Mercalis in Motion

To commemorate National Nurses Week 2025, Landy and Eric welcome our colleague Heather Smith, PhD, RN, NNP to the studio to discuss Mercalis's burgeoning suite of nursing services that focus on patient care and education. Over the past several years, Mercalis nurses have played a vital role in the education of caregivers and patients, which has resulted in increased adherence and superior outcomes.

In this episode of Mercalis in Motion, Landy and Eric welcome to the studio two members of the Mercalis HCP Engagement Team: VP of HCP Engagement Operations Nolan Watts, and Business Development Manager John Katter. Please join us for an informative conversation that describes how Mercalis supports brands at any stage of the product life cycle by providing the following disciplines:•Contract Sales Teams•Field Reimbursement Support•Medical Science Liaisons•Clinical Nurse Educators•Institutional Sales Support•Medical Science Liaisons

Landy and Eric are joined in the studio by Mercalis President and Chief Commercial Officer Joe Abdalla and Mercalis Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Data & Insights Chris Apolito. In this episode, Joe and Chris reflect upon Mercalis's successful 2024 and look ahead to what's next for the life sciences commercialization partner in 2025 and beyond.

In this episode, Latrinda Williams, Mercalis's Senior Director of Employee Engagement and Culture joins Landy and Eric in studio to discuss her role within the growing Mercalis organization. Tune in to learn more about the lessons learned from COVID-19 and how Mercalis has maintained engagement and culture in a post-pandemic workplace. Latrinda also reflects on the importance of mental health and shares some best practices on ensuring inclusivity in fully remote or hybrid workforces. 

In this episode, our hosts Landy Townsend, VP of Marketing and Communications, and Eric Manning, Creative Director, take a look back at our 2024 episodes, highlighting notable guests and discussions from the past twelve months. We hope you enjoy a recap of the people and topics that made an impact in 2024. Whether you are a Mercalis in Motion devotee or a first-time listener, we hope you'll join us for a look back at the year that was in life sciences.

Our Thanksgiving episode of Mercalis in Motion is now available!  In this episode, Mercalis team members Michael Turner, Terry Cato, and Blake Johnson join us to discuss the impact the introduction of biosimilars has made on the pharmaceutical marketplace and how pharma manufacturers are developing strategy for biosimilar patient support services.

On this episode of Mercalis in Motion, Sean Boyler, Tom Gottschalk, and Robbie Hill join us in the studio to commemorate the 15-year anniversary of RxStudy Card.  What follows is a conversation about how RxStudy Card by Mercalis has evolved over the years to save our clients millions of dollars in time and money while eliminating waste associated with the traditional clinical trial supply process.

Today, Landy and Eric welcome three members of the Mercalis Products Team to the studio.  Bill Dupere, Stephanie Chesebro, and Nick Hill stopped by to discuss recent developments related to the Mercalis eServices and Curator capabilities.  In November 2023, Mercalis announced an exclusive perpetual license to a portfolio of access and adherence technologies from OptimizeRx. Since then, the Products Team has been busy integrating and enhancing its catalog of market-leading patient support services offerings.

In this episode, Heather Smith, PhD, RN, NNP visits the studio to discuss the Mercalis Nurse Network.  For the past seven years, Mercalis has provided its clients and their patients with a growing suite of services focused on patient care and education.  The need for our Nurse Network was realized when we observed that parents and caregivers were being asked to mix medications and inject their children or family members.  Since then, Mercalis nurses have served as an important link in the education of caregivers, leading to better adherence and superior outcomes for countless patients.

In this episode, Landy and Eric sit down with Jason Zemcik, Andrea Xu, and Bethany Najer of Policy Reporter by Mercalis to dive into a number of issues that are facing the life sciences market, as well as an update on Policy Reporter's offerings and what's on the horizon for the growing healthcare information management company . Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation about market dynamics and advancements in market access.

Today on Mercalis in Motion, we're pleased to share a two-part episode featuring three of our colleagues from Triangle Insights Group by Mercalis.  Triangle, acquired by Mercalis in April 2022, is a premier strategy consulting firm providing guidance on critical business issues to life science industry leaders.  On this episode, Matt Haynes and Meghna Shankar discuss a recent white paper titled “The Indirect Impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act on Pharmaceutical Pipeline and Portfolio Strategy”, co-authored by Shankar and Triangle Principal Megan Thomas.  Then, Landy speaks with Triangle Executive Vice President & General Manager Rohit Kumar, who recently joined the company in November 2023.  Kumar discusses what brought him to Triangle and shares his vision for the firm and how it will continue to integrate with Mercalis and Policy Reporter to provide value to life sciences companies.

Rare Disease Day is an observance that takes place worldwide to raise awareness for rare diseases and improve access to treatment and medical representation for individuals with rare diseases and their families.  Rare Disease Day typically takes place on or near the last day of February.  In this episode of Mercalis in Motion, Landy and Eric welcome to the studio two guests from Catalyst Pharmaceuticals — Amy Grover, Senior Director of Patient Advocacy and Carrie Ostrea, Senior Manager of Patient Advocacy.  We are also joined by our Mercalis colleague John Katter, who serves as a Director, Business Development.  Please join us as Amy, Carrie, and John discuss the importance of acknowledging the rare disease community and highlight the work that Catalyst and Mercalis have done for this very important patient population.

Mercalis CEO Scott Dulitz joins Landy and Eric for Mercalis in Motion's first podcast episode of 2024.  Scott reflects on a very eventful and successful 2023 as well as what lies ahead for the life sciences commercialization partner in 2024 and beyond. 

In this episode, our hosts Landy Townsend, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, and Eric Manning, Creative Director, take a look back at 2023, highlighting notable guests and key discussions from the past 12 months. No frills or fluff—just a recap of some of the people and topics that made an impact. Whether you're a regular listener or just tuning in, join us for a review of the conversations that shaped our year. 

Copay accumulators have been a major topic of discussion in the life sciences community for the past several years, and Mercalis has been extremely busy providing continued guidance and support to our clients who have been impacted. After several recent legal developments, we decided to devote an episode of our Mercalis in Motion podcast to discuss the latest updates via a roundtable discussion. We welcomed to the studio our colleague Michael Harris, Mercalis' VP of Patient Support Services Strategy. He was joined by Carl Schmid, the Executive Director at the HIV + Hepatitis Policy Institute and Bill Sarraille, a Partner with the Sidley law firm in Washington, D.C. This information will be very helpful to life sciences decision makers who are planning for 2024 and beyond.

In this episode of Mercalis in Motion, we welcome to the studio Mercalis CEO Scott Dulitz to discuss TrialCard's recent rebranding initiative that resulted in the creation of Mercalis.  Scott discusses the reasons that led to the rebranding, how we arrived at the name Mercalis, and what's next for the growing integrated life sciences commercialization partner.

Diana Villanova, TrialCard's VP of Patient Support Services Strategy, joins Landy and Eric on today's episode, to discuss Alternate Funding Programs (AFPs).  Designed to limit plan sponsors' financial exposure, the increased use of AFPs has introduced new access challenges for patients, plans, and manufacturers alike.

The Drug Provisions within the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 are of critical importance to pharmaceutical manufacturers, who now have a host of new considerations when thinking through their portfolio strategies and pricing and market access considerations.  In this episode of TrialCard TALK, Landy and Eric welcome to the studio two experts on the topic: Megan Thomas, Partner, Triangle Insights Group and Jason Zemcik, Principal Consultant for Policy Reporter. 

In this episode of TrialCard TALK, we welcome to the studio Chris Harris, TrialCard's Vice President of Operations, to discuss the growth and impact that TrialCard's non-commercial dispensing pharmacy has had on the organization and its clients.

In this episode of TrialCard TALK, Landy and Eric welcome to the studio Dean Erhardt, President & CEO of D2 Solutions.  D2 is a healthcare solutions company that leverages consulting expertise with SaaS-based technology tools to drive revenue, enhance operational efficiency, and decrease exposure to regulatory risk for pharma and biotech manufacturers, specialty pharmacies, payers, and hospitals/IDNs.  Mr. Erhardt has over 30 years of strategic marketing and management experience across both the consumer product and pharmaceutical arenas.  His experience has spanned several Fortune 500 organizations, including Express Scripts, Cardinal Health, and U.S. Healthcare.Download this episode to learn more about the everchanging healthcare landscape and what Mr. Erhardt sees ahead for life science companies, payers, and patients.

TrialCard CEO Scott Dulitz joins Landy and Eric on the first podcast of 2023 to reflect upon TrialCard's success in 2022 and look ahead at some of the trends in the market that will define 2023.

In the final episode of TrialCard TALK for 2022, our hosts Landy Townsend, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, and Eric Manning, Associate Creative Director, reflect on the guests we have featured during the year and some of the highlights from each insightful conversation. Download now to enjoy the best of our 2022 discussions. 

In the latest episode of TrialCard TALK, we speak to Bill Dupere, VP for Product Development for Patient Services, and Stephanie Chesebro, Product Owner – eServices on our IT Development Team, about TrialCard's eServices and ‘Orchestrator' solution. Bill and Stephanie explain how Orchestrator allows our life science clients to access many eService providers through one contract with TrialCard, which enables them to focus on what really matters: simplifying access to therapy for their patients. Download the podcast to hear more about how Orchestrator is evolving and further streamlining eService provider management in our industry. 

In this episode of TrialCard TALK, we are joined by Tim Ogren, General Manager, and Peter Weissberg, Managing Director, at Policy Reporter – a TrialCard Company. Tim and Peter speak to us about the difference that the company makes to its clients – and ultimately, patients – through its innovative healthcare software solutions, which improve the way the medical and pharmaceutical industry receives, processes, and acts on policy developments.Download this podcast to learn about the market dynamics that are driving demand for these solutions, why providers are increasingly reporting that the Policy Reporter platform is their go-to for updates in this space, and how the company is bringing a human element to its data through its new Policy Reporter Partners community. 

In this episode of TrialCard TALK, Tom Gottschalk, Senior Director of Business Development for TrialCard, outlines how we support biotech and pharmaceutical companies' clinical trial supply needs through our RxStudy Card™ – an innovative product that generates significant cost and time savings. Download this podcast to learn how TrialCard brings high value to our clinical supply partnerships through our consultative approach, ongoing investments into the clinical trial industry, and strategic partnerships that enable us to meet global needs. 

Following TrialCard's recent acquisition of Triangle Insights Group, Landy and Eric welcome two of the strategy consulting firm's founding partners to the studio this month. In this discussion, we speak to Gautam Aggarwal and Chris Apolito about how Triangle's strategic capabilities, combined with TrialCard's industry-leading suite of patient support and provider engagement services, will enable us to provide greater value and support to our clients.

To commemorate National Nurses Week, Landy and Eric welcomed Heather Smith, PhD, RN, NNP to the studio to discuss the role that nurses play in TrialCard's Patient Services offerings.  Dr. Smith, who serves as Senior Program Director, Hub Services at TrialCard, also discusses nurses' evolving roles through the years, the future of nursing, and what sets TrialCard's Nursing Team apart from other providers.

In this episode of TrialCard TALK, Landy and Eric welcome to the studio Michael Carlin, General Manager of EngageHCP by TrialCard.  The number of no see or difficult to see HCPs has risen dramatically in recent years and has been greatly exacerbated by COVID-19.  Despite this growing trend, life science companies still must reach and educate HCPs about new and existing therapies.  To accomplish this, TrialCard recently launched EngageHCP by TrialCard, a new expanded suite of services that serves as a complement to a biopharma brand's field teams.  EngageHCP supports brands at any stage of the product life cycle by providing the following disciplines:Clinical Nurse EducatorsField Reimbursement ManagersPharmaceutical Institutional, Sales, and Specialty RepresentativesRare Disease ProfessionalTelepromotion AgentsMedical Science LiaisonsCarlin discusses with Landy how hiring, training, and technology have separated TrialCard from other providers in this space, which has greatly benefitted the brands that TrialCard serves. 

In this episode of TrialCard TALK, Landy and Eric welcome TrialCard's two most senior executives to the studio: Scott Dulitz, President & Chief Strategy Officer and Joe Abdalla, President & Chief Commercial Officer.  Scott and Joe discuss TrialCard's recent successes, future plans, and their vision for the full-service life sciences commercialization partner.

In this episode of TrialCard TALK, our hosts Landy Townsend, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, and Eric Manning, Associate Creative Director, reflect back on our guests from this first season and highlights from each conversation.

In the latest episode of TrialCard TALK, Molly Stallings, Vice President of Product Marketing at TrialCard, discusses the evolving digital landscape and how it impacts the delivery of patient support programs. Download the podcast to hear how TrialCard is effectively engaging patients and caretakers with its life sciences multi-channel communication platform.

The risk environment facing co-pay assistance programs has expanded significantly in recent years.  Legislative and policy developments, payer tactics, and ill-intentioned actors present financial, operational, and compliance issues if not properly understood and addressed.  TrialCard's TC Synapse suite combines industry-leading subject matter expertise and proprietary data-driven controls to ensure your program is safeguarded against multiple threat areas.  In this episode, Jason Zemcik, Vice President and Patient Affordability Practice Lead, discusses how TC Synapse is helping pharmaceutical manufacturers remain ahead of emerging trends in co-pay program risk to ensure the integrity of their program.  

In this episode of TrialCard TALK, Landy and Eric welcome Mark Boesen, J.D., Pharm.D. from TC Script, TrialCard's non-commercial dispensing pharmacy located in Scottsdale, AZ.  Mark discusses how TC Script has continued TrialCard's longstanding promise to always take care of patients.

In this podcast, Jason Zemcik, Sr. Director of Product Management at TrialCard, breaks down the implications of this rule, outlines strategies for manufacturers to address it, and provides insight on other drug pricing policy matters that could affect how manufacturers deliver patient support programs going forward..

In this episode, Latrinda Riley joins Landy Townsend, Vice President of Marketing at TrialCard, to discuss her new role as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Listen to learn more about Latrinda's background, how she managed challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the new initiatives she has planned for the organization.