Viewpoint: Medical Economics has a new look

When Medical Economics first landed in the hands of physicians back in 1923, TB and typhus were plagues of the day, and penicillin and insulin were newfound weapons against illness. They were groundbreaking developments at the time, but they have given way to far greater advances and vastly superior technology.

Of course, the way physicians manage their careers has also changed dramatically since the era of Norman Rockwell. And Medical Economics is changing along with you. By now you've likely noticed the new logo on the front of this issue, as well as the new look inside. Perhaps most important, there is the new page across from this one: It's our first installment of the 360 Network, your guide to the expansive offerings at http://www.modernmedicine.com - and the focal point of our new direction here at MedEc.

To better understand it all, a little background is in order. The transformation started behind the scenes with our parent company, Advanstar Communications. We're in the process of launching a progressive "Centralized Content" strategy, designed to enhance the depth and breadth of our health-care offerings and to better support our drive toward innovative information delivery.

The 360 Guide on the opposite page is your portal to a wealth of coverage at http://www.modernmedicine.com - a comprehensive blend of content geared toward the audiences of Medical Economics and Advanstar's numerous other health-care publications. You'll find everything from feature stories and insightful interviews to financial calculators, exclusive podcasts, and the latest health-care news and clinical updates.

In addition to the 360 Guide, you can follow the 360 Network logo throughout each issue to learn how our feature stories and columns are supplemented with additional resources online.

Of course, ours is only one of the voices at http://www.modernmedicine.com: You can join the conversation by taking part in our online polls and sounding off on our stories. And in the coming months, we'll continue to introduce new ways for you and your colleagues to be part of the action.

To help make these enhanced offerings a reality, we have established a unique editorial team that will work hand-in-hand with the staff of Medical Economics, developing multimedia approaches to the issues most vital to you. This Centralized Content Group, as the new team is called, is based in Advanstar's editorial offices in Cleveland.

"These changes to Advanstar's business structure mirror our strategic push for the continuous innovation of information delivery - and our commitment to engage with each audience in the manner that they choose," says Steve Morris, Executive Vice President of Advanstar's Life Science Group.

To facilitate interaction between teams, the editorial operations of MedEc have moved to Cleveland from their longtime home in northern New Jersey. It is with great gratitude that we honor the previous staff, who opted not to make the transition. Their contributions were innumerable, and their expertise will be missed.

It is also with great enthusiasm that I and the rest of the incoming team wish to welcome you to the new Medical Economics. Please join us for a brief video overview of the 360 Network at http://www.memag.com/360welcome, where you can learn more about what we offer and what it means to you.

You might say our 360 spin has returned us to where we started: Serving your every career need, just as we have since 1923. Medicine has grown remarkably since those days, and so has Medical Economics. Welcome to the 360 Network!

Erich Burnett Editor-in-Chief