The final move of my career in pharmaceuticals was to the Pacific Northwest in 2004 to manage a team of Pharmaceutical Representatives in Washington and Alaska...Yes Alaska as in the northernmost state in the union.
I relocated to the Wild West to identify solutions to mend the rocky relationship between the Pharmaceutical Industry and the Physicians/Healthcare System in the Pacific Northwest. Alaska, much to my surprise, had a Healthcare Delivery process that was 180 degrees different from the constraints of the heavily managed environment in the "Lower 48" (Alaskan lingo for the 48 states to the south). For example, physicians average more time with each patient visit and less hassle over reimbursement. This also poses an interesting perspective on what Alaskan physicians told us would be helpful as iMedExchange progresses - different priorities than their colleagues in the Lower 48. After the CEO of the company and I met with physicians in Anchorage, we reflected that we've got a lot of work to do in order to effectively serve this audience. Nevertheless, we are confident that iMedExchange will create lots of value for the docs in the Great White North.
As a product company, we need to take into account the things that are important to our Alaskan physicians. It is evident how much they focus on balancing their work and personal lives by embracing the outdoor opportunities around them. For example, it's not uncommon to stop by a practice and see a sign that the physician is off fishing for a couple days. For me, the Alaskan lifestyle reminds me to take a breath from time to time and enjoy the environment around me and what it has to offer.
Every region in the country has different focuses when it comes to the delivery of healthcare. Today I pose a question to the physicians of Alaska. What would you like to share with other practitioners' across the US about why you've chosen to practice in the 50th state?
