UNISON Newsletter - Volume 2 Edition 4

This is the first in a series of articles about UNISON's role in an initiative conducted by a pharmaceutical company to promote multi-cultural communication and medical education in connection with its Global Observational Study on a new product. The Study involves thousands of physicians and patients in China, Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Europe. This article relates to UNISON's China experience.

When Larry Cerri, Managing Partner of UNISON, received a telephone call earlier this year from 6° Medical Consulting, inquiring about using UNISON for meetings in China, Larry thought, "this is an excellent opportunity to attract non US clients to our pioneering process." Larry thought that this new project should coincide nicely with a project just completed in China. UNISON supported Deloitte, as it has for many years in Beijing.



		The China Experience


		Conversation with Colin Buchanan




		Meet Heather Charest
		New Technological Capabilities


		On-site with UNISON


		Heard from our Clients

However this China assignment was to be like no other UNISON was used to. First, the major cities in China were not to be a part of the meetings tour. The first set of meetings would be held in Nanjing, Wuhan, Changchun, Jinan and Dalian – cities definitely off the beaten path. All told, UNISON would be supporting 12 meetings in 12 different cities in China. This meant taking electronic equipment into cities that potentially have electricity rationing, and local electricians who might be lacking in up-to-date information and under-equipped meeting facilities.

Second, the pharmaceutical company wanted to "wow" the Chinese doctors – to inspire them to participate fully in the meetings. The client also wanted to capture data exchange in real time. And finally it all had to be done in Mandarin Chinese

Working with Colin Buchanan of 6° Medical Consulting and TBA Global Events, an international production company, the UNISON team designed and programmed the precise medical education content for delivery in Mandarin Chinese, then to be reversed into English for analysis.

The pharmaceutical company challenged 6° to find a solution that would “break the mold” of traditional medical education techniques yet ensure that physicians would be better armed with knowledge that was transferable to the treatment of their diabetic patients and their well-being.

"UNISON provided us with a unique tool to enrich the interactive experience and hands-on learning that delivered the results our client demanded. [And] it is at least four steps beyond any touch keypad response system that we’ve seen," remarked Colin.


The unique capability of UNISON provided the ease to adapt and deliver language and cultural nuisances of the precise medical education content. Approximately 200 Chinese physicians attended each of the meetings. In every case the reaction has been that of "awe" and zealous participation. The pharmaceutical company’s management believes that the interchange of data, the interactivity and collaboration of the physicians and presenters will have a profound impact on improving diabetes care for patients in this part of China.

UNISON met all challenges: creating a “wow” factor, programming in Mandarin Chinese, turning around the Chinese input into English in real time and overcoming the local electrical power and meeting hall limitations. In nine meetings completed as of this writing, the Chinese
doctors rated UNISON a 4.8 out of a possible 5.0, the highest rating of all the elements evaluated. The success of these meetings has quickly spread to regional divisions of the pharmaceutical company. They, too, want to use UNISON to span the language and cultural gaps for their observational meetings.