ThomasARTS Leads Health Care Reform Discussions With National Industry Decision Makers

FARMINGTON, Utah, March 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ThomasARTS, a direct-growth marketing company and national leader in health care marketing and communications, hosted its Health Care Reform Roundtable and Summit last week in Park City, Utah to facilitate engaging dialogue between national industry leaders. The event brought together key decision makers from both individual patient and government health care entities who were able to provide unique perspectives and voice concerns on evolving legislation and industry trends.

"As an agency with significant marketing expertise in the health care space, ThomasARTS is in a unique position to bring these influential leaders together for the first symposium of its kind. These types of discussions are an invaluable step in creating sweeping change in health care reform," said Dave Thomas, CEO and founder of ThomasARTS. "Both the prestige of the attendees and the quality of the conversations attest to the real need for this summit in the industry. This was a milestone not just for ThomasARTS, but for the progression of health care reform and the role we play as marketers. We look forward to making this an annual event."

Keynote speakers during the conference included Senator Robert Bennett, former Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael O. Leavitt, and John Gorman, CEO of Gorman Health Group. Each offered a distinct point of view on the current precipice of health care reform in the United States, while concurring on the bold gesture of ThomasARTS leadership, the value of the conference and its influence on industry improvement.

Regarding health care reform and government entitlement programs, "Nobody wants to talk about it," said Senator Bennett. "They are the most popular programs in America; we have to deal with it."

"We are all waiting for someone else to come up with the solution," said Leavitt. "Where will this happen? Not in Congress, but in meetings such as these."

Among the many topics addressed during the two-day conference were these primary messages:

• To have a lasting impact on health care reform, broader issues of behavioral and lifestyle choices must be addressed.
• Health care is not about promoting a product, but offering a service.
• In addition to reform, the nation must begin addressing the decreasing number of primary care physicians and the detrimental effects this is having on health care.
• The national deficit and health care reform are intrinsically linked.
• Medicaid is the first item on every state's budget, covering the most venerable demographics.

On adapting to these trends and evolution within the industry, Gorman said, "At the end of the day, health care is a service business. And if we don't treat it like that, then we are going to get what we deserve in terms of beneficiary loyalty."

The Health Care Reform Roundtable and Summit was held March 7 through March 8 at the Montage Resort Deer Valley.

For more information on ThomasARTS, the Health Care Reform Roundtable and Summit or conference takeaways, please visit ThomasARTS.com or contact Autumn Buys at (801) 451-5365 or [email protected].

ABOUT THOMASARTS

ThomasARTS is a full-service marketing communications firm with offices in Utah, California, New York, Minnesota and Texas. Our objective is simple: get our clients noticed, believed and remembered by doing work that is unexpected, engaging and consistent. Our seasoned team of creative, editorial, interactive, media and account management professionals offers our client partners superior service and proven results. ThomasARTS provides services across all marketing platforms to drive growth for clients in a diverse range of industries, including health care, banking, technology, automotive, real estate and consumer products. For more information, visit www.ThomasARTS.com or call (801) 451-5365.

SOURCE ThomasARTS