By Shera Dalin
A new publishing venture with a strong local connection is aiming
to shine a national spotlight on St. Louis-area biotech companies
struggling to catch the attention of investors, media or other
prospects.
OneMedPlace is a conglomeration of business promotion efforts
focused on biotech, health and medical technology companies.
The primary focus of the company and its Web site, www.OneMedPlace.com,
is producing a quarterly magazine seen by 15,000 professionals
across the nation, says Brett Johnson, founder and president
of OneMedPlace in New York.
The company also produces an electronic version of the magazine,
called Medical Technology Investment Digest, and a weekly electronic
newsletter, Med Tech Sentinel. Both include news on emerging
companies, innovations and industry insights, says Johnson,
who is also editor and founder of the business publication,
Minnesota Ventures magazine.
While coverage has concentrated on companies across the nation,
OneMedPlace recently began focusing on St. Louis and Midwest
companies, in part, because of the work of Cindy Haines of St.
Louis. Haines, a local physician, assistant clinical professor
at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, WebMD advisor
and owner of her own medical communications and consulting firm
called Haines Medical Communications Inc., has joined OneMedPlace
as vice president of business development.
“There are some wonderful innovations occurring all over the
place, but there are some really wonderful things going on all
over the Midwest and St. Louis,” Johnson says. “We said, ‘Let’s
initiate coverage of the Midwest and progress reports each quarter
and let people know how these companies are doing. We will do
a special concentration on St. Louis and Kansas City.”
Haines, who is highly enthusiastic about the new venture, says
the efforts of OneMedPlace are a good fit with the work health,
medical and biotech companies are doing in St. Louis.
“It’s a diamond in the land of medical communications. We decided
to take this novel communications platform and tailor it to
what we have going on in the Midwest,” she says. “I have always
been extremely passionate about the advancement of St. Louis
as one of the best places in the world to live, work and get
your medical care. We have one of the most fertile environments
for entrepreneurship and innovation.”
The data base for OneMedPlace publications is composed of physicians,
angels, industry executives, media, academics, investment bankers
and media, Johnson says. OneMedPlace partnered with the Advanced
Medical Technology Association, the largest such trade association
in the nation, to build its list and broaden the scope of its
reach.
“Sometimes these companies don’t make it to the level of success
that they would if they had met the right people or gotten the
right partner at the right time. For the little guys, they don’t
really know how to do it. OneMedPlace puts together in one place
all these really great ideas and companies,” Haines says.
Companies featured in OneMedPlace publications may be able to
access key elements necessary to their success, including capital,
customers, strategic partners, distributors, distribution outlets,
technology and talent.
“It does two things: make it easy for people to find you as
an emerging company and really understand what you do, and gets
your message out to as broad an audience of people as possible
who can help you,” Johnson says.
Companies that want to be featured in Medical Technology
Investment Digest must join OneMedPlace. Varying levels
of membership are available. The lowest cost is the bronze level
at $250 a month, which includes company-generated updates published
on OneMedPlace.com. The highest cost is the premium level at
$900 a month, including ongoing updates and coverage in the
magazine during the year.
Membership also includes priority listing in OneMedPlace’s searchable
database of companies sorted by industry as well as spotlight
placement on the OMP homepage.
“What OneMedPlace brings to St. Louis is all it needs to become
the best of the best,” Haines says. “It brings the world to
their fingertips.”
Companies that join also get access to digital video profiles,
investment conference participation and discounted advertising
rates in Medical Technology Investment Digest.
“It’s a virtual trade show. They get so much more visibility
for a very small investment,” Haines says. “OneMedPlace cuts
through all the clutter.”
The first company with a St. Louis connection to become a member
is TeleMedDox of Sarasota, Fla. The chief medical officer for
the physician practice management company is Lanny M. Turner,
M.D., of St. Louis.
Haines says she joined OMP because her life’s goal is empowering
others. She believes that this effort will empower small firms
to find the money, personnel and opportunities they need to
thrive and potentially deliver medical cures or technology that
help people.
“This is the most global empowering initiative I have come across
in my career,” she says. “It’s exciting to be helping with that.”
