Pfizer, IBM and Microsoft have formed a joint venture providing automation solutions for physicians.
Pfizer on Wednesday announced it had formed a joint venture with technology giants Microsoft and IBM, which will be called Amicore. The venture will provide software and point of care services, providing workflow and connectivity solutions to office-based physicians. Jim Fitzsimmons was named as President and CEO of the newly launched company. Amicore also announced it had bought PenChart Corporation; it will market PenChart’s product as its initial offering.
Many pharmaceutical companies are trying to pursue marketing strategies involving the provision of information to physicians at the point of care. But to achieve this, they must first get handheld devices into physicians’ hands. Pfizer has partnered with two well-established and trusted technology players to facilitate its drive to increase physician uptake of handheld devices.
For this venture to be successful, physicians must be convinced that the financial and workflow advantages are more significant than the cost. In particular, they will need to be convinced of the product’s convenience. Datamonitor’s September 2001 Physician Insight Survey found this was the major driver behind physicians’ handheld uptake. If Amicore does achieve a sizeable penetration of software and services among office-based physicians, this would serve as an excellent means for Pfizer to better position itself in the eHealth marketplace.
Datamonitor also found that among the physicians who do use handheld devices professionally, 86% accessed drug reference materials – by far the most popular activity. Even if Pfizer does not promote its products directly through Amicore services, it will foster a positive corporate brand image through its association with the value-added services.
