Meet the team
Mark Charny, Managing Director
As managing director of Translucency, Mark makes the best-possible business case for your product in the UK market. And he’s chosen the best people to do so in 14 other countries across Western Europe.
Mark’s scientific, clinical, marketing and communication skills allow him to produce compelling, believable and easily understood deliverables to support your product. Blended with his deep market knowledge and extensive contact network in the health services, he’ll make sure you reach the people you need to reach in the right way.
Where your interest is in more than one country, Mark’s comprehensive evidence reviews underpin your business case in different countries, so we only have to do that work once. Translucency’s local experts then build on this work to address coding, local applications, costs and reimbursement rates specific to each country.
Our MD has focused on evidence-based medicine throughout his career. He understands clinical needs and payer perspectives, as well as commercial aspirations.
Mark first entered the healthcare system as a doctor (a family practitioner). But his interest in improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of healthcare led him to research clinical behaviour and its implications for guidelines and clinical audit.
He gained a PhD at Cardiff University, where he developed a new method of identifying groups in which health interventions are most cost-effective. Management now uses this method as an aid to decision-making.
Mark spent eight years as a senior medical manager in the NHS assessing health needs and the cost-effectiveness of new technologies and interventions. His experience managing budgets and planning means he understands exactly what key decision-makers need when they’re assessing new products.
NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) will be well-known to anyone looking to market a new healthcare product. Mark is uniquely familiar with the organisation: he was a founding member of NICE’s forerunner, the Wessex Development and Evaluation Committee. He will navigate their processes and guidelines, helping you to create the best-possible evidence-based case for your product.
In fact, Mark’s knowledge of NICE was vital for Sirtex. Tony Dixon, national sales manager at Sirtex, said: “We approached Mark to support market access and reimbursement issues in the UK, particularly around NICE’s interventional procedures application process – which was very problematic for us at the time.
“Mark helped us to unpick the process as well as give important and helpful strategic direction to address the issues. In the end, we were successful in challenging NICE thanks to Mark.”
Mark worked for two years on clinical effectiveness and guidelines within the Department of Health, developing clinicians’ budgets in the NHS. As director of the National Centre for Clinical Audit, Mark promoted clinical audit and quality improvement in health services across the UK.
He has published widely in peer-reviewed medical literature and other journals. Some of his publications are available to download here. He is a referee for the BMJ (British Medical Journal) and Social Sciences in Medicine. And he has reviewed proposals for the NHS HTA (Health Technology Assessment) programme.
Mark will give you the best possible chance of reimbursement, market access and product positioning. He’ll help you to present your evidence in the most attractive, easily understood way and he’ll put it in front of the people who make the decisions. Call him now and put your product in safe hands.
Paula Wittels, Programme Director
With experience of a wide range of medical technologies and expertise in business planning, market assessment and product management, Paula will make sure your product gets the best possible start in the market.
She can help you with early commercialisation, market access and product reimbursement. Paula will pull together everything you need to market your product in multiple countries. Her ability to manage projects across different healthcare systems in different countries leaves you free to concentrate on developing an integrated strategy and consistent positioning for your product.
A sound scientific background underpins Paula’s strong business skills: she holds an MA in Natural Sciences and an MSc in Information Science. She is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and speaks regularly at conferences on medical device reimbursement.
Paula started work in the medical devices industry as group product manager at Amersham International (now part of GE Healthcare), where she launched a novel IVD (in-vitro diagnostic) platform. She moved on to become marketing director at Howmedica International, which made orthopaedic implants. And before she joined Translucency, Paula was director of operations at Quintiles Consulting, specialising in medical device reimbursement. So when it comes to getting the best results for your product, Paula has extensive experience and a successful track record.
If you’re taking your product to market in more than one European country, call Translucency today.
Fiona James, Programme Director
Fiona has held senior management posts in the NHS and was a health visitor in community nursing, so she understands the difficulties and challenges the NHS faces in choosing where to invest in new products and services. She can use this experience to help you build a compelling business case for your product, then put it in front of the right people in the right way.
Fiona will work closely with you to navigate NHS processes and negotiate with key decision-makers.
Her background as a nurse means she understands what practitioners and managers are looking for from new products. Fiona has worked as a nurse in hospitals and in the community and has an in-depth knowledge of the NHS and the people your product will ultimately benefit: the patients.
Fiona has extensive experience in health service planning and conducting market research among decision makers, doctors and patients. She also runs seminars and training courses.
Fiona combines her extensive experience on the clinical side of the NHS with a Diploma in Management Studies and many years’ experience on the management side.
Before she started working with Translucency, Fiona was Primary Care Group Chief Officer in Birmingham. She has also been a health authority manager at the National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts (now the NHS Confederation).
Contact us today and find out how we can help you make the best business case possible for your product. Call us now.
Other team members include…
Germany, Switzerland, Austria
Thomas will use his in-depth knowledge of German, Austrian and Swiss healthcare systems to help you launch your product in these markets.
France
With experience of a wide range of medical technologies, in-depth knowledge of the French healthcare system and a native French speaker, Robert will smooth your path into the French market.
Spain and Portugal
Martin will help you gain market access and reimbursement for your product in Spain and Portugal.
Italy
In Italy we can help you navigate both the national DRG based system and the multiple regional health services with their local rules and tariffs. We can also support you with Health Technology Assessment, a vital tool for the introduction of innovative technologies.
Belgium
In Belgium we can advise you on applications to the National Institute for Health and Disability (INAMI). This evidence based process can take several years to complete so it is essential to understand the requirements and timescale from the outset. We can also provide the data you need on existing codes and tariffs, and Health Technology Assessments and whether they cover new technologies.
Netherlands
Ulrich is our expert on market access and reimbursement in the Netherlands. His expertise in market access, pricing and reimbursement, health economics, budget impact and cost-effectiveness modelling will support you through the steps of commercialisation in the Netherlands.