IBJI wins fifth Aster Award in a row

The Illinois Bone and Joint Institute (IBJI) and AP ltd. were honored for advertising excellence in the Specialty Care category of the 2010 Aster Awards with a silver award for the IBJI Internet site.

The Aster Awards, one of the largest competitions of its kind, is hosted by Marketing Healthcare Today and Creative Images, Inc. This national program recognizes outstanding healthcare professionals for excellence in their advertising and marketing efforts.

“This is the fifth year in a row that we have teamed up with IBJI to win a silver Aster Award,” said Bill Pohlman of AP ltd. the creators of the site. “Working with IBJI on their site has always been a collaborative effort. Our joint focus has always been to develop the site with the end user in mind in that the more functional the site is for a site visitor the more they will use the site.”

The IBJI site is designed to position them as the top orthopaedic physician group in the country and to allow patients to find the perfect physicians for their needs. This site features their branded message of IBJI… The right choice. Site visitors can search the over 80 physicians to find the nearest physician, with the right specialty, at the closest location and with which hospitals they are affiliated. Once they choose a physician, they can see a picture of the physician and read all about their background.

The 2010 Aster Awards consisted of approximately 3,000 entries from across America. Participant’s entries competed against similar-sized organizations in their category. Entries must score at least in the top 85% to receive an award. Judging criteria includes creativity, layout and design, functionality, message effectiveness, production quality and overall appeal.

“IBJI is among the top in the nation for healthcare advertising expertise… specifically scoring in the top 12% percent. It was an honor to have IBJI participate in the 2010 Aster Awards,” said Melinda R. Lucas, Aster Awards Program Coordinator. “The quality of this year’s entries went well beyond the judges’ expectations.”

Entries in the Aster Awards were judged by a diverse panel of healthcare marketing experts. All winners are posted on the Aster Awards’ website (www.AsterAwards.com), as well as published in Marketing Healthcare Today, a national healthcare marketing magazine.

The Illinois Bone and Joint Institute is an orthopaedic medical practice that specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and management of injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. IBJI has over 90 physicians and over 90 rehabilitation therapists at over 25 locations throughout the Chicagoland area. AP ltd. is a brand image development and communication strategy firm. They provide a complete range of branding services that encompass advertising, Internet development and multimedia.

For further information on the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute write to Illinois Bone and Joint Institute 8930 Waukegan Road Suite 200 Morton Grove, IL 60053, call or visit www.ibji.com. For more information on AP ltd. write to AP ltd. 1590 S. Milwaukee Ave., Suite 305 Libertyville, IL 60048 or visit www.apltd.com.

New Christmas Lights E-commerce Site

AP ltd. just launched a new e-commerce site for one of our customers Santa's Best selling commercial LED outdoor Christmas lights called Christmas USA. The site is being promoted by CPC advertising, trade shows and space advertising.

IBJI physician donates book proceeds to charity

Most physicians write highly-detailed academic treatments of very narrowly-defined clinical situations which are rarely understood or even read by anyone outside a small community of medical specialists. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Michael Lewis, of Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, has elected to take the opposite approach in his book and is donating the proceeds to charity. He has written a book that he feels is expansive on life, designed to appeal to different ages and attention spans and that can not only be read but inspire.

Dr. Lewis’s book, Seeing More Colors, is based on the teachings of Abraham Maslow, a man considered by many to be the father of modern humanistic psychology and a professor at Brandeis University, where Lewis studied with him. Maslow’s simple, yet revolutionary, approach to psychology makes him relevant today, 40 years after his death. By studying the most admired people of the world, he identified the personal characteristics that made them successful and, he believed that if readers were open to them, that they could be transported to new levels of happiness and achievement.

Lewis takes a new look at the qualities Maslow found in these individuals. He looked at capacity to shape reality, creativity, appreciation of the moment, autonomy, focus beyond oneself, humor and celebration, kinship, reciprocal loving relationships and propensity for peak experiences.

Using Maslow’s ideas as a framework, he demonstrates with stories, quotations and photographs how each of us can lead a more rewarding life. “The photographs are my own, taken on all seven continents,” says Dr. Lewis. “The stories are those which had a profound impact on me, including experiences I have had as an orthopedic consultant to the world champion Chicago Bulls basketball team and the Chicago White Sox baseball team.”

Writing on the human spirit is not new for Dr. Lewis whose One World: A View From 50 Countries offered readers a spectacular compilation of his photographs that captured amazingly human moments – from the shot of a dozen Asian men, limbless in varying degrees and waiting for prostheses, to breathtaking views of wild animals. Eagle Eyes, a book for children, tells the story of a boy whose grandfather, following the removal of cataracts, sees him for the first time.

Sight as a metaphor for a meaningful life thread is not only through his books, but is evident in Dr. Lewis’ personal choices as well. As he did with his previous books, Dr. Lewis heeds Dr. Maslow’s prescription to “focus beyond oneself.” He will donate all proceeds to the Himalayan Cataract Project, an organization dedicated to eradicating unnecessary blindness, particularly in “the most needy patients in the world’s most remote places,” according to www.cureblindness.org.

Initial reactions to Seeing More Colors have been “gratifying” to Dr. Lewis. Readers have described it as “a life changer,” “an inspiration” and “a book that resonates more deeply with each reading.” “There are different ways to enjoy this book,” Dr. Lewis points out. “One can simply enjoy the photographs or quotations. Each chapter is a contained unit, so you can use it like a daily inspirational, or you can read it in its totality.” The spirit of the photographer is evident in Dr. Lewis as he states, “People have told me that this book changes the way they see things.”

Seeing More Colors is available for sale at http://www.michaelslewismd.com/mlewis-colors-overview.htm or at http://www.seeingmorecolors.com.

The Illinois Bone and Joint Institute is an orthopaedic medical practice that specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and management of injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. IBJI has over 90 physicians and over 90 rehabilitation therapists at over 25 locations throughout the Chicagoland area.

For further information on the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute write to Illinois Bone and Joint Institute 8930 Waukegan Road Suite 200 Morton Grove, IL 60053, call 847-324-3975 or visit www.ibji.com.

Fighting Chore Wars!

AP ltd. just launched a new microsite for Jelmar called CLR Chore Wars. The site is dedicated to solving the chore wars that husbands and wives, roommates and parents with their siblings encounter while trying to keep their homes clean. Go to the site and take a fun survey as well as chat about your own personal chore wars.

Jelmar's new site

AP ltd. just finished creating a new site with a brand new look for our client Jelmar. Jelmar's new site provides a fresh, new look for this cleaning products manufacturer. The site features cleaning tips, recipes, their commercials and historical commercials that date back to the 1960s.

IBJI Physician Dr. Stanford Tack Pioneers New Surgical Approach to Herniated Disc Disease

Until recently, the preferred surgical approach for patients with herniated discs in the cervical region of the spine, the uppermost section extending into the neck, was a Cervical Discectomy and Fusion. That treatment, which fuses the damaged disc, is still widely used and offers very good outcomes for most people.

Today there is a new technology that offers patients another treatment option. Performed in Europe for more than a decade, it involves actually replacing the damaged disk with an artificial one. Cervical Disc Replacement is being performed by a few American orthopaedic surgeons, among them Dr. Stanford Tack of IBJI-Libertyville.

Not all patients with herniated cervical discs are candidates for a disc replacement. Age, activity level, overall spine health and level of disc disease are all considerations. But for many patients, Dr. Tack suggests replacing the disc rather than fusing it to another one.

The earlier technique (called “Fusion”), by molding two vertebrae together, can reduce flexibility at that spot in the spine. “When a vertebra is fused to another one, the adjacent regions compensate,” says Dr. Tack. In other words, nearby discs become more flexible in order to balance the decreased flexibility in the fused area. This can lead to herniated discs above or below the fused area called Adjacent Segment Disease. “It’s when we fuse two or more discs,” explains Dr. Tack, “that we see stiffness and limited mobility in the neck.” Though long-term U.S. studies haven’t been done – mostly because the technology is new here – there is a strong possibility that disc replacement will avoid that development.

Dr. Tack’s disc replacement patients typically return to full activity sooner than those undergoing cervical discectomy with fusion. “In six weeks, they can be back in the gym,” he says. “In general, their maximum medical improvement happens at 3 months instead of at 6 months.” Post-surgical maintenance is typically just annual exams.

In the past, many neck surgeries were performed primarily by neurosurgeons. Dr. Tack believes that orthopaedic surgeons are the ideal providers to perform disc replacement, because of their understanding of joint replacement issues. “We know the maintenance and performance issues of these devices,” he states.

Dr. Tack uses a metal-on-metal artificial disc, which was the first one approved by the FDA, because he believes it will last longer. A second device is made of metal-on-plastic. Special training was involved, but Dr. Tack points out that the basic elements of this surgery are the same as those for anterior cervical disc fusion. “A successful disc replacement requires attention to detail,” explains Dr. Tack.

Currently, not all insurance companies are covering the costs of Cervical Disc Replacement. More than half of Dr. Tack’s patients who considered this surgery didn’t go through with it for that reason. Typically, the majority of patients with herniated discs improves with non-surgical treatments and can avoid surgery, at least for a while.

“Happily, a high percentage of patients with disc degeneration will improve with non-surgical treatment and those facing surgery now have a choice between Fusion and Disc Replacement,” says Dr. Tack. “Both of these are excellent treatment options. Both offer relief of pain.”

The Illinois Bone & Joint Institute is an orthopaedic medical practice that specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and management of injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. IBJI has over 90 physicians and 90 rehabilitation therapists at over 25 locations throughout the Chicagoland area.

For further information on the Illinois Bone & Joint Institute write to Illinois Bone & Joint Institute 8930 Waukegan Road Suite 200 Morton Grove, IL 60053, call 847-324-3975 or visit www.ibji.com.

IBJI Wins Fourth Straight Aster Award

The Illinois Bone & Joint Institute and AP ltd. have won a Silver Aster Award for the fourth year in a row for the Institute’s Internet site.

The site was judged to be superior to other entrees in creativity, layout and design, typography, production, knowledge transfer as well as in overall quality. IBJI’s site is designed to position them as the top orthopaedic physician group in the country and to allow patients to find the perfect physicians for their needs. This site features their branded message of IBJI… The right choice. Site visitors can search the over 80+ physicians to find the nearest physician, with the right specialty, at the closest location and with which hospitals they are affiliated. Once they choose a physician, they can see a picture of the physician and read all about their background.

The Aster Awards, in association with Marketing Healthcare Today magazine, provides national-level recognition for healthcare organizations and advertising agencies that strive for excellence in medical marketing. It is their goal to provide a professional forum to allow entrants to compete with other healthcare professionals across the United States.

New Foundation Focuses On Combating Bone Trauma

Dr. Matthew L. Jimenez, a physician with the Illinois Bone & Joint Institute, has launched a new foundation designed to combat fragility fractures caused by low-impact falls.

Incorporated in December 2008, the Foundation for Education and Musculoskeletal Research (FEMR) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity serving Chicago-area residents. FEMR's mission is to become a community resource to increase osteoporosis awareness and prevent disabilities related to bone trauma.

“Each year in the United States more than 11 million senior citizens or one out of every three people older than 65 years of age fall,” said Dr. Jimenez. “These low-impact falls are the leading cause of injuries to senior citizens. Treatment of the injuries and complications associated with falls costs the United States more than $20.2 billion annually.”

The development of high-quality prevention programs envisioned by Dr. Jimenez will require a sizeable budget funded by individual donors and corporate sponsors. Tax-deductible donations raised by FEMR will be directed to community education and research to improve bone health for current and future generations.

Dr. Jimenez is optimistic that the Foundation’s mission and goals are solid and that potential supporters will recognize the value and benefits of the community programs that are currently in development. Some of FEMR’s long-range goals in public awareness include supporting bone health awareness through educational courses and promotional events jointly-sponsored with local businesses and institutions as well as distribution materials that highlight fall and fracture prevention.

The Foundation will also promote increased awareness in the healthcare community. Efforts will be made to form strategic alliances with local and national organizations to promote musculoskeletal health as well as foster continuing education and training for health care professionals. The group will advance clinical research in the treatment of osteoporosis and fragility fractures as well as adopt and promote guidelines for screening and treatment of bone-related conditions. The Foundation will also encourage increased funding for bone health initiatives at the local, state and federal levels.

The Illinois Bone & Joint Institute is an orthopaedic medical practice that specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and management of injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. IBJI has over 90 physicians and 90 rehabilitation therapists at over 25 locations throughout the Chicagoland area.

For additional information about FEMR, visit www.boneknowledge.org, call toll-free 1-877-321-FEMR or contact Dr. Jimenez’s staff at the IBJI Morton Grove office at 847-324-3937. For further information on the Illinois Bone & Joint Institute write to Illinois Bone & Joint Institute 8930 Waukegan Road Suite 200 Morton Grove, IL 60053, call 847-324-3975 or visit www.ibji.com.