If it’s December, it’s time for another SBIR grant

The month of November is typically a very hectic time at Vida.  In addition to dealing with the holidays it’s also the run-up to the December 5th SBIR grant submission deadline. Grants have gradually become an important source of R&D capital for us and are fueling the development of our next generation information delivery systems, but it’s taken us years to reach this point. Our roots in SBIR reach all the way back to 1995 when we received our first grant to produce educational interventions around Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. In 2002 we made a strategic commitment to make SBIR grants a key part of our business model. Our goal was to submit at least one new or revised grant application for each submission period.

For a business, SBIR grants present a lot of challenges. They require a significant commitment of company resources just to write the initial applications, there is tremendous uncertainty around funding, the review process takes months and afterwards applications often have to be revised and resubmitted. In a best case scenario funding can take 9-13 months from submission date and then there is the accompanying paperwork burden. And that’s just for Phase 1. We get to do it all over again for Phase II. From our experience, it’s at least a 3-year lead time from Phase 1 submission to Phase II final evaluation and product launch for a well-crafted successful grant. If revisions and resubmissions are required at both stages we’re looking at a 5-year lead time to get to an evaluated product.

These long lead times stand in stark contrast to pace of business these days.  A lot of change can occur in the marketplace in those three to five years.  That’s why it’s so important to keep the grant pipeline full of new ideas.

Vida is selected to participate in NIH CAP Program

Vida’s President Lisa McElaney and I just returned from the first meeting of this year’s Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP) sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. The NIH CAP, now in its sixth year, is designed to assist NIH SBIR Phase II awardees transition their SBIR-developed technologies into the marketplace. Vida is one of about 80 companies selected to participate in the program.

The meeting, hosted by the Larta Institute and held in Los Angeles on November 17^th & 18^th, gave us an opportunity to meet face-to-face with our Program Advisor, Kaare Holm of Emerging Growth Enterprise, and get some critical outside-the-box thinking about our commercialization strategy. A full day of workshops featured exemplary panels of experts and covered a range of topics including partnering, branding, financing and capital, intellectual property management and business plan development.

Healthcare information technology is a relatively new focus for the CAP and it was evident that they are still coming to grips with how to support our industry segment. For example, a breakout panel for healthcare IT was half venture capitalists. I would rather have heard from representatives of the insurance industry, hospitals and health systems that represent the kinds of partners and customers that we are seeking to develop.

Given the diversity of businesses in CAP and their varying stages of development, it would be unreasonable to expect the program to be 100% relevant to our business. But after a 20 year career of building and running multiple businesses, there were times when I felt that I was back in business school 101. Of course, this is only the first step on an 18 month journey so let’s see how things unfold.

Sign up for the release of Vida’s “Your Green Guide Pregnancy!”

Sign up here and be the first to receive information on the release of Vida’s “Your Green Guide to Pregnancy!”

Vida is in the final stages of completing “Your Green Guide to Pregnancy,” a DVD video program that provides women with safe, practical strategies to reduce exposure to environmental toxins.

Topics include:

• environmental tobacco smoke
• beauty treatments and personal care
• exposures in the home
• food safety and healthy eating

Vida will be releasing a Consumer Edition and Professional Edition of this program. The Professional Edition includes the “Your Green Guide to Pregnancy” DVD along with a CD-ROM containing a library of professional educational resources.

The Professional Resources CD-ROM contains a detailed workshop leader’s guide, flyers, evaluation forms, a computer slide presentation and printable handouts. All materials for distribution to workshop participants are in English and Spanish.

Both the Consumer Edition and Professional Edition DVDs contain the program in English and Spanish. (Approximate running time: 20 minutes)

For more information sign up HERE or contact Aimee Arvan at Aimee.Arvan@vida-health.com or 617-864-4334 ext 17

Changes in Childbirth Education: Are You Online?

The childbirth education industry is rapidly changing. Due to increased demand Vida will be re-purposing the leading Hello Family Series and updating information to create a new Online Childbirth Education Suite! Vida is currently hard at work adding modules to the Online Childbirth Education Suite. Topics include labor and delivery, having a healthy pregnancy, breastfeeding, and infant care and safety.

Vida would love to hear from Childbirth Educators and Parents To-Be.  Are you using online classes? Do you like the idea of online childbirth education? If you are interested in sharing insight or your story contact Aimee Arvan at Aimee.Arvan@vida-health.com! Your participation will help Vida to create an optimal childbirth education online experience.

Upon completion of this e-learning course Vida will host the Childbirth Education Suite on its servers and offer a variety of pricing models to meet the needs of our broad customer base including a revenue sharing plan for independent birth educators.

For more information or to be added to our waiting list for our Online Childbirth Education Suite click here or contact Aimee Arvan at Aimee.Arvan@vida-health.com.

Participate in Vida’s “All Babies Cry” Project

Vida, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Health, is currently filming for “All Babies Cry”! This DVD program will attempt to help reduce incidents of infant child abuse by showing new parents strategies they may use to soothe a crying infant as well as strategies to monitor their own stress levels and seek help when needed. This program will to be distributed to all new parents in MA hospitals.

Vida has been receiving feedback on this very important project from pediatricians, parents and interested parties. We are hoping that this continues. Please visit our Crying Baby Stories website (www.cryingbabystories.com) to share calming tips and stories. Your story or tip could be featured in the program!

If you are interested in learning more about this project, production or lending your expertise click here or call Brittany Peats, project manager at Vida, at (800) 550-7047 ext.11 or email Brittany.peats@vida-health.com

A Message from Allie Humenuk, Executive Producer

For over 12 years I have been with Vida Health Communications. As Executive Producer I oversee the entire production process. I produce, film and edit all of Vida’s media projects. Usually I work with a draft of a script and look for subjects and locations. I pre-interview people who might fit the feel and tone of the project. From there I organize the details of the shoot – where, when, with whom.  So much of making a film is in the details and being able to tie them all together. There are not many people who can wear the hat of Director, Producer, videographer and editor. I am able to bring a continuity to projects that is rare.

Previously, I was an instructor of film and video at Harvard University. Having taught film for over ten years has helped me to understand education both from the point of view of the teacher and the maker of media meant to be used by instructors. Understanding these different points of view helps me to better manage each project.

Vida’s work is unique, as is its clientele. Each project takes us into another world, whether it be into NICUs or Labor and Delivery rooms, museums or into the homes of  families who support our mission and allow us to film their lives. Over the years we have grown sensitive to the different requirements of the institutions in which we film. I always welcome the challenge of working with new clients from hospitals to publishers to non-profits.

To review Vida’s Media services please visit www.vida-health.com/media-services

Allie Humenuk is an award-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker and cinematographer whose work has been viewed nationally and internationally at museums, film festivals an on television. Allie recently completed “Shadow of the House-Photographer Abelardo Morell,” a feature length documentary that is playing in festivals, and museums around the world.

Project Progress Report

Managing Environmental Risks in Pregnancy:  The parent program is complete and is being pilot tested as part of a workshop on environmental health risks in pregnancy!

All Babies Cry: The program prototype is now in development.

Workplace Violence Training for Nurses:  Phase II funding has been awarded.

For detailed information on all current projects, please visit: www.vida-health.com/research

Vida’s Research Services!

In Vida’s Summer Health Update Allison Morrill, Director of Research and Evaluation, discussed how research and evaluation are critical components of Vida’s work, and help to refine and distinguish our products.

As experienced NIH-funded researchers with numerous grant awards we are excited to announce the launch of Vida’s new Research Services website. This website lists current research offerings, highlights past experience and provides access to case studies.

For more information about Vida’s Research Services click here!

Workplace Violence Training for Nurses

Workplace Violence Training for Nurses Phase II funding has been awarded to the Workplace Violence Training for Nurses project! Vida is producing an e-learning program that will help nurses identify workplace violence and abuse and learn effective strategies for prevention and response. The e-learning program will consist of 5 stand-alone chapters that will focus on the roots and manifestations of workplace violence, consequences, risk assessment and prevention, crisis intervention and legalities. Each chapter will include video case studies, interviews with experts, behavior modeling and self-administered tests to track acquisition of essential knowledge, attitudes, and skills.

For more information, please visit www.vida-health.com/research

All Babies Cry: Share your tips for calming a crying baby!

Vida is currently working on a project entitled All Babies Cry. This media program is dedicated to normalizing infant crying and parental stress associated with crying. The media package will include a short DVD to be shown to parents of newborns in hospital prior to discharge and a longer DVD and pamphlet to be given to parents to take home.

The program prototype is now in development. We have been gathering information from parents through focus groups and one-on-one interviews. We are trying to understand how they cope with infant crying and what information would be most helpful for them to know about infant crying. We are focusing on acquiring information from fathers as less research and media concentrates on understanding fathers’ knowledge and perceptions about crying babies.

In addition to these informative conversations, we have created a website where parents, doctors, caretakers, friends and family can share funny, inventive and safe “calming a crying baby stories.” We hope to continue to learn more tips through this website to share with new parents.

Share your story/tips at www.cryingbabystories.com

If you are interested in learning more about this project, please contact Aimee Arvan at Aimee.Arvan@vida-health.com.