In 2015, Michael J. Hennessy Associates Inc., a healthcare communications company in Cranbury, N.J., launched MJH Live Events to support eight sister companies focused on providing healthcare professionals with information and resources. To say the least, business is booming. After producing 85 national events the first year, the company is looking at more than 350 events in 2017. Tom Tolve, CMP, HMCC, vice president of MJH Live Events and former associate director of meetings management at Novo Nordisk, is one of the executives behind the success.
MeetingsNet: What do you consider the single most effective way to optimize learning experiences for healthcare professionals today?
Tom J. Tolvé: Engaging, cutting-edge, relevant content delivered in a live meeting format is the most effective way to optimize learning experiences for HCPs today. HCPs have a lot of choices when selecting their education partner and assuming all of those points are being met, they’ll continue to bring the best treatments to their patients. By doing so via live meetings, it allows for real-time questions and answers while allowing the attendee to learn from the experience and expertise of their peers in the room.
MeetingsNet: What effect will "repeal and replace" of the Affordable Care Act have on pharmaceutical company physician tracking and reporting?
Tolvé: In my opinion, it’s too early to tell what effect “repeal and replace” of the ACA will have on the pharmaceutical company physician tracking and reporting. [The Open Payment Act’s physician spend tracking and reporting requirements] brought clarity, or are at least trying to bring clarity, to a topic that should be discussed: pharma spending on HCPs. I’d be surprised to see an administration that would want to change that.
MeetingsNet: Can you share one idea for creating an unforgettable attendee experience in today's no-frills environment?
Tolvé: At MJH Live Events, we focus extensively on the attendee experience. Although that can mean different things to every attendee, I find the most successful way to create that unforgettable experience is by having well-informed and friendly attendee-facing staff that are able to anticipate what the attendees’ needs are in advance of them needing it and ensuring that it’s already in place. Our group focuses extensively on what I refer to as the “Nordstrom Customer Experience” model.
