THE BUZZWORD FOR MEDICAL CARE IN 2009

OBSERVATION
The buzzword for medical care in 2009?

WHAT'S HAPPENING
More primary-care physicians are taking a shot at a “boutique” model that downsizes their patient load and eliminates their dependency on insurance and Medicare coverage (Baltimore Sun 10.26.08).
Patients will be charged a flat annual fee, which promises less hurried visits and 24-hour access to doctors, including home visits. For example, Charter Internal Medicine in Columbia, Maryland, will charge $2,000 a year plus $500 per child. Only those who can pay can stay.

Patients are encouraged to keep their insurance for procedures such as hospital stays, ambulance rides and blood work.
Advocates hope it means better patient care overall, while opponents fear a physician shortage and lack of accessibility for many people.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
For the haves, a concierge model that guarantees better healthcare services and more attention will be money spent well. For the have-nots, it means more disappointment (trusted doctors turning them away), fewer options and less accessibility to the kind of care they need.

As The World Turns Bicultural: All-Latino Cast On English-Language Soap

OBSERVATION
As the world turns bicultural: All-Latino cast on English-language soap

WHAT'S HAPPENING
A soap with a telenovela edge, Hacienda Heights is an English-language daytime drama starring an all-Latino cast.
Hacienda Heights marries two popular TV and cultural formats: English-language soap operas and Spanish-language telenovelas, airing weekly on San Francisco’s KRON-TV Channel 4 (Examiner.com 12.3.08). Emmy Award-nominated soap actor Tom Eplin of As The World Turns and Another World directs familiar soap themes like scandal, passion, mystery, vengeance and the search for happiness.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
Bicultural Latinos keen to satisfy their telenovela cravings may tune into a weekly daytime soap if the tone, plots and characters are not just auténtico, but entretenido as well. Latina women keep current on both Spanish telenovelas and English-language TV soap operas.

Trying to connect with viewers of both similar, yet distinct, programming genres may be viable test runs for innovative messages and varied media platforms, like Spanish-language video clips on niche English-language websites.