pts
pulse Q1
CardioChek Reaches Underserved People in Peru
By Jonathan Deal, Sr. Marketing Manager
When you picture one of our products in the hands of a customer, what do you see? Maybe you imagine a doctor’s office, a community health outreach event, an annual wellness event at the headquarters of a large corporation, or the home of a chronically ill person.
These are all great examples of places where our products have a tremendous impact. But you also might be interested to know that our products often find themselves in some fascinating programs and locations around the world.
One such example is the Ohio University Global Health (OUGH) study abroad program. Ohio University is a state university of 28,000 students. Its main residential campus is in Athens, Ohio, about 65 miles southeast of Columbus.
Until the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. David Drozek, Associate Professor of Specialty Medicine, led a group of selected students majoring in medical professions on an annual trip to Lima, Peru. Dr. Drozek has a long history of missionary work in clinics and hospitals abroad. He spent a year in Costa Rica, followed by seven years in Honduras.
He returned to Ohio 17 years ago and soon after began his annual trips abroad with students.
While in Peru, OUGH partners with the Center for the Complete Development of Children (CEDEINFA), and with local churches and community organizations, to provide hold free community clinics in impoverished communities.
At the clinics, students provide medical care, conduct research, and offer preventive health education in the villages near Lima.
Ultimately, the work done by Dr. Drozek and the program is about helping improve the overall health of the people and their communities. Cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in Peru, behind respiratory disease. To help gain insight and understanding into the prevalence of heart disease in the community, program participants have collected data during their annual trips to Peru and have shared their findings through published studies, presentations at conferences, posters, and more.
For one study, program participants used CardioChek analyzers and lipid panel test to better quantify the level of cardiovascular risk in the resource-poor communities of Peru.
Dr. Drozek selected CardioChek for its portability, battery-operated power, room temperature test strip storage and quick results that can be shared immediately with study participants.
Based on CDC standards, data collected showed that:
- 57% of participants met the criteria for dyslipidemia
- 7.6% had high total cholesterol
- 16.6% had elevated triglycerides
- 16.6% had elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
- 51% had low high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
- 47% met the criteria for diabetes
The study concluded that cardiovascular disease risk factors are prevalent with alarming percentages. The study’s conclusion states that lifestyle modification focused on plant-based diets might be an affordable, cost-effective approach to reducing the cardiovascular risk.
The study abroad program to Peru not only benefits the communities being served, but the program provides a meaningful and valuable experience for the students. Dr. Drozek states that many students apply for grants to fund their personal research and program travel.
As the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be waning, it’s important to refocus on population health and the management of chronic diseases. Our products allow us to be a valuable partner in these types of settings.
If you are familiar with the idea of six degrees of separation, all people are six or fewer social connections away from each other. Programs such as Dr. Drozek’s demonstrate that our products touch and connect us to people far beyond the walls of Whitestown and Sunnyvale.
Customer Corner:
Q&A with Alyssa Williamson, President at US Wellness
1. How long have you been at US Wellness and what is your role there?
I’ve been at US Wellness for 19 years as of this month. My role has evolved from Sr. Director of Operations to COO to President, a promotion that was announced in January 2022.
2. How would you describe the importance of what your organization does to better serve your clients?
US Wellness has always been focused on quality. Our team understands the importance of managing to the details and everyone working together to deliver the best service. Over the past few years especially, US Wellness has harnessed this quality and expanded it to new and different services beyond traditional biometric screenings. We are taking what we do best – quality, communication, and service – and applying that to support our employer clients in a variety of population well-being services.
3. What has US Wellness done to adapt to the post-COVID environment?
I would not say that we as a global economy and society are exactly in a POST COVID environment quite yet. US Wellness was there, helping our clients gain access to testing and risk management services. As we finally start to see the pandemic slow, we continue to be there to help our clients transition back to the workplace with added risk management services. We also engage our clients in far-reaching employee well-being solutions to help people cope with the changes in their lives.
4. What do you see as the outlook for the health and wellness industry?
So many exciting changes! Science and technology are bringing us rapid advancements in genomic and preventive testing that help people understand their risk factors and control their well-being in ways that we have not had before. Health and wellness are finally taking a customized approach. We have the tools now to tailor services and support to individuals’ unique needs. When combined, these individuated wellness care plans will blend into true population health.
5. What notable impact has the PTS Diagnostics solutions made to better assist your organization? How do they stand out?
PTS has been an outstanding partner to US Wellness for nearly 20 years now. Together, we have not only watched but helped the health and wellness industry evolve to better serve the needs of all the people we reach. PTS listens to the market and reacts with solutions that address the need and help the market evolve. PTS blends its own business goals with the needs and goals of its clients. As a client of PTS, we have benefited so much from the partnership and look forward to what’s next health and wellness together.
Reaching Out to Pediatricians in 2022
Pediatricians are seeing more children present with new-onset diabetes after having COVID-19.[1]
PTS products have been used by pediatricians to gauge their young patients’ heart disease and diabetes risk for some time; however, there is plenty of room for growth as the focus on childhood chronic diseases such as diabetes regains attention.
This summer, the Marketing team will coordinate and execute a comprehensive pediatric brand awareness campaign in partnership with domestic and international distributors.
For example, as part of the 2022 Henry Schein GEMS program, the Marketing team will produce a series of ads to be featured in key publications. CardioChek Plus ads will appear in Henry Schein’s Back to School Product Guide in July and on the Henry Schein website. These ads will coincide with a social media campaign to be run on both Henry Schein and PTS Diagnostics channels throughout June and July.
Other Marketing collateral will include a pediatrics informational sheet to share with healthcare providers and a training presentation specifically produced for Henry Schein sales representatives. The training presentation will be featured on Henry Schein’s employee portal and will help Henry Schein better understand our products and how to position them in the marketplace.
Our NDC distribution partners will also provide opportunities for increased visibility because we supported their annual national conference. The 2022 conference takes place in Nashville, April 11-13. We will place pediatric web and email banner ads targeted to NDC distribution members in June and July. These will be accompanied by a landing page within the NDC member website in July.
These are just two examples of the number of focus pediatrics will have for PTS Diagnostics in 2022. Pediatrics will also be targeted by the newly formed Inside Sales team. Specific pediatric leads will be loaded into Salesforce campaigns and tracked as the campaign progresses. A comprehensive social media campaign will support all these messaging opportunities to deliver a consistent and persistent message to the pediatric market.
The goal is to increase awareness and generate new opportunities for our sales teams. We are excited about this initiative. It will be interesting to see how the efforts pay off as the program unfolds.
Product Highlight: Trividia Health
When did you join PTS? April 5, 2021
Name three hashtags that describe you: #Strong #Committed #Funny
Favorite place to “get away”: Anywhere that doesn’t involve work and is warm!
Best part about your job at PTS? I get to collaborate with multiple departments and PTS sites.
Secret Talent? I can wiggle my nose and ears.
Favorite part about working at PTS? The teamwork and support everyone provides. Everyone truly wants to make each other successful, and that is hard to find! It’s a ‘How can I help you’ mentality.
One thing you cannot resist? Chocolate!
Best advice you have ever been given? Never stop learning. Every job, every person you meet is an opportunity to learn something.
PTS Employee Spotlights
When did you join PTS? April 2018
Name three hashtags that describe you: #CatMom #Determined #Fun
Favorite place to “get away”: I look for new places that include adventure and history.
Best part about your job at PTS? I get to interact with tons of different people.
Secret Talent? Strategy board games.
Favorite part about working at PTS? Lovely coworkers.
One thing you can’t resist? Chocolate and coffee!
When did you join PTS? February 2020
Name three hashtags that describe you: #Dependable #GoodForComedyRelief #Cheerful
Favorite place to “get away”: Clifty Falls State Park in Madison, Indiana.
Best part about your job at PTS? Exploring the ins and outs of the many aspects of regulatory affairs.
Secret Talent? I played the flute in middle school and high school.
Favorite part about working at PTS? Working with different parts of the organization on a daily basis.
One thing you can’t resist? Greek food! Opa!
Best advice you have ever been given? After a set back in college, I was struggling with my perspective on the event. During that time, my dad told me the event was “just a small dot in the big picture of my life; and that I shouldn’t let that dot become the whole picture.” I’ve carried that with me to this day, and it helps.
When did you join PTS? Various Marketing positions from 2010-2014 and returned in August of 2021.
Name three hashtags that describe you: #DogLover #DadJokes #Family
Favorite place to “get away”: Anything involving travel by land, air, or sea. Madrid is my favorite city.
Best part about your job at PTS? The ability to wear many different hats and provide meaningful input. Getting to interact with all the great individuals both inside and outside of PTS.
Favorite part about working at PTS? Without a doubt the people. Not only PTS employees, but individuals in the industry in general.
One thing you can’t resist? Smiling at every dog I see while driving, walking, etc. and of course saying hi to the ones that I can.
Best advice you have ever been given? Just breathe and try to enjoy life.
Quarterly Question</h2
If every activity were an Olympic sport, in what event would you win the gold?
Downhill skiing/ racing…I used to be a great skier.
Oh Andrea, there are so many things for me to choose from on this one. But I think I will have to go with cooking.
Shopping online is my cardio!
Singing – maybe not for skill, but definitely for enthusiasm and volume.
I would say ordering food on the Chick-fil-A app for sure.
Well…..I was the Women’s Indiana University Beer Chugging Champion many years ago, and have a trophy in my office to prove it!
Napping. I’m the king!
I could win a gold medal in crafting. My craft room is where I train LOL.
I have 2 categories. Coding & Cold Weather Camping. Last time I went camping it was -5°F over night and a high of 14°F during the day.
So I would win the Gold in sarcasm… and my son would be next to me with the Silver.
Drinking Diet Coke.
I’d have to say… carrying a trunk full of groceries into the house in ONE trip. God forbid I make multiple trips!.
Overthinking. In fact, I gave one of my all-time best performances in overthinking while trying to come up with an answer to this question.
Documentary watching.
Being a smart… aleck.
Music.
Being able to cry on demand.
Video gaming.
Answering the phone.
Befriending dogs.
I did a poll with some family/friends and the consensus was that I would win the Gold in Event/Party Planning.
Employee Events, Q1 2022
Thank you for helping us celebrate!
