations, from research and development to sales and marketing. This year’s award judges were Dr. Cameron Durrant, CEO of PediaMed Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Philip Gerbino, president of the University of Sciences in Philadelphia; and Dale Hagemeyer, research director of the Customer Relationship Management Team at Gartner Inc.
About Microsoft Healthcare and Life Sciences
Microsoft provides standards-based products and technology to help the healthcare and life sciences industries break down information barriers between the disparate IT environments across provider organizations and physicians, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, government and private-sector employers, health insurers, and consumers. With Microsoft technology in place, healthcare organizations and individual workers collaborate more effectively, show greater productivity, and spend less time managing their IT infrastructure and more time delivering high-quality patient care.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at h http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.asp .
