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It's not the typical work day when I don a hard hat and get mud on my shoes.

Friday, December 16, was a pretty cool day (literally and figuratively). It was the "Topping Off" ceremony for GSK's future Philadelphia home at Five Crescent Drive in the Navy Yard. Representatives from GSK, Liberty Property Trust, and LF Driscoll, along with about 80

construction workers, signed the final steel beam.  And then the beam was hoisted WAY up in the air, waving around in the wind, until its final resting place at the top of the building. Two men were at the top waiting to secure the beam in place. I almost got vertigo just looking at them and was suddenly quite grateful for my safe office job.

On top of the beam stands an evergreen tree signifying the safe completion of the structure. This being mid-December, it looks suspiciously like a Christmas tree. But this tree tradition in the construction world actually has nothing to do with Christmas traditions.

Bill Hankowsky, Liberty's Chairman and CEO, thanked the workers for their contributions and the amazing progress on the building. Back in June, we had stood at the same site, looking at a big pile of dirt.

Speaking of dirt, next came the muddy part. A flock of GSK employees, including NA Pharma President Deirdre Connelly, traipsed through the grounds to the stairway and walked up to the third floor. What a view! Ships and water on one side, Center City on the other side. And there will be no need for traffic reports for 95--just look out the window (once there are windows)!

Too soon, the celebration was over. Now we can start thinking about the next big celebration - the grand opening--as we prepare for our move at the end of next year.

While it may be difficult to find free or affordable healthcare services, it is not impossible. 

This week, employees at GlaxoSmithKline held two special ceremonies to honor ten outstanding healthcare nonprofit organizations in Philadelphia and North Carolina that work hard every day to offer vital healthcare services to those who are in need. 

The winning organizations in Philadelphia include:

Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Inc.
Phoenixville Healthcare Access Foundation
Support Center for Child Advocates
Water Street Health Services

The North Carolina recipients are:

The Healing Place of Wake County 

Helping Hand Clinic Inc. 

Housing for New Hope, Inc. 

Moore Free Care Clinic, Inc.

North Carolina Therapeutic Riding Center, Inc. 

Senior PharmAssist, Inc. 

During the ceremonies, the men and women who work at each of the ten organizations were very humble and, at times, a bit overwhelmed by all the attention. But they deserved it. The services that they provide and the number of hours spent in doing so are immeasurable. 

Each organization was awarded $40,000.  In accepting their awards, representatives from each organization thanked GSK for recognizing their efforts and vowed to continue in their fight in providing free or affordable healthcare services to those who needed it the most. And to that we say, 'keep up the good work.'

To qualify for a GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT award, organizations must be located in the eligible counties and have a primary mission to provide access to community healthcare services. Each applicant must have annual total operating expenses between $160,000 and $3 million, and have been in existence as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for at least five years.

All organizations are recognized for the success and achievements of their existing overall body of work, not just for new or specific initiatives. A panel of healthcare delivery experts and GlaxoSmithKline representatives determine the winners based on a strong demonstration of ongoing success in providing access to healthcare, commitment to serving people in need, facilitation of healthcare delivery, creative partnerships and policy development, and a solid record of achievement, management and leadership.

UPDATE: Apparently Dr. Steinman died a few days ago, and the committee was not aware. Whatever the outcome of the award with this latest development (Nobels are not awarded posthumously), Dr. Steinman's work is important. Out thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues. 

Congratulations to Bruce Beutler (US), Jules Hoffmann (France), and  Ralph Steinman (Canadian born, but based in the US), three scientists who share the Nobel Prize in medicine. The Nobel Committee announced the award at Stockholm's Karolinska Institute. According to the NY Times, the work of the three scientists has "enabled the development of improved vaccines against infectious diseases. In the long term they could also yield better treatments of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and chronic inflammatory diseases."

Great news for patients--let's hear it for innovation!

The constant news stories about our sluggish economy, high rate of unemployment and federal budget deficit are enough to make optimists start seeing the world as half empty. Yet amidst all this negative news, some things are actually working well.

Take Medicare Part D. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the program costs 41 percent less than originally projected and several recent studies show that the program is increasing access to medicines while lowering healthcare costs and improving health. You can watch a great new video on the success of Medicare Part D and the following studies provide even more excellent data.

·         A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports that each year Part D prescription drug coverage saves Medicare about $1,200 in lower hospital, nursing home and other medical for each senior who previously lacked comprehensive prescription drug coverage. According to other experts, this equals about $12 billion per year in savings across Medicare.

·         A study by Harvard Medical School researchers published in Health Services Research found that in the 23 states for which the researchers had data, hospitalization rates declined by 4.1 percent, or by 42,000 annual admissions, across 8 conditions that are sensitive to medication adherence such as diabetes, COPD, asthma and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Researchers concluded that access to prescription coverage under Medicare Part D has had positive clinical benefits, improving beneficiaries' underlying health, and reducing their need for hospital care.

Lawmakers in DC continue to advocate for mandated rebates in Part D as a way to fix our nation's budget deficit. As I noted in an earlier blog post, if the proposal is adopted, premiums are expected to rise for beneficiaries and thousands of high-quality jobs could be lost. Additionally, mandating rebates in Part D would hamper the biopharmaceutical industry's ability to continue investing dollars in the research and development of life-saving and -improving medicines and vaccines.

Medicare cost savings are just one bright spot in our economy.  Research and development of new medicines and vaccines continues to be a collaborative effort between the government and the pharmaceutical industry. In 2009, the private sector invested $65.3B. Another $30.5B was spent by the National Institutes of Health. Cultivating and maintaining an environment in the US that encourages research and development will allow us to remain a leader in medical innovation, and help our nation move forward.

Medicare Part D's competitive, market-based structure is working well--and should be preserved.

Policy makers are proposing changes to Medicare as a way to reduce the annual deficit and tackle the nation's current debt ceiling crisis. One proposal would require drug manufacturers to pay the federal government a rebate for drugs purchased by low-income enrollees in Medicare Part D plans. The rebate would apply to prescriptions taken by dual eligibles (people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid) as well as other Medicare beneficiaries who are eligible for low-income subsidies. On its face, it sounds like an attractive way to help ease the burden of entitlement programs, but in reality the negative impacts from this proposal could be far reaching.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the proposal would save the federal government about $38B from 2012-2016 and about $112B over the 2012-2021 period, however, it is not expected to generate any significant savings in 2012, and only $4B in 2013, meaning it will do little to solve the immediate debt ceiling crisis. A reduction in revenues of that magnitude to the biopharmaceutical industry on top of the anticipated $90B cost to the industry from passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 could have harsh consequences for patients and the economy.

Joseph Antos of the American Enterprise Institute in his report Tampering with Part D Will Not Solve our Debt Crisis warns "If this policy is adopted, patients will bear the costs." He explains that the proposed policy could result in more restrictive formularies and increased copayments for all Medicare enrollees, and particularly the most vulnerable Americans - those with the lowest incomes and poorest health.

In a time when we need to do all we can to create jobs in this country, the biopharmaceutical industry should be one place we should be looking to grow, not weaken. A new report from Battelle Technology Partnership Practice estimates that a $20 billion per year reduction in biopharmaceutical sector revenue would result in 260,000 job losses across the U.S. economy. To help put that number in perspective, the biopharmaceutical industry currently supports nearly 675,000 direct jobs and an additional 3.4 million indirect jobs. Our country cannot afford to lose hundreds of thousands of more jobs, especially when the biopharmaceutical industry has already restructured and downsized significantly as a result of declining revenues due to patent expirations as reported earlier this year in the New York Times.

These are lean times in the industry, and in the country, but we should not lose sight of what's important. As the Battelle report highlights, the biopharmaceutical industry develops products that make the U.S. a world leader in innovation, help prevent and effectively manage disease and chronic conditions, improve quality of life, increase longevity, and reduce the likelihood that patients will need other more costly healthcare treatments (such as hospitalizations). We need public policies to help sustain these positive benefits for the economy and for patients.

This month we implemented the next phase of our new incentive compensation program for professional sales representatives by introducing a new performance evaluation methodology and process.  

If you follow us closely, you may recall that in January of this year, we implemented the first phase of our new approach by eliminating individual sales goals as part our incentive compensation program for our sales representatives who work directly with healthcare professionals. 

The new methodology we implemented starting July 1, will evaluate the performance of our sales professionals and align their bonuses with the company's values of transparency, respect for people, integrity and focus on the patient. 

Under the new system, our reps who work directly with healthcare providers will continue to be compensated with a competitive mix of salary and bonus.  But, in place of individual sales targets, three primary factors will be evaluated to assess performance and determine bonuses: selling competency, customer evaluations, and the overall performance of their business unit.

This is an important change for how we conduct our business.  Our sales professionals play a critical role in providing doctors with appropriate, updated information on the safety and benefits of our medicines.  This information helps doctors make informed treatment decisions for their patients.  We believe taking this industry-leading approach to incentive compensation aligns our performance measures with our values, and will help doctors be confident that our sales professionals are aligned with their goal of improving patient health."

Those of us who live and work in the Triangle area of North Carolina (Chapel Hill--Durham--Raleigh) know we've got a good thing going. Now the 14 million passengers on Delta will be able to read all about it when they're flying around the world or the U.S. during the month of July. The Triangle, and companies including GlaxoSmithKline, are featured in a 36-page section of the Delta Sky Magazine found in the airline's passenger seatbacks.

Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker and Durham Mayor Bill Bell joined with executives from Delta, the Raleigh-Durham International Airport and area leaders to celebrate the official recognition and bragging rights. The article, headlined "The Power of Three," looks at how North Carolina in the 1950s chose to capitalize on its three world-renown research universities--Duke, North Carolina State, and the University of North Carolina--to create a thriving center of innovation, culture, and diversity.

There were 41 interviews with well known local residents including Duke Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski, musician Branford Marsalis, and GSK's own Chief Medical Officer Ellen Strahlman. For GSK, North Carolina is home to about 5,000 employees in R&D, manufacturing and commercial operations. It was here that GSK scientists joined with colleagues at the National Cancer Institute and Duke University to develop the first therapy targeting HIV/AIDs in 1987. Most of GSK's medicines for the US are made in the state. And the company contributes about $1.7 million a year to nonprofit organizations focusing on health and education in the state.

So there's a lot more to this area than sweet tea, barbecue, and basketball. Maybe that's what really attracted folks from around the world and what keeps them so happy. Read all about it here.

That's how GSK & Liberty/Synterra commemorated the June 9^th 'green' breaking at The Navy Yard--with trees and dirt. It may not sound exciting but it was pretty cool. Wait, that's not true. It was HOT. The temperature hovered around 93 degrees. Relief was found under the tent with solar-powered fans and plenty of water and it was a great moment for everyone.

Deirdre Connelly, President, NA Pharmaceuticals; Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, and Liberty CEO Bill Hankowsky shared their enthusiasm for the new building and The Navy Yard site. Deirdre emphasized that the building will be designed to enable better collaboration and communication so we can deliver better value to our patients. View Deirdre's remarks first-hand. 

A front-end loader seemed to magically appear from behind the dirt, and drove up to the tent with three trees. We then had a chance to witness the shoveling prowess of the officials. The planting clearly signified the sustainability aspect of the new 205,000 square-foot, four-story facility.  

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed food including TastyKakes courtesy of our future neighbors. Served, not surprisingly, with bamboo forks and napkins made of recovered paper fiber. It was one more reminder of GSK's global commitment to operating a green company.

The groundbreaking was an important milestone reached just four months after the agreement was signed. Although employees from Center City won't start moving to the new site until late 2012, it is exciting to see things progress. I was impressed with all the activity that is happening there--it's clearly becoming the place where people want to be.

At The Navy Yard, GSK has found a way to continue its legacy.  Right now it might only consist of a few young trees and large piles of dirt, but it's the future home of GSK and that makes me proud.

Read more about the Navy Yard.

Stories about health are always in the news. Makes sense--we all want to find ways to maintain or improve our quality of life. My favorite health story of recent weeks was about the beneficial effects of fidgeting. If only this study had been done when I was a kid--I could have had a great comeback for when my mother would constantly telling me to sit still!

The study looked at the role of activities of daily living or incidental exercise--getting up from your desk, chopping vegetables for dinner, drumming your fingers, or tapping your feet--in the subjects' levels of fitness. As it turns out, these activities can help maintain or improve your fitness levels.

This is especially true at work, where so many of us stare at computer screens all day. I get up frequently to walk around, and I spend a lot of time sitting on a yoga ball instead of an office chair, to help fight the effects of non-manual labor.

For the last few years, many companies have taken an interest in getting employees to be more active to improve both health and productivity--and reduce healthcare costs. An article in the LA Times highlights a number of companies--including GSK--for their innovative approach to encouraging employee wellness. 

At companies large and small, employees are being encouraged to get active--with great results! How does your company promote wellness?