AccentHealth® White Paper Highlights Physician's Active Role in Vitamin, Mineral and Supplement Purchasing Decisions

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif., Nov. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- AccentHealth, the leading patient education media company at the point-of-care, today released a white paper presenting recent study findings that confirm the physician's active role in recommending vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS). The study was designed to explore both physician and consumer perceptions of VMS, the sources of information used when making product and brand selections, and the key purchase drivers for health-minded consumers. The announcement from AccentHealth came on opening day of the Council for Responsible Nutrition's 2014 Annual Symposium for the Dietary Supplement Industry, where AccentHealth is a sponsor.

AccentHealth, an active member of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, provides patient education media in over 30,000 doctor offices, serving 70,000 physicians nationwide and reaching 17 million patients per month with its waiting room television network.  Research was gathered through an online survey of 150 physicians and more than 900 consumers from AccentHealth's Consumer Connections™ panel of AccentHealth viewers.  Encuity Research conducted the physician component of the study.

The study found that AccentHealth viewers are frequent consumers of VMS products:   

• 9 out of 10  AccentHealth viewers have taken vitamins and/or supplements
• More than 50% of those viewers report taking vitamins and supplements "always" or "often"

The study also shows that with the greater emphasis on preventative care, the physician's role is becoming even more vital as consumers are turning to their doctors for information and guidance. Research shows that consumers most commonly look to healthcare practitioners – more so than friends and family, pharmacists and the Web – for information on VMS:

• 59 percent of consumers look to their physicians for information on VMS products
• 42 percent of consumers consider healthcare practitioners to be their most trusted source of information

According to the study, doctor-patient discussions regarding VMS products are common, and the outcome is often a recommendation for a VMS product. In fact, nearly 80 percent of consumers report that they have received a physician recommendation for a vitamin or supplement product.  Among those, 84 percent report they typically comply with their doctor's suggestions, and 72 percent purchase the recommended vitamin or supplement product.

"Our study underscores the physician's increasingly essential role in providing guidance to consumers on the VMS product choices that best suit their health and wellness needs," said Natalie Hill, Vice President, Insights and Analytics, AccentHealth.

For more information or to view the complete white paper, please visit: www.accenthealth.com/Corporate/Press/VMS-Marketplace.aspx

About AccentHealth^®, LLC 
AccentHealth is the leading patient education media company at the point-of-care, located in 30,000 physician offices and serving 70,000 medical professionals nationwide. AccentHealth's patient education engages health-conscious consumers in a trusted environment, featuring its award-winning waiting room television network watched by over 200 million annual viewers.  AccentHealth's content is produced by CNN's Medical Unit, hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and by Harvard Medical School.  Founded in 1995, AccentHealth is based in New York City and Tampa, FL and is owned by M/C Partners, Ridgemont Equity Partners and senior management. AccentHealth is a founding member of the Point-of-Care Communication Council (PoC³).

About AccentHealth Consumer Connections™

Consumer Connections™ is a client-focused education solution from AccentHealth, enabling brands to gain valuable insights from a panel of 8,000+ engaged AccentHealth consumers.

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Ashley Nasser
Allison+Partners on behalf of AccentHealth
404-832-7152
[email protected]

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SOURCE AccentHealth

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http://www.accenthealth.com