CARY, N.C., Sept. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Leveraging 18 years of experience in studying and shaping human health behavior, MicroMass Communications has formed a new consulting practice to help life science companies meet the growing demand for patient-centricity, an approach that drives positive patient experiences and outcomes, both of which are critical areas of focus in the new healthcare environment.

The new division, the MicroMass Health Behavior Group (www.micromasshbg.com), specializes in identifying ways of motivating patients and other audiences to adopt behaviors that lead to better health outcomes. Behavioral science has always been central to MicroMass campaigns for full-service clients, but the newly formed Health Behavior Group will now provide consulting services, giving pharmaceutical companies greater access to the agency's unrivaled behavioral expertise.

"With patient-centricity affecting the entire healthcare sector, we developed a more robust agency model to help marketers arrive at effective business solutions," said Alyson Connor, MicroMass partner and senior vice president of strategic and behavioral sciences. "Many healthcare marketers seek patient insights and strategic counseling for specific campaigns, while others seek insights and counseling to drive their broader marketing efforts." She says the MicroMass Health Behavior Group is structured to meet both kinds of needs, leveraging the agency's extensive experience and intellectual property on human health behavior to help marketers better understand and shape customer behaviors.

Jessica Brueggeman to Lead New GroupJessica Brueggeman, a 12-year veteran of MicroMass, has been appointed to lead the new practice. As vice president, Health Behavior Group, she will oversee the agency's staff of behaviorists to deliver evidence-based business strategies that can be applied across multiple audiences, including patients, healthcare providers, caregivers and payers.

"We're seeing tremendous interest from clients and prospects in crafting a truly patient-centric approach to marketing," she said, noting that the future success of pharma companies will depend on how well they function as agents of behavioral change.

"As pharma shifts its focus from products to health outcomes, it's essential to understand what motivates patients to take appropriate actions regarding their health," she said. "Formalizing MicroMass's behavioral services into a dedicated consulting group gives us the opportunity to partner with clients to help them build new capabilities in behavior change."

Formerly director of behavioral services at MicroMass, Brueggeman brings extensive experience in behavioral science, public health, nursing and pharmaceutical marketing to her new role. She has worked in a wide range of therapeutic areas, including metabolic diseases, respiratory diseases, oncology, neurology and nephrology. She has also conducted research and written articles on a variety of health-behavior topics, including the MicroMass Metabolic Mindset study and an independent MicroMass analysis of patient support programs in 13 chronic diseases.

Brueggeman earned a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

About MicroMass Communications, Inc.MicroMass is a healthcare marketing agency specializing in digital, relationship marketing, and non-personal promotion. The company's unique expertise in human health behavior allows for the creation of highly effective solutions for patients and healthcare providers. Building off a foundation in behavioral science, MicroMass translates academic rigor into practical marketing solutions. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Cary, N.C., MicroMass has created award-winning programs for some of the most respected names in the life sciences. For more information, visit http://www.micromass.com.

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MicroMass Launches Health Behavior Group to Help Life Science Companies Improve Patient Health Outcomes