Health Industries Research Companies' benchmark studies provide market research critical to the development of successful marketing strategies.

Health Industries Research Companies and Health Industries Research Center, also known as HIRC, have provided inventive market research, expert analysis, and insightful recommendations to the top U.S. pharmaceutical and biotech companies for over 20 years. HIRC was founded by a researcher from the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce and Stanford (SRI) in 1990 to examine the trends and implications of managed care and national accounts. HIRC researchers and client consultants possess applied industry experience, strategic insight, and keen understanding of the needs of stakeholders in the pharmaceutical marketplace.

HIRC publishes six syndicated multi-client research studies: Managed Markets & National Accounts, Best Programs & Best People, Specialty Pharmaceuticals, Care Management, Medicare Compendium, and Managed Oncology.

Executive Leadership

Josh Mader

Vice President, Market Research
(831) 426-5283
Contact Josh

Mr. Mader received his Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts in Communication Arts and Sciences from San Diego State University. After receiving his MA, Mr. Mader joined the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) in Washington, DC as an analyst and served as lecturer at Prince George's Community College in Maryland. Mr. Mader later joined Health Strategies Group and helped to launch leading syndicated research services for the pharmaceutical industry. Mr. Mader began working with HIRC in 1995 and currently, in addition to serving as the Research Director, he is a Client Consultant for several leading pharmaceutical company clients.

Amy Hanley

Director, Marketing & Communications
(831) 426-5283
Contact Amy

Ms. Hanley earned her B.A. in English and Business Administration from San Jose State University. She joined HIRC in 1997 as a Project Manager for the Employer & Coalition Service. Additionally, she has been a contributing researcher, writer, and editor for all six HIRC syndicated services. Since 2008 Ms. Hanley has been the Director of Marketing & Communications and has developed integrated communication and marketing strategies that support all HIRC services.

Research Directors

Lauren Bolen

Best Programs & Best People Service

Ms. Bolen was awarded a B.A. in Psychobiology from Yale University and her M.B.A. in Health Care Administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Ms. Bolen began working with HIRC in 2002 as the Research Director for the Employer and Coalition Service.  Additionally she acts as a Client Consultant for several pharmaceutical clients.
Previous to her career at HIRC,  Ms. Bolen was an Associate Consultant at Booz, Allen & Hamilton's Health Care Strategy Practice assisting health care institutions with the development of their long term strategic plans. Ms. Bolen later joined Merck & Co., Inc. in the Market Research department and subsequently held a number of senior executive positions at Merck during her fourteen-year career at the pharmaceutical company.

Karen Lucas

Specialty Pharmaceuticals Service

Ms. Lucas holds an M.B.A. from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA and a B.S. in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia. Since joining HIRC in 2000, Ms. Lucas has performed research analysis and writing for HIRC's National Accounts Service, eHealthRx Service, Best Programs & Best People Service and Drug Copay Service. She has been the Director of the Specialty Pharmaceuticals Service since it's inception in 2004.
Prior to her work with HIRC, Karen was employed by Merck & Co., Inc. for seven years in a variety of sales and marketing positions.

Karen Ernst

Care Management Service

Ms. Ernst earned her B.A. in Economics and Business from Lafayette College and her M.B.A. in Finance from Saint Joseph's University. Ms. Ernst has worked with HIRC since 2002 conducting research and providing strategic analysis for both Best Programs Best People Service and Care management Service.  Since 2006 she has been the Director of the Care Management Service.
Prior to her employment with HIRC, Ms. Ernst had a 10-year career with IMS Health in a variety of management positions and worked on several cross-functional teams, including Marketing, Supplier Management, Finance, and New Business Development. Ms. Ernst is also a member of the Women's Board of the Bryn Mawr Hospital.

Julie Segal

Managed Oncology Service

Ms. Segal holds an M.B.A. from Columbia University and is a cum laude graduate of Barnard College.  Since joining HIRC in 2001, she has conducted primary research, analyses and writing for HIRC’s Best Programs & Best People Service, Disease Management Service and Specialty Pharmaceuticals Service.  Prior to her work at HIRC, Julia was employed by Merck & Co., Inc for eleven years in a variety of sales and marketing positions, culminating in the position of Director of Market Research at Medco. 

Anita Bhala

Managed Markets & National Accounts Service

Ms. Bhala received her B.S. in Chemistry from Colorado State and began her career working for Eli Lilly in organic chemical research, followed by field sales. She subsequently earned her M.B.A. in Marketing from The Kellogg School at Northwestern University. Prior to joining HIRC in 1996, Ms. Bhala was Senior Director for Disease Management Strategy and Development with Merck-Medco. She also held various positions in market research, product management, and managed care research while at Merck-Medco. Since joining the HIRC team Ms. Bhala has supported research and analysis for all of HIRC syndicated research services, is an Account Manager for several pharmaceutical clients, and also launched and directed the eHealthRx Service. Ms. Bhala currently oversees primary research with 30+ individual market segments that influence the availability, price and purchase of prescription pharmaceuticals for the Managed Markets & National Accounts Service.

Dorothy Hess

Managed Markets & National Accounts Service

After graduating from Carnegie-Mellon University with a BS and an MBA, Ms. Hess spent thirteen years at Merck. While at Merck, she held numerous positions in brand marketing, market research and managed care marketing, culminating in her appointment as VP of Merck’s Institutional Business group. Ms. Hess began working for HIRC in 1995 and has contributed to the Employer & Coalition Service, as well as Managed Markets & National Accounts. Ms. Hess currently leads the primary research in managed markets tactics and strategies for the Managed Markets & National Accounts Service.

Partial Client List