By now, you have
probably received your official Ten Adams Holiday Card complete with donation
tin. Which means ‘Share the Jingle’ has officially begun! Your first task? Let
us know which charity you’re collecting donations for.
Just post it to the
comments section below. And remember, while this is a friendly competition, it’s still a competition. So get the claws out — and those donations in.
Check back soon for your chance to post your first official earnings report. And get ready to watch the competition turn greener than the Grinch.
Holiday sweaters
get noticed. Period. Holiday sweaters with cats? Even better.
Are you tired of scouring the web for webinars and conferences that will keep you abreast of the healthcare marketing and communications industry? Look no further, we have assembled a list of upcoming events that are exclusively healthcare marketing focused. We keep an updated list of webinars, events, conferences and recordings on the right side of this blog at all times. Check back frequently to see what you should be attending to stay on top of your game!
The 2010
Physician Strategies Summit is an opportunity for senior healthcare executives
who are actively involved in the design and implementation of physician
strategies and relationship programs to share their success stories with their
colleagues. Be part of this cutting-edge, highly-rated, educational event. For
the 2010 conference, 200-225 senior level healthcare executives are expected to
attend. The target group for the conference includes CEOs/COOs, physician
leaders, physician relations directors, sales executives, business development
executives, marketing executives, and other senior strategists from hospitals,
health systems, and medical group practices.
No theory.
No pie-in-the-sky advice. Just proven strategies straight from the PR front
lines. Join us in New York City
for the first-ever Best Practices in Media Relations Summit from PRSA and Ragan
Communications! We've assembled the biggest media relations professionals for a
day of training that will give you hundreds of ideas, tips and strategies for
your company, your agency and your career. Here's what you will learn: * How
reporters want to be pitched today (Hint: it's not your father's tried-and-true
pitching formula. It's a new age for media relations pros, and we'll give you
the latest proven strategies for landing huge coverage in traditional and
mainstream media) * How to use Facebook and Twitter—the two hottest tools in PR
today—to pitch the media, build relationships with reporters and bloggers and
get ahead in your career * How to keep your company from going up in social
media flames. It was the Year of Living Dangerously for many Fortune 500
companies. Think Domino's. Express Jet. Amazon. We'll show you how to prepare
for a media relations crisis on YouTube, Twitter and other Web 2.0 platforms *
The biggest media relations success stories of 2009 and the biggest media
relations stinkers * The best media relations ideas of 2009 packed into a
30-minute, rapid-fire idea-jamming session. Get your legal pad out because
you'll be filling it with ideas from our star-studded panel of media pros. Sponsored
by: PRSA
How do you
communicate to hundreds of thousands of prospective patients, recruit top-notch
physicians, entice donors and promote your services through creative marketing
and social media? Find out from this special conference that was recorded in Scottsdale, Arizona,
at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic. Learn from fellow healthcare communicators
and executives turned social media experts featuring three keynote addresses
and 10 information-packed sessions.
Join
Thomson Reuters, Tuesday, December 9 at 2 p.m. (Eastern) for an hour-long Web
seminar highlighting the results of a recent analysis of public sector
healthcare cost and utilization compared to the private sector. In this
presentation, we'll do a deeper dive into the differences between the two and discuss
what you can do to narrow the gap.
Innovations
tend to follow two routes: either they are assimilated into the status quo, or
they fade away because they lack a sustainable business case. But disruptive
innovations veer off the beaten path, with a sticking power that has the
potential to change the way services are sought out and delivered. In this
Webinar, Paul H. Keckley, PhD , Executive Director of the Deloitte Center for
Health Solutions, will examine key disruptive trends in healthcare, including:
* retail clinics * medical tourism * patient-centered medical homes *
technology-enabled self-care. Be one of the first to hear the results of new
research on consumer receptivity to these innovations, current and projected
growth trends, sustainability, and the impact on the global healthcare system.
Schedule
Customizing Your Physician Relations Efforts: Niche Solutions Offer Results
As more
hospitals employ physicians, a new responsibility has been added to the
marketer's list ... marketing employed physician practices. Great marketers
make it happen, but nothing contributes to success more than framing the right
approach upfront, and knowing the pitfalls before they arise. Teri Cardenas,
Sr. System Director, Strategic Marketing & Communications, CHRISTUS Health;
Carol Fellin Hemker, Director, Physician Services & Marketing, Christian
Hospital/BJC; and Kriss Barlow , Principal, Barlow/McCarthy, will offer
practical, time-tested solutions to streamline the practice marketing process,
maximize your marketing efforts, and get the practice the visibility needed for
growth. Attend this program and explore: * key communication tools (Web-based
and traditional) and advertising venues * the marketer's role in supporting
practice staff and messaging * obtaining organizational and physician buy-in *
how approaches differ for new vs. established practices Proven case studies
will be shared.
Throughout
a woman’s life, she has different healthcare needs and marketing professionals
should identify these needs and target the demographic that is most pertinent.
Some service lines are very specific to one age group such as geriatrics and OB but others span across a lifetime such as psych and
gynecological services. As stated before, women’s services as a whole should
include a strong base of primary care providers – but all women’s care services
should also fall within the envelop of wellness and lifestyle solutions.Always focus on the positive: prevention,
wellness initiatives, screenings, and a healthy way of life.
Emotional Trends
According
to Vicki Lucus, Ph.D., president of Strategic Healthcare Initiatives, 85% of
women base their decisions on emotional factors. Focus on the Family conducted
a study on why abused women stay with their abusers instead of simply leaving
them. Twelve reasons – all emotional – were listed why women do not leave. No
where in Focus on the Family’s study did they conclude that women stay to avoid
worse physical harm if they left. Ms. Lucus goes on to explain that women
perceive almost all interactions within an emotional context and have a higher
retention rate with an emotional link. In general, women will reformulate it
into an emotional context. Your advertising should appeal to the emotional side
of women and their needs and your staff should build positive experiences with
their female patients to ensure their return.
At Least One
Women’s-Centered Center of Excellence
It has been
documented that if your hospital has at least one Center of Excellence
in Women’s Services, the entire program will be considered superior. By the
same token, if your hospital’s women’s program’s reputation is damaged, it will
take decades to become a leader again. If your hospital is fortunate enough to
sport a Center of
Excellence in women’s
services, capitalize on it. If not, focus on obtaining this title and
highlighting strengths within your women’s departments.
Recap
Define the key niches within the female demographic
Benefit from case studies and examples of marketing
strategies to women that work
Educate and involve your consumers to gain loyalty
My
mother used to be so nosey about everything and it would really drive me crazy,
but as I grew older I found out (through my own experiences with my family) that
she wanted to know all the details because she was so used to taking care of
everything and everybody; it became necessary to stay on top of the particulars.
The U.S. Department of
Labor reports that women make three-quarters of health care
decisions for their families and are more likely to be the caregivers when a
family member falls ill.Blame it on our nosiness or the pressures of maternal
instinct, but a when a girl is old enough to stop seeing her pediatrician, she will
take it upon herself to make use of all the resources she can get hold of to stay
abreast her own health. With the popularity of the internet and social media
sites, obtaining information about your health and health care is a piece of
cake. My mom relied on the Doctor’s Book
of Home Remedies, and her trusty Webster’s
Medical Encyclopedia to barely keep up with the doctors that were treating
us. Now, she hops on WebMD, the Mayo Clinic, Google Health, eMedicine, or Wikipedia
which provide her with more information than she has ever had access to before
including: an illness overview, cause, symptoms, what happens to you, what
increases your risk, when to call a doctor, exams and tests, treatment and
overview, prevention, home treatment, medications, surgery, other treatments,
other places to get help, related information and references. Then, she
continues her care after she leaves the doctor’s office by joining social sites
that cater to those with a particular condition, finding recipes for food that
addresses particular issues, and she can even check up on a healthcare
provider. Women empower themselves by being knowledgeable about what is
happening to themselves or their family. Women also tend to gather information
about health and wellness which makes her feel less vulnerable to poor outcomes.
By exchanging information with her, a physician not only empowers her and gives
the perception of respect, but can also quash inconsistencies and untruths that
lurk on the World Wide Web.
Specialized Care
Just
as children are not miniature adults, women are not small-boned men with less
hair. Women think differently, act differently and have very different health care
needs. In the New York Times, Nancy
Folbre writes, “Even health reform is a woman’s issue. Women need more health
care than men because of the combined demands of pregnancy and family planning.
The typical American woman who wants to have two children will spend about five years being pregnant, recovering from pregnancy or trying
to get pregnant, and about 30 years trying to avoid unintended pregnancies.” Many
tend to think of women’s health care as the OB/GYN department, but in order to operate
a successful woman’s sector, it must be supported by a strong base of primary
care providers and incorporate a network of multiple specialists. Many diseases
and conditions primarily affect women such as certain cancers, immune diseases
and cardiovascular issues and therefore specialized care is necessary. Take
inventory of your programs. Growth in women’s initiatives may come in expanding
a certain service line to include a specialized women’s department or in
developing tactics to mold part of a program to cater to women’s needs.
Honesty, Trust and Safety
Have
you ever heard that saying, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?” When you
break a woman’s trust – especially by not telling her the whole truth – she
might forgive but will never forget. According to docstoc, women who have been
cheated on by a spouse are more hurt by the emotional relationship their
partners formed than the physical relationship. Women build their relationships
around these three factors and when the other party abuses any of them, the association
is rendered wounded. Also, each one of these factors relies on the other. If a
patient feels her physician is not being honest with her, she will feel that she
or her children's safety is being violated and her trust goes right out the
window. What does that mean for the marketing department? Consistent, clear
messaging that reassures her of your compassionate and thorough care and a deep
understanding with physicians and staff about women’s needs.
Next up: Female Consumer Buying Trends in the healthcare arena. Check back for more
information about What a Woman Wants (in her Healthcare).
Though
the film What Women Want, starring
Mel Gibson, carried a romantic comedic theme, it brought up a point that all
marketing professionals – especially those in the healthcare industry – should strive
diligently to incorporate into their marketing structure: women run the free world.
Arguably the most complex creatures on earth, the female population is responsible
for 80% of all consumer spending and healthcare decision-making in the U.S. (Gallop). In
the movie, Mel Gibson is blessed with the ability to hear women’s thoughts – a
great gift in today’s world. Instead of using this gift to further his clients’
strategic initiatives, he steals his new female boss’ ideas and claims them as
his own. Though we don’t have the ability to hear the secret thoughts of female
consumers, we know a great deal about their (or our) healthcare wants, needs
and buying trends.
WANTS
A Relationship
When
dealing with matters as intimate as one’s body and health, having a
relationship with her healthcare is crucial for any woman. She wants to be able
to speak freely and know that she matters to her healthcare team.
RespectNo
adult wants to be talked down to or patronized especially when you feel poorly.
As in any relationship, she wants to feel like her physician and his or her
staff listens to her and is on her level. And if you fail to meet her standard
of respect, it is likely she will find someone who does.
Communication If
you do not adequately communicate with your female patients, they will have no problem
communicating with their friends and family members about your hospital’s lack
in communication skills. According to Dr. Vicki Lucus, the number one reason
that women change health care providers is poor communication. Dr. Lucus goes
on to explain that if women are satisfied with their services, they will tell
3-5 people but if they are dissatisfied, they will tell ten times that number. Be
on the positive end of that statistic if at all possible.
One-Stop ShoppingThe
integration of services is very important to women. Dr. Lucus explains, “A
virtual women’s center is one that is developed based upon an integrated
planning process, integrated structure, standardization of branding, marketing
and customer service, and the development of tactics to promote seamless
integration within the service line.” Many hospitals are beginning to integrate
various products and services into their repertoire of offerings to women such
as spa treatments, prosthetics, aesthetics, cancer specialty items as well as
female-focused service lines such as Women’s Heart, Oncology and OB/GYN just to
name a few
Next up:
Needs
– What the female consumer needs in her healthcare provider. Check back for
more information about What Women Want (in their Healthcare).
When I purchased my first iPhone a few weeks ago, my first
priority was not business. And, as long as we are being honest here, I have
spent the first couple of weeks downloading social media apps, games and other non-business related apps that I never knew existed but can’t live without. (Everyone needs the Wisconsin Cheese Cupid app, right?) When I sat down to write this
blog, my goal was simple: What free apps can I find that would make my life as
a marketing professional easier and more efficient? See my list below and feel free to chime in on any apps that are designed for the busy marketing practitioner.
iClick Powerpoint
Remote
Go to your next PowerPoint presentation in style with
i-Clickr PowerPoint Remote for iPhone/iPod Touch. Complete control of your
PowerPoint presentation including animations. View your slides AND slide notes
directly on your iPhone/iPod Touch during your presentation. Navigate through
your slides with finger swipes and taps. Grab your audience's attention with
realtime annotations. Help you track your presentation time with onboard clock.
Set presentation alarm so that your iPhone/iPod Touch will alert you with a
silent buzz before your time runs out. Work with both Windows and Mac Office
(see below for the Office versions supported).
MobileMe iDisk With MobileMe iDisk, it’s easy to store, access, and share
files online. You have plenty of storage space — even large files are no
problem. Just add the files you need to your iDisk, and whatever you upload
will be there for you to download using a web browser on any computer or using
the iDisk App for iPhone or iPod touch.
USA TodayThe latest news stories, scores, weather and photos you've
come to expect from USA
TODAY are nowavailable for your iPhone and iPod touch. Staying informed on the
go has never been this quick, easy or enjoyable.
Drop Box
Dropbox works with its web service that lets you keep files
in multiple computers in sync as well as make it available via a web interface.
Dropbox
iPhone app lets you access those files on your iPhone now!
InstaPaperSimply install the Instapaper app and download your unread
articles when you have WiFi, EDGE, or 3G coverage, then you can read them
anytime: on the train, on the bus, on line at the bank, or in space (you never
know).
Personal AssistantTen essential life management application in one app: credit
card control, bank account status, investment portfolio, cell minute tracker,
frequent flyer miles, travel itineraries, shopping management, bill management,
Netflix queue, and alerts.
Lockbox
Lockbox is a password & secret information storage
native 3rd party app for the iPhone. You can add, edit, remove, and view your
password list. It stores passwords for websites (or any system), credit card
info, or any secret information you need to keep ready at hand, encrypted on
your iPhone. Lockbox stores your passwords by encrypting them via AES128.
Avis Reservation App
If you're always on the move, just grab your iPhone and make
an Avis reservation any time, anywhere. No need to access a computer or call an
agent. Now iPhone puts car rental reservations at your fingertips! With the
Avis Reservation Application, all iPhone and iPod Touch users can reserve
vehicles at airport locations in the U.S.
and Canada.
Besides creating a reservation, users can instantly access reduced rates and
other benefits, just by providing an Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number,
Wizard number, and/or coupon code.
AAA Roadside
AAA’s legendary roadside assistance is available easily
through the iPhone App Store. Your current location and specific information
about your vehicle’s trouble is automatically sent to AAA for rapid response.
Avoid waiting on the phone and receive confirmation that the information sent
to the AAA roadside problem-solving technician is correct.
by Scott D. Mosley, Vice President of Strategy and Client Services
An
organization’s Brand is among its most valuable assets.As such, smart organizations understand the
importance of building, nurturing and leveraging a strong brand, just as they
do other assets, making it a central strategic priority.
The terms
brand and branding is thrown around a lot these days, usually with a very
limited knowledge of what the process of brand development is really
about.The process is simultaneously
both an art and a discipline which, like most disciplined artful pursuits,
takes practice to master.
When we
talk about branding and brand management, we are really talking about a process
with several central facets.It involves
defining the brand essence; what the brand stands for.It involves definition of the brand
personality; the brand’s character and imagery.It involves development of brand architecture; the central tool in
defining the scope and depth of the brand’s extension across the enterprise it
represents.And, it involves brand
positioning; differentiating and giving relevance to the brand.
The
accompanying diagram reflects Ten Adams’ perspective on the scope of effective
brand management.At the center of the
process is the all-important essence of the brand.This is usually a product of sole-searching,
looking deep within the organization for that handful of distinguishing
characteristics which truly define its culture and the points of distinction
which make it what it is.Defining a brand’s
essence is not an afternoon’s task.It
is more typically an interactive, group process of evolution and refinement
that takes place over an extended period of time.
Effective
brand management usually starts with a retrospective process of discovery and
analysis; Ten Adams refers to it as iMap360;
focused on drawing a vivid picture of the brand’s current state of
development.Unless the brand’s been
well-managed, this process will almost always uncover what I call “brand
creep,” the outgrowth of well-intentioned leaders within the organization who
view their program, product or services as the center of the organizational
universe and overlay the brand accordingly.The result is undisciplined brand extension and a multi-centered
organizational universe.
Down the
left-hand side of the diagram are internal disciplines which serve to anchor
the brand and avoid brand creep.It is
vital to formally document the parameters within which an organization’s brand
will be developed and that those parameters be purposefully endorsed by the
organization’s executive leadership, including the CEO.It has been my practice of seeking agreement
from the organization’s executive team that no changes will be made to the
organization’s brand architecture without each change being reviewed with and
approved by that group, reflecting the value and importance of the discipline.
Down the
right-hand side of the diagram are external aspects of brand expression.It is the unifying aspects of a well-managed
brand architecture that allows an organization to effectively position itself
as an enterprise showcase its promise and creatively tell its story.
At the
bottom of the diagram is the intersection of the internal disciplines and
external expressions, joined through internal communications.Building ownership of the brand and its
essence on the part of staff and stakeholders is a vital step toward fulfillment
of the brand promise extended to the marketplace through its marketing program.
It is
through the practice of discipline brand management and the artful portray of a
brand’s essence, reflected in the actions of an engaged workforce, that organizations
effectively live their brand.
We would like to take the opportunity to formally pay our respects to Senator Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy. Senator Kennedy did so much to improve healthcare during his time in politics. He worked tirelessly as an advocate to better patient care. Sen. Kennedy was responsible for pushing the War on Cancer in 1971, the Ryan White AIDS Care Act in 1990, the Mental Health Parity Act in 1996 and 2008, Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in 1997, the Medicare prescription drug law in 2003, and the Massachusetts health reform act in 2006 all through Congress. Sitting on the forefront of crumbling healthcare reform, it is hard to imagine that one person could have done so much to better policy.
Sen. Kennedy is an inspiration to anyone who has devoted his or her life to healthcare. In 1994, Sen. Kennedy said with great passion, "What we have in the United States is not so much a health-care system as a disease-care system." His words were not meant to point fingers or accuse but to bring light to the fact that though we enjoy so many luxuries in our healthcare that so many other countries do not, we still focus on treating disease instead of preventing it.
Though Sen. Kennedy may no longer be with us, he will remain an inspiration to anyone who may not be directly involved with patient care but can make a difference in the care of patients. He was a great speaker, a great American and a great advocate for those who needed him most – the sick.
The fact SCHIP passed at all during the turbulent Clinton years—in Newt Gingrich’s Congress, no less—was a testament to Kennedy’s negotiating skills. Millions of uninsured kids suddenly could get health care—check-ups, vaccinations, hearing tests, and antibiotics for strep throat. Millions more children need the same care, but the law (and its extension passed earlier this year) still leaves medically needy children uninsured—an issue that has been lost in the political thicket. Kids’ health is still at the mercy of state budget shortfalls—as we have seen in California, where thousands of children have been cut from the SCHIP rolls during the state’s latest fiscal crisis.
Senior citizens who complain about Medicare in the town hall meetings would do well to remember that Kennedy was instrumental in passing the law giving them the prescription drug benefit that now helps pay for their medicines. Before the law passed, they were the only large group of Americans who had no assistance paying for their drugs. (Employed people usually had drug benefits from their employers that kept their costs relatively low.) Though the law is far from perfect—it prohibits the government from negotiating cheaper prices from drug companies, and people with large drug expenses must shoulder those costs when they reach the limits in the so-called donut hole—no senior would want to be without it.
And then there’s Massachusetts, where Kennedy helped engineer the compromise that brought health insurance coverage to most of the state’s residents. As we have pointed out in our series Health Reform Lessons from Massachusetts, not everyone in the state is pleased. Mistakes have hurt the safety net hospitals, tax penalties have hurt uninsured residents, and, most important, the lack of serious cost control coupled with run-away medical costs threaten the law’s long-term viability. In the end, Massachusetts may not be a model for the rest of the country. But there’s no denying that, in the meantime, thousands of people who needed medical care have received it over the past few years. –Trudy Lieberman, Columbia Journalism Review
When tough times are knocking at a hospital’s doors,
it’s likely that leaders will want to reassure their staff with supportive and
empowering words. But, a CEO or other health care leader must be attentive to
the fact that there is a fine line between ignoring important and sometimes grim
details that employees and members of the community need to know and offering
up totally negative speech – even if it is completely factual. Here are eight
things to consider when delivering “bad news.” Don’t
try to sugarcoat the situation. Employees are always two steps ahead of the leadership team and people know when a speaker is blowing smoke. Example: when President Clinton uttered the words: “It depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is. If "is" means is and never has been, that is not, that is one thing. If it means there is none that was a completely true statement.” The nation stopped, scratched their heads, tried to comprehend that tangled web, and then knew he was lying. There was no longer a question about it.
Consider
your employees’ feelings and reactions. If
someone is about to lose their job, stress will inevitably and immediately
enter into their life. Be prepared for a negative fallout.
Build
a good relationship BEFORE you have to deliver bad news. Last
night, Brad Pitt was a guest on the on Real Time with Bill Maher . Bill made the
observation that Pitt could kill a nun on top of a pile of dead puppies and
people would say, “Oh, that Brad. He’s just so darn cute.” Though a graphic
image – at best – his point was that bad blows aren’t quite as painful when they
are delivered by a well liked, well respected and well trusted individual.
Tell
the truth and tell it fast. If
you are a parent, you can appreciate this. When I ask my daughter, “Who ate all
the brownies” and she him-haws around with excuses and blames, I tend to get
even madder. “I did,” will work nicely and the punishment will be much less
severe than if you give me time to digest the excuses. Rip off the Band-aid.
Convince
your employees that both you and they are part of the comeback.
People
will automatically blame poor leadership as the reasoning behind any failure. It
is important to plant the seed of solutions immediately following the announcement
of a difficult situation. Also, let your employees in on what they can do to
help. If a situation can be remedied and your employees feel sincerity on their
leader’s part, chances are a great deal of them will follow suit. When Franklin
Delano Roosevelt took office on March 4, 1933, the nation was deeply troubled. Roosevelt had campaigned for the presidency promising a
"new deal for the American people." The 'new deal' term became the
motto for the sweeping economic and political changes
would enact to address the national economic emergency. In his inaugural
speech, President Roosevelt first tried to calm the fear gripping Americans,
then outlined some of the "lines of attack" to be immediately taken
in the days and weeks ahead. The rest is history.
Use
storytelling and metaphors. What
would a good sports story be if the main character didn’t become the underdog
and face hardships and challenges only to come out on top? Who hasn’t cried at Rudy? That is what I thought… NO ONE! When
people are thinking about their jobs, they aren’t as concerned with entertaining
the public but by using a riveting “Phoenix
rising from the ashes” story to rally your troops, you focus on a positive outcome
instead of the present situation. Do not
use PowerPoint slides When
Microsoft came out with PP, it was a giant leap for business professionals everywhere.
No longer is your entire audience high from magic marker fumes. PP can be a
great resource but when you are speaking on behalf of a sensitive subject, it
is best to leave the PP out of it and speak directly to your audience and use undeviating
eye contact.
Be
realistic and optimistic. No
one wants to hear a doom-and-gloom story, but as adults your employees know when
their leadership is going overboard with promises. In Dr. Martin Luther King’s
famous speech I Have a Dream, Dr.
King eloquently elucidates the plight of the average African American in 1963.
Though a grim time, Dr. King rallies his fellow man, not by insulting his
audience’s intelligence by sweetening the truth or by assuring them that in
2008 an African American man would become president of the United States, but
instead he very wisely chose these words: “I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the
difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a
dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day
this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We
hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal. I have a
dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves
and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a
table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert
state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be
transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they
will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their
character. I have a dream today.”
Click HERE to watch a clip from the Today Show about how Brand-Savvy Tweens (Between child and teen) are.
Parents watch while a group of tweens participates in a focus group testing
their knowledge of brands. Marketing expert Martin Lindstrom discusses the
parents’ reactions.
Though children and teens may not be your target audience, it's
interesting that young people can identify brands so easily. It is also
important to remember that these children will be the decision-makers
sooner than you think. According to a Gallup poll, only 30% of people
choose a hospital because of family influence where 63% base their
choice of hospital on medical expertise. Over 2/3 of the amount of
consumers choose their health care provider independently from their
family's preferences.
How much of your decision-making process is rooted in a
moral foundation and does your career choice have anything to do with it?
According to a new study, conducted by two of the Page Center's Johnson Legacy Scholars, Renita Coleman and Lee Wilkins, "The Moral Development of Public Relations
Practitioners: A Comparison with Other Professions and Influences on Higher
Quality Ethical Reasoning" PR practitioners rate among the highest morally
developed professionals. The study, which appeared in the July 2009 Journal
of Public Relations Research, cites seminarians and philosophers as the
highest ranking the moral development scale. After that come medical students,
practicing physicians, journalists, dental students, nurses and then public
relations pros.
According to the Bulldog Reporter, “last on the moral
development scale are junior high school students, one notch below prison
inmates.” The study found that individuals with a higher age and education
level tend to rate higher on the scale. This begs the question, do we choose the
professions we do based on our standard of ethics or are the codes of conduct drilled
deep into the brain during attendance at institutions of higher education?
Why did you choose to enter into marketing and public
relations in the health care arena? Did you feel a calling or did the opportunity
present itself at the right time? Sometimes we need to step back and recall the
reasons why we chose our profession in the first place and build strength of
character from both our personal attributes and
our learned codes of conduct.
The role of the
media in a democratic society is to act as a watchdog, holding corporate America accountable and providing accurate and useful information to the general
public. No other sector of the media takes these ideals more seriously than
those who monitor and report on issues of health care.
Because of the
recent decline in newspaper journalism and reduction of staff in remaining
newsrooms, there are fewer knowledgeable health care reporters and more “aces”
who are pressured to generate compelling headlines. The risk of journalistic
zealousness putting your brand in jeopardy is at an all-time high.
So, how does your
organization preserve its integrity in such a sticky climate?
As your
organization’s communications gatekeeper it is imperative to stay vigilant in
both the local and social media arena. A falsity, stretch of the truth or even vague
headline can not only sway public opinion but with the onset of social media
and blogging, one incorrect detail can be transferred to a plethora of
opinion-based forums disseminating brand busting half-truths throughout your
consumer base. Keep on top of all discussion pertaining to your hospital or
healthcare organization. Utilize your search engine’s alert system. Google
Alerts offers a free service to anyone with a Gmail account – promptly sending
an email when user-decided key words or phrases are posted anywhere on the
web.
If you do come
across an error, it’s best to rectify it immediately before it morphs into a
whole new can of worms by bloggers, social networkers and others who aren’t
bound by journalistic standards. It is also important to put together a system
of dealing with errors before one comes to light. By thinking ahead and staying
organized you may avoid future disasters and time-consuming endeavors.
In past healthcare reporting,
seasoned journalists relied on key opinion leaders and experts whom they
trusted. According to the Association of Health Care Journalists, writers must “recognize
that most stories involve a degree of nuance and complexity that no single
source could provide. Journalists have a responsibility to present diverse
viewpoints in context. To reflect only one perspective of only one source is
not wise. Most one-source stories lack depth and meaning.”
Because you may not
have rapport or any prior experience with a particular journalist, providing
him or her with non-biased experts that support their views with science-based justification
not personal assumptions will boost your credibility and surface facts.
It is also important
to build rapport with the freelance and inexperienced journalists. By building
trust, you will in turn become a source when a crisis hits. They will turn to
you for accurate and complete information about your organization – giving you
the opportunity to supply a positive slant on an ugly situation.
By encouraging
journalists, bloggers and the community to dig up correct information and unbiased
or even both of the opposing sources, you will guard your corporate and
community image. Help journalists to understand that they have a duty to their
readers to quantify their findings – to report on fact and not inflate subject
matter.
Why are malls so successful, especially around Christmastime?
Because though they may be a pain to navigate if you have one specific item to
purchase, they are a blessing if you need several items and/or have only a
vague idea of what you want. Malls provide an assortment of variety and that
saves you both time and money instead of having to drive around town searching
for what you need. The same idea goes for giant superstores that carry
everything from diapers to digital cameras to dill weed.
Hospitals have caught on to the notion of providing
convenience to clientele through retail within the hospital itself. And, in
recent tight economic times, hospitals are faced with the challenge of
increasing revenue because the wells of health plan and government
reimbursements are drying up.
Though any woman would tell you “retail medicine” is the undeniable
feeling of bliss she experiences when engaged in a no-holds-bar spending spree,
the phrase “retail medicine” actually refers to the health care related
products and services provided by hospitals that are not covered by insurance.
In the Milwaukee Business Journal, Gary Paquin, executive
vice president of The Paquin Group – a health care retail consultant firm –
explains, “The average hospital makes $500,000 annually from retail such as
gift and coffee shops, but has the potential of $5 million to $15 million
annually with the extended retail medicine. The return on investment is higher
in retail than in reimbursed health care, with 15 percent to 20 percent returns
in retail, compared with 2 percent to 3 percent return in reimbursed health
care.”
Because of those staggering numbers several hospitals are
catching on. But forget the “cards and balloons” gift shops, hospitals around
the world are diving into a hodgepodge of retail opportunities. Here is a list
of some of the services and specialty stores that hospitals are either implementing
or renting space out to.
Retail Services in
Health Care Settings
-catering services
-event hall rental
-dining
-retail clinics
-optical stores
-contact lenses stores
-dental and orthodontic services
-hearing services
-pharmacy and supplement needs
-healthy food markets
-newborn photography services and photo purchasing options
-prosthetics services
-massage, acupuncture, chiropractic and aromatherapy
services
-exotic flower shops
-fitness clubs
-art and dance studios
-specialty coffee shops such as Starbucks
-specialty cancer shops (wigs, scarves, prosthetics, etc.)
-Convenience for patients and visitors (especially elderly
patients who have limited transportation)
-Enhancement of patient loyalty
-Ability to control the administering of trusted products
and services from trusted sources to patients
-Ability to educate consumers on products benefits and safe
usage of products
-Boost your brand
-Engage patients in wellness-related services
So what does the future hold for hospital retail? Though it is
unlikely hospitals will depend on Christmas shoppers to provide a bulk of the
year’s revenue or that teens will start loitering with their friends in hospital parking lots on Friday nights, health care retail is expected to grow. So, what should we be
asking as you put together a hospital retail strategy? The main thing marketing
departments should focus on is razor-sharp concentration on the consumer. Every
detail about how stores are designed, to convenient placement within the
hospital, right down to the employees’ knowledge about the product or service
adds value to your consumers.
For more information on retail in healthcare visit these
links:
Beyond the
Gift Shop: Boost Revenue, Your Brand, and Patient Satisfaction with
Strategic Hospital Retail (Ache Management Series) (Paperback) by
Mindy Thompson-Banko:
In college, you learned the basics of marketing – how to
write a press release, how to compose a marketing plan; you may have even
learned a bit about logistics or consumer behavior or … internet marketing… but
when you were thrust into your first marketing job, you learned what they teach
you in school hardly prepares you for the real world.
You discovered that all the concrete things you learned was
only a tiny fraction of the real-world practices and procedures you would face
every day. You also found out that the most important aspect of marketing – the
human element – is something you began learning about on your first day of work
and will continue to learn about until you retire from marketing.
The human element, especially in healthcare marketing, is
something you must consider – although you hardly ever think to consider it. Make sense? No?! Okay, pretend you are a
woman who is about to give birth to her first child. Would you rather give
birth to your newborn in a cold, uninviting room or in a warm, appealing birthing
center? Duh… your job is to make sure the mother knows that your rooms are a
warm and inviting place to be when she engages in the worst pain of her life.
How do you convey that message to expecting mothers and
their families? Should you throw a campaign together that consists of a couple
of radio and TV spots – maybe a billboard and a microsite… She’ll get the
point, right?
Well, maybe she will or maybe for undisclosed reasons, she
will go to the hospital on the other side of town. The question is: how do we
convince Mama that your hospital is the best place for her to bring her child
into the world? (We realize this is the universal question of all marketing
departments everywhere but we’d like to walk you down that fine line of what is
expected of you as a healthcare marketer and what is effective.)
The Proof is in the
Pudding
Many marketers have the luxury of convincing their audience
of a product’s worth. In your case,
however, the service is the product, and the service is only as good as the
customer experience. Would you choose a hospital that has a reputation of cantankerous,
and down-right mean nurses even if they were a little closer to home or had
flat screen TVs in every room? No? Of course we are exaggerating the factors
but one poor customer service experience can have a severe impact. Due to fluctuating
personalities and personal issues, some things are unforeseeable but there are
also many ways you can improve the customer service experience – and it all
begins with your staff. Teach your staff to meet the consumer’s needs before
they have them. By instilling character values and holding your staff to a
consistent level of excellence you have laid the foundation for honest and
precise marketing.
Walk Softly but Carry
a Big Stick
Consumers don’t sit around waiting for your next direct
mailer or radio commercial to come on. In fact, consumers find most of these
advertising pieces to be clutter. In our attempt to market everything, the
consumer loses sight of the most important aspects of your hospital in all the
“noise.” Marketing is too valuable to waste on mediocrity. Using precious
marketing dollars on the run-of-the-mill healthcare is unjustifiable and if you
attempt to fluff up the ordinary, the consumer catch on and it will leave a bad
taste in their mouth.
Thread the External
and the Internal
In 2007, Ten Adams began a new department called Workforce
Development. This department fleshes out the issues and problems our clients
are having and addresses them in a positive way. The number one thing we have
learned since we implemented this department is that it takes a combination of
internal marketing, external marketing and implementing policy and procedural
changes among staff. And, though academia will teach you that as a marketing
practitioner that it takes lots of ads and press releases to be successful, you
and I know better. It takes knowing and understanding the human element; it
takes investing time in your staff and in your consumer. It takes getting
patients in the door with an brilliant marketing message and then providing
them with the most compassionate and exceptional care from the time they walk
in until the time they go home.
Web 2.0 was the current “hot topic” in healthcare marketing
conferences and forums throughout this past year. Everyone wanted to know what
it was and what they could get out of it. And the stragglers? Well, they were
left behind to eat 2.0’s proverbial dust.
Ahh, you can finally Tweet that your hospital’s Facebook
page is up and running, and with feet propped on your desk you finally slip
away into that well-deserved rest. That’s when the nightmare hits – now that
you’ve mastered Web 2.0, Web 3.0 rears its ugly head! You bolt awake only to
see Web 3.0 splashed across your computer screen…
What does it all mean? Is Al Gore slowly sucking the life
from all marketing departments, everywhere? We see him now, devilishly wringing
his hands and giggling in delight as he invents MORE AND MORE INTERNET! Before
you crawl under your desk, relax, we see great potential in Web 3.0 and what it
will do for those who are seeking out information about healthcare. Of course
it will require healthcare marketers and advertisers to go beyond their current
scope of thinking, but let’s face it – aren’t you getting pretty good at that?
The first real question you may be asking is, “What are Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0?”
Web 1.0 is a retronym which refers to the state of
the World Wide Web, and any website design style used before the advent of the Web
2.0 phenomenon.* (Amazon, Google)
Web 2.0 refers to what is perceived as a second generation of web
development and web design. It is characterized as facilitating communication, information
sharing, interoperability, user-centered design and collaboration on the World
Wide Web. It has led to the development and evolution of web-based communities,
hosted services, and web applications. Examples include social-networking sites,
video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, mashups and folksonomies.* (Twitter,
Facebook, YouTube)
The Semantic Web, or Web 3.0,
comprises a set of design principles, collaborative working groups, and a
variety of enabling technologies. Some elements of the semantic web are
expressed as prospective future possibilities that are yet to be implemented or
realized.*
In 1999, Darcy DiNucci cited a more interactive internet that would allow
users to contribute to sites in her article “Fragmented Future.” She writes,
“The Web we know now, which loads into a browser window in essentially static
screenfuls, is only an embryo of the Web to come. The first glimmerings of Web
2.0 are beginning to appear, and we are just starting to see how that embryo
might develop. The Web will be understood not as screenfuls of text and
graphics but as a transport mechanism, the ether through which interactivity
happens.”
Web 2.0 is distinguished by its focus on social interactions; Web 3.0 will
focus on making the Internet easier to navigate. According to Victor Alvarez, “Web
3.0 will move us from present-day ‘clunkier’ searching to richer URL structure
with a greater depth of information and improved search results.”
Earlier this year, Microsoft launched its first attempt at a streamlined
search engine – Bing. Perhaps you have noticed the commercials on TV that
feature two people engaged in conversation when one person starts spouting off
random associations to a question posed by the other person. Bing eliminates
the “popularity search” and organizes results into logical categories. The
claim is that Bing is “the cure for search overload” and is alleging that it
will help reduce irrelevant and random search results.
Alvarez goes on to explain that, “Web 3.0 will impact the
way that healthcare companies market themselves online and the amount of time
companies put into their Web site. As Web 3.0 gains ground with users,
healthcare companies will have to increase their efforts to keep their Web
sites relevant. Since the Semantic Web will incorporate logic and syntax, page
designers and copywriters will have to make sure that any and all information
users need is incorporated into the Web site so that it will show up in search
results. Web 3.0 will mean that healthcare marketers and advertisers will be
required to think of new ways to build levels of information into Web sites and
will force sites to create connectivity in the information so that search
engines stream relevant sites to users.”
Because Web 3.0 is still in the infant stages, it will be imperative for
healthcare marketers and public relations professionals to stay abreast of the
web phenomenon as it grows and becomes more defined. The best first step to
take is to experiment with ways to offer gateways of accessibility to users who
are seeking precise and detailed information because now, the Web is on their
terms, not ours. And you don’t want to be left in 3.0’s proverbial dust.
This epic
painting by Norman Rockwell encapsulates the doctor/patient relationship prior
to the Seventies. Unless you experienced a life-threatening illness or injury,
from the time you were born until you took your last breath, you had the
pleasure of “dealing with” one healthcare provider – your family doctor.
Having one
general practice physician may have prevented you from the receiving the
expertise of specialists but keeping your medical records straight was far less
complicated. Now, if you can’t sleep well, you see a sleep specialist, a
neurologist – maybe even a psychiatrist to find out what keeps popping up from
your past in your dreams. Got acne? Dermatologist, then plastic surgeon, then
another trip to the psychiatrist who convinces you that it was your mom’s fault
that no one invited you to prom. Break your toe? That adds up to one ER
physician, one orthopedic surgeon, and one physical therapist. These may be
extremes but Americans do see a barrage of health specialists and unless they have
access to a patient care representative, patients are forced recall their own
medical background every time they enter an exam room.
Ever
consider what could happen to a patient experiencing a heart attack who happened to take a Viagra earlier in the day? Onenitroglycerinlater and boom –
Sayonara… Who wants to take that chance? Not any healthcare provider or patient
we know.
It is this
surge in patients having to take their healthcare into their own hands that prompted
two of the internet supergiants to craft online Personal Health Records or PHRs.
Google (Google Health) and Microsoft (HealthVault) have each dug deep into their creative genius’ to give patients
a secure place to store their medical histories and each are looking for large
retail pharmacy chains, pharmacy benefit managers, laboratory and diagnostic
companies, hospitals, medical clinics and health centers, medical groups,
doctor offices, health insurance companies, electronic medical record
application companies, personal health record application companies, disease
management companies, medical device companies, retail clinics and wellness
application companies to partner with.
According
to Google Health, “Google is looking for strategic partners who can help our
users get access to their medical records and prescription history and do a
better job of managing their health needs.”
So where do
hospitals, the Meccas of healthcare, fit into this equation of patients,
information and the web? Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School became a Google Health partner in May of 2008. BIDMC has an innovative patient
portal called PatientSite that enables patients to access their medical records
online, securely email their doctors, make appointments, renew medications, and
request referrals. Working with Google Health, BIDMC has extended its support
for personal health records by linking PatientSite to Google Health.
“We believe
that patients should be the stewards of their own data,” says John Halamka, MD,
BIDMC’s chief information officer. “BIDMC’s PatientSite is wonderful if all
care is delivered at BIDMC. However, many patients have primary care doctors,
specialists, labs, pharmacies, and non-traditional providers at multiple
institutions.”
“Our
vision is that BIDMC patients will be able to electronically upload their
diagnosis lists, medication lists and allergy lists into a Google Health
account and share that information with health care providers who currently
don’t have access to PatientSite. The end result will be when patients leave
the BIDMC area or see a provider outside the area they can have all their
medical data located in one safe place,” adds Halamka.
Halamka is
also a member of the Google Health Advisory Council, a group of 23
experts who have been advising Google for the past year. Halamka specifically
advised the Google Health team on standards for healthcare information exchange
and has given feedback on the privacy and security of patient records to ensure
they are protected.
What does
this mean for Marketing Departments – especially with the glimpse of mandatory
EMRs on the horizon? Involving your hospital with state-of-the-art PHRs allows
your hospital to position itself within the industry.
Builds Top-Of-Mind Awareness
Among Users
Creates New Business
Opportunities
Keeps Doctors Up-To-Date
Eliminates Paperwork
Eliminates Wasteful Spending
Backs Up Medical Records
Increases Safety and Efficiency
in the Healthcare Setting
Helps Doctors and Other
Caregivers Deliver Quality Care
Gives your Patients a Hands-On
Approach to their Healthcare
Are you
ready to take the next steps in learning more about PHR Applications? In early
2009, the user experience research firm User Centric conducted an independent
comparative usability study of two existing online personal health record
applications, Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault. Click here for more information
about the usability, utility, security and overall perceptions of each of these
online applications.
Ever heard the phrase, “Those who do not learn from history
are doomed to repeat it?” Read thisinteresting short from dailykos.com and find
out why you should think twice about adequate health insurance for all.
Though you may never have the always pleasant experience of treating a world-famous entertainer at your hospital, it is entirely possible Whoopi Goldberg could be trucking her way through your town and cause an accident at a red light. (Whoopi doesn't fly, so this is an entirely possible scenario.) What happens when Whoopi enters your ER? Does she call the shots about what medication is administered and what procedures are performed? As her healthcare provider, it would be in everyone's best interest to not give in to whatever Whoopi demands. But, what happens when Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Brittney Spears and other super celebs demand unnecessary and even dangerous "healthcare?" As a marketing director in Nowheresville, North Dakota, you may be thinking, "This isn't something that falls into my plate," but every healthcare provider is faced with influential members of local society that roll out a whole different set of standards. Take a look at this article by CBS News Health about how poor celebrity care may provide lessons to everyone.
As a CEO or Marketing Director, you
know better than anyone how critical marketing is to the success of any health care organization. It’s the synergy of good programs, delivered by
outstanding staff, backed by effective marketing that truly defines your
hospital’s brand and helps build profitable market share. Sounds good in theory,
but how do you make it happen?
Ten Adams has been utilizing this blog to shed a bit of light on issues that hospital marketing departments face every day. Now, it's your turn to share! Let the experts of Ten Adams help you with some of the challenges you are facing. Simply leave a comment on this blog or email us at asollars@tenadams.com and we will address the subjects you want to know more about!
We tend to think of mergers and acquisitions as the big bad wolf - here to blow the house down and eat the inhabitants. Healthcare organizations, however, are finding mergers to be a positive situation for both hospitals and the patients.
Supporting mom and pop stores, dives and local eateries is something that Americans are beginning to acknowledge and embrace but when it comes to health care, patients can't afford to trust high-end care to the unequipped. And, in the current economic state, small hospitals and clinics can't afford to make the improvements on their own.
More and more outlying hospitals are turning to big systems to offer "the hope of safe harbor from whatever financial storms are on the horizon, provide doctors in places where physicians are in short supply and allow easier access to capital. The chains in return, get footholds in new areas, where they can build market share and increase the number of patients they serve."*
Though some patients may be severed from physicians they have longstanding relationships with, top-notch physicians that are affiliated with the larger systems will become available to patients in outlying areas. "For a physician who might be less inclined to settle in a small community, a connection to a larger system may be a plus," explains Carmela Coyle, president of the Maryland Hospital Association.
Dr. Darren Chapman, general surgeon at Trover Health Systems in Madisonville, KY, will be operating his practice part-time in a recently acquired clinic 45 minutes from the main hospital. "For
me, it’s a win/win situation – I’m looking for patients, and Muhlenburgh County
needs the support of another good general surgeon."
Trover Health System has a long history of operating community-based
medical clinics, currently operating eight satellite primary care
clinics in locations surrounding Trover’s main campus and Regional
Medical Center, in Madisonville, Kentucky. This network of family care
clinics is specifically focused on meeting the primary care needs of
local communities, however access to specialty care can also be
provided for community residents by specialty physicians traveling to
the clinics or through referral to specialty care clinics and Regional
Medical Center in Madisonville, where more than 50 medical specialties
and sub-specialties are represented.
In 2007, the American Hospital Association reported that 56 percent of the nearly 5,000 hospital in the United States are part of a hospital system.
Mergers and acquisitions can prove financially smart for both parties involved. The smaller hospitals will have access to funds for building and expansion projects and up-to-date technology and will also be able to piggyback on the network for some services and take advantage of the cost cuts on bulk supplies. The larger hospitals will expand to a whole new market. Michael J. Curran, executive vice president and CFO of MedStar explains, "As the largest health care system in the [Maryland] region, we don't need to grow just for growth's sake. Instead, we want to focus on opportunities that promote strategic growth."
As a Marketing Director, the two biggest issues you will deal with when faced with a merger is informing the general public about the services offered at the smaller hospital and clinics (especially if they are new) and getting past the big bad wolf syndrome because unfortunately mergers often times mean job loss in the local hospitals.
For further reading on successful hospital mergers and acquisitions, see below:
I posed the question to my husband just last night, "Why is having a MySpace considered to be low-class and unadult but everyone - even major corporations - have jumped on the Facebook bandwagon? Was I surprised my mother-in-law and her mother (my daughter's great grandmother)
is on FB? A little... Was I baffled that the country's top hospitals
"facebook?" Um, YES! ("Facebook" is a noun as well as a verb, in case
you were unaware.) Now, I have come to accept that the former
"college-only" site is as common as a cold.
If
you feel that it is still a passing fad or classify Facebookers (yes,
the word to describe a person who utlizes Facebook) as a stereotype of
vagrants, daters and hoodlums, maybe it is time to take a closer look
at what our favorite social media is doing in the world of business.
On May 10, 2009, the Target corporation kicked off Bullseye Gives
- its first-ever Facebook campaign. Target invited users to visit their
FB page and help Target decide on how to divvy up $3 million among ten
charities. After tallying 291,300 votes, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital with a total of 77,427 votes (26.6%) came in first and received $797,123.
According to Target, "during the two-week campaign, Bullseye Gives generated incredible results and voter resonse, including: -- Target Facebook Page added 97,091 new fans
-- During the campaign, the Target Facebook Page increased daily views by
4,800%*
-- Target Facebook Page experienced a 3,000% surge in wall posts, with
more than 3,000 personal stories shared throughout the campaign*
-- More than 167,000 fans on Facebook voted for the charity of their
choice
Now, if you think FB is still a waste of time, consider this: according to ebennett.org, over 275 hospitals around the country are using social media including: the Mayo Clinic, Riley Children's Hospital and Johns Hopkins.
In fact, out of 277 hospitals who use social media, 135 have YouTube
Channels, 101 have Facebook pages, 201 have Twitter accounts and 25
have blogs.
Hospitals are seen as outsiders to the online social
conversation because of the typical boundaries and limitations healthcare
organizations place on themselves. People want to communicate with hospitals
and want these organizations as part of the conversation.
It is key to an organization’s success to become involved in
this conversation and to develop relationships with current and future
patients.
Take charge of your own health care! As a patient, you have heard this phrase a hundred times and with the internet as a vast resource for medical knowledge, taking charge of your own health care is easier and more accessible now than it has ever been. As a patient in the hospital, you are at the mercy of the staff, your friends and family and (uhh) the hospital's chosen cable provider for countless hours of Judge Judy. As a hospital administrator, you look for ways to improve quality, service and cost performance outcomes.
One NY-based cable vendor, Optimum Lightpath, has partnered with GetWellNetwork® Inc., Bethesda, MD, to offer an Interactive Patient Care System in the New York City metropolitan hospitals. The GetWellNetwork® and its competitors like TIGRNET™ offers patients a variety of features that are not only entertaining but also educate them on their illness and recovery. By using a wireless keyboard, touch screen or hand-held device, patients can use the in-room television to access internet, e-mail, movies, educational videos, menus and meal ordering capabilities and a medications database.
According to GetWellNetwork®, "We are passionate about developing innovative solutions
that empower patients. In fact, patients are at the core of everything
we do. Our software platform features Patient
Pathways™ that enable your hospital to rapidly achieve
an interactive patient care environment.
One in which patients can learn about their condition, collaborate with
their caregivers, secure helpful services, and enjoy entertainment resources
– all from their hospital bed."
Will allowing patients to take charge of their hospital stay improve quality, service and cost performance outcomes in American healthcare? A group of prominent healthcare leaders,
clinicians, researchers and policy makers announced the launch of
the Institute for Interactive Patient Care (IIPC).
The IIPC will be comprised of two principal functions:
To conduct research that will
establish the efficacy of patient engagement on advancing hospital
quality, safety, service and financial outcomes, as well as patient
outcomes; and
To utilize these findings to
establish and promote patient engagement policy, standards and
requirements for healthcare providers.
“We
are excited to support such important work and believe that engaging
patients in the care process will result in improved outcomes and
reduced costs. The group of thought leaders joining the Institute is
remarkable, symbolizing the importance of patient engagement in the
healthcare transformation formula,” said Michael O'Neil, Jr., founder and chief executive officer of GetWellNetwork, Inc.
To learn more about GetWellNetwork® and the products they provide, visit www.getwellnetwork.com.
To learn more about
TIGRNET™ and the services they provide, visit www.telehealth.com.
Newton Medical Center in Newton, KS, has not had to lay off a single employee in 10 years. With astronomical amounts of Americans out of work, this small statistic seems like a beacon of light on a dark night. How is Newton Med accomplishing this feat? In 2008, the hospital saved $2,000,000 simply by utilizing cost-cutting suggestions by employees.
Many times, hospitals leave the task of trimming the fat up to administration and purchasing departments but Newton Med discovered that employees would rather make small cuts in the present than deal with layoffs in the future.
The problem is that purchasers and administration aren't always privy to the small details in a hospital - details that employees handle every day. According to Newton Medical's Registered Dietician, Rhonda Horsch, "I think that everybody knew that we all had to pull together and give up a little something. We added up how much free hot chocolate was going out every month, and every year, and that came up to about $10,000 a year - which we were surprised at."
How much "hot chocolate" is your hospital serving? We encourage your hospital to reassess your bottom line through your employees eyes. Not only will it make their ideas and input more valuable, it could mean the difference between being able to stay fully staffed or having to cut some jobs.
Click Here for more information about this subject
As children we are forced to bear it all to the world. Of course, it's cute when you are an infant. Beyond puberty, the only time you'll be caught dead with your bum swaying in the breeze is when you are forced to wear a hospital gown.
Though the material is usually softer than a newborn bunny (probably because it has been worn and washed 30 times) everyone knows what lies beyond that thin layer of fabric - especially when they have to help you to the bathroom (reason #324 to honor nurses).
According to Lucette Lagnado, "Medical historians believe the current gown evolved from nightshirts patients wore in hospitals int he 1800s that were slit open in the back. Variations of the current style have been in use since at least the 1920s."
Of course, nobody enjoys wearing these skivvies but changing the concept of the garment is difficult because of its functionality and price.
Patient gowns are now a $76 million market, according to Premier Inc., an alliance of hospitals that negotiates to buy supplies and works with hospitals on quality improvement. Gowns can be purchased for $2-$3 each and washed several times. And, try designing a garment that allows doctors to get to the parts they need in an emergency.
That is exactly what a group of students at the College of Textiles has been doing for the last two-and-a-half years.
"We thought that it would be a much easier problem to tackle," says Professor Traci Lamar, who has been guiding the students through this arduous task. "It is as if the patient is an object - can't we develop a more respectful garment?"
The students were given a $236,110 grant to work on not only designing a new gown but also production and marketing of the piece.
This is not the first effort to design new hospital digs. Nearly ten years ago, Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, NJ, hired designer Nicole Miller to redesign their gowns. The final cost of the gowns are about double the price of an original hospital gown but the hospital says the colorful garb is worth the extra money.
At the Maine Medical Center in Portland, administrators noticed a decline in Muslim patients missing their scheduled appointments. The root of the problem: Muslim patients were so distressed about the free-wheeling gown, their medical problems were second to their modesty. A new sarong-style gown was outfitted immediately.
The question remains - will outfitting a less assuming hospital gown boost a hospital's bottom line? Ask yourself, "would you choose one hospital over another because of a more comfortable stay? Though we couldn't find research supporting whether updating hospital apparel raised revenue or not it might be worth looking in to.
So where are hospital gowns headed? V-neck lines, iPod pockets and tapered seams? I'd say watch next season's runways for the future of fashion - hospital gowns.
My grandmother was literally hit by a
Mack truck fifteen years ago. When she left the hospital, the barrage of
medications were a little too much for her to handle. Disoriented and
disengaged from her several-month stay at the hospital, her medication regimens were
not correctly followed and she landed right back in the hospital. It was only
determined at that time, someone needed to reacclimate her to life on her own.
According to modernhealthcare.com, "Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) has introduced
legislation that seeks to reduce hospital readmission rates by
improving the follow-up care patients receive after leaving the
hospital. The Medicare Care Transitions Act of 2009 would save billions
of dollars each year by incorporating a model that Colorado has used to
reduce readmission rates and improve care."
In other words, "Care Coaches" will help patients make the transition from hospital life, to life on the outside. These coaches will help patients manage their condition and medications, provide follow-up care and become a standard when patients must either return to the hospital or change treatment centers.
Modernhealthcare.com goes on to state, " 'The goal is to improve patient quality and
cost-effectiveness of care for Medicare beneficiaries and ease the
burden on providers to reduce hospital readmission rates,' according to
a summary of the bill."
“ 'Across the country, too many seniors are being readmitted to a
hospital within a month even though it could often be preventable,'
according to the statement. A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that unplanned rehospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries are expensive and frequent, accounting for $17.4 billion of $102.6 billion Medicare paid to hospitals in 2004. Bennet’s legislation has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee."
Haircuts, banking and now - health care - in super markets like Wal-Mart and chain pharmacies like CVS; hospitals are finding that there are benefits to branching out.
Around the country, hospitals are now affiliated with more than 25 Wal-Mart clinics including: the Christus Medical Group, in Texas; the Aurora Health System, in Wisconsin, Coxhealth in Missouri and even the Mayo Clinic has opened one Express Care clinic at a supermarket in Rochester, Minn and a second one across town at a local mall.
"We think of ourselves as a new model of care; we meet our patients at least halfway," explains Dr. David Herman, a Mayo executive who supervises the two retail clinics. "Maybe our primary-care practices in general are not as convenient and transparent as our patients want them to be."
Currently, the typical supermarket clinic is staffed by physicians assistants and nurse practicioners, like Planned Parenthood clinics and are supervised by physicians. The minimal overhead allow the clinics to operate a lower cost than primary care physicans and emergency rooms -a typical physical is about $30. These lower costs are especially attractive to the uninsured and unemployed.
From a marketing perspective, it isn't the profits that hospitals will seek from these clinics but the relationships they build with potential clients.
"[They are] exactly the customers that hospitals want - women of child-bearing age. The hospitals want to deliver the babies," explains Margaret Lewis, a policy expert at the California Health Care Foundation.
According to Dr. Brian Nester, senior vice president at the lehigh Valley Health Network, "The economics in the health system are broken." Even President Obama and Congress have warned of a shortage of primary - care physicians. These clinics will be filling a need - unplugging emergency room waiting rooms and extending general health care hours to the public.
So, what does that mean for consumers? You can get a gallon of milk, your car tuned-up, a new 'do, cash your check, have dinner, and get checked out for that rash all in one place - for under a hundred bucks. You can make a night of it.
Being a patient in a hospital or doctor's office usually isn't a "fun" experience. You usually aren't there because you feel great and want to share it. Those that bear the brunt of your disdain are usually the nurses. Long hours, unpleasant tasks and a endless amounts of sick people boils the job of nursing down to two factors - passion and compassion.
"Often described as an art and a science, nursing is a profession
that embraces dedicated people with varied interests, strengths and
passions because of the many opportunities the profession offers. As
nurses, we work in emergency rooms, school based clinics, and homeless
shelters, to name a few. We have many roles – from staff nurse to
educator to nurse practitioner and nurse researcher – and serve all of
them with passion for the profession and with a strong commitment to
patient safety.
Background
National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing."
Read more about National Nurses Week and send an ecard here.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade
Commission are alerting the public to be wary of Internet sites and
other promotions for products that claim to diagnose, prevent,
mitigate, treat or cure the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. The agencies
are also advising operators of offending web sites that they must take
prompt action to correct and/or remove promotions of these fraudulent
products or face enforcement action.
“Consumers who purchase products to treat the novel 2009 H1N1 virus
that are not approved, cleared or authorized by the FDA for the
treatment or prevention of influenza risk their health and the health
of their families,” said Michael Chappell, acting FDA Associate
Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs. “In conjunction with the Federal
Trade Commission, the FDA has developed an aggressive strategy to
identify, investigate, and take regulatory or criminal action against
individuals or businesses that wrongfully promote purported 2009 H1N1
influenza products in an attempt to take advantage of the current flu
public health emergency.”
Products that are offered for sale to the public with claims to
diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat, or cure infections caused by the
H1N1 influenza virus that have not been proven to be safe and
effective for these uses must be carefully evaluated. Many of these
deceptive products are being sold over the Internet via illegitimate
web sites. The operators of these web sites take advantage of the
public’s concerns about H1N1 influenza and their desire to protect
themselves and their families. These fraudulent products come in all
varieties and could include dietary supplements or other food products,
or products purporting to be drugs, devices or vaccines. Such
fraudulent products will not prevent the transmission of the virus or
offer effective treatments against infections caused by the H1N1
influenza virus.
“The last thing any consumer needs right now is to be conned by
someone selling fraudulent flu remedies,” said FTC Chairman Jon
Leibowitz. “The FTC will act swiftly against companies that resort to
deceptive advertising.”
Consumers are urged to contact their health care providers or
legitimate medical supply services if they have questions or concerns
about medical products or personal protective equipment. Consumers are
also urged to visit the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
web sites for more information about this emergency, and to determine
which products the FDA has approved, cleared or authorized for use to
diagnose, treat, prevent, mitigate or cure infections caused by H1N1
influenza virus.
Consumers should also visit FDA's web site for tips about how to protect themselves when buying medicines online: http://www.fda.gov/buyonlineguide/
The two antiviral drugs approved by the FDA for treatment and
prophylaxis of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus are Tamiflu (oseltamivir
phosphate) and Relenza (zanamivir). Tamiflu and Relenza, in addition
to their approved labeling, have Emergency Use Authorizations that
describe specific authorized uses during this public health emergency.
At present, there are no licensed vaccines approved for this new H1N1 influenza virus.
Consumers are urged to report any suspected fraudulent products or
criminal activity relating to FDA regulated products associated with
H1N1 Flu Virus (Swine Flu), including the names of web sites that may
be offering these products for sale, to the FDA by visiting: http://www.fda.gov/oci/flucontact.html
Ten
Adams nationally recognized in 2009 Aster Awards Program for excellence in
medical marketing
Honored
for advertising excellence in the 2009 Aster Awards, Ten Adams received 9 GOLD,
1 SILVER and 3 BRONZE recognitions in this year’s competition.
The
Aster Awards, one of the largest competitions of its kind, is hosted by Marketing
Healthcare Today and Creative Images, Inc.This elite national program recognizes
outstanding healthcare professionals for excellence in their
advertising/marketing efforts.
The
2009 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.
“Ten
Adams is among the top in the nation for healthcare advertising expertise…
specifically scoring in the top five percent.It was an honor to have Ten Adams participate in the 2009 Aster Awards,”
said Melinda R. Lucas, Aster Awards Program Coordinator. “They exceeded 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.
Physician Strategies Summit - February 28 - March 2, 2010 - Camelback Inn Resort & Spa - Scottsdale, AZ The 2010 Physician Strategies Summit is an opportunity for senior healthcare executives who are actively involved in the design and implementation of physician strategies and relationship programs to share their success stories with their colleagues. Be part of this cutting-edge, highly-rated, educational event.
For the 2010 conference, 200-225 senior level healthcare executives are expected to attend. The target group for the conference includes CEOs/COOs, physician leaders, physician relations directors, sales executives, business development executives, marketing executives, and other senior strategists from hospitals, health systems, and medical group practices.
Leveraging Technology. Physician Strategies Summit. The Forum for Healthcare Strategists. Hospital & Physician Relations: An Executive Summit. Webinars 2009 Schedule Customizing Your Physician Relations Efforts: Niche Solutions Offer Resul As more hospitals employ physicians, a new responsibility has been added to the marketer's list ... marketing employed physician practices. Great marketers make it happen, but nothing contributes to success more than framing the right approach upfront, and knowing the pitfalls before they arise. Teri Cardenas, Sr. System Director, Strategic Marketing & Communications, CHRISTUS Health; Carol Fellin Hemker, Director, Physician Services & Marketing, Christian Hospital/BJC; and Kriss Barlow , Principal, Barlow/McCarthy, will offer practical, time-tested solutions to streamline the practice marketing process, maximize your marketing efforts, and get the practice the visibility needed for growth. Attend this program and explore:
*
key communication tools (Web-based and traditional) and advertising venues
*
the marketer's role in supporting practice staff and messaging
*
obtaining organizational and physician buy-in
*
how approaches differ for new vs. established practices
Proven case studies will be shared.
REGISTER ONLINE
DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION FORM
Healthcare Public Relations, Marketing & Internal Communications - Event Recording How do you communicate to hundreds of thousands of prospective patients, recruit top-notch physicians, entice donors and promote your services through creative marketing and social media?
Find out from this special conference that was recorded in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic.
Learn from fellow healthcare communicators and executives turned social media experts featuring three keynote addresses and 10 information-packed sessions.
2010 Best Practices in Media Relations Summit March 3, 2010 • Con Edison HQ • Union Square, NYC
Price: $695
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
Sponsored by: PRSA
No theory.
No pie-in-the-sky advice.
Just proven strategies straight from the PR front lines.
Join us in New York City for the first-ever Best Practices in Media Relations Summit from PRSA and Ragan Communications!
We've assembled the biggest media relations professionals for a day of training that will give you hundreds of ideas, tips and strategies for your company, your agency and your career. Here's what you will learn:
* How reporters want to be pitched today (Hint: it's not your father's tried-and-true pitching formula. It's a new age for media relations pros, and we'll give you the latest proven strategies for landing huge coverage in traditional and mainstream media)
* How to use Facebook and Twitter—the two hottest tools in PR today—to pitch the media, build relationships with reporters and bloggers and get ahead in your career
* How to keep your company from going up in social media flames. It was the Year of Living Dangerously for many Fortune 500 companies. Think Domino's. Express Jet. Amazon. We'll show you how to prepare for a media relations crisis on YouTube, Twitter and other Web 2.0 platforms
* The biggest media relations success stories of 2009 and the biggest media relations stinkers
* The best media relations ideas of 2009 packed into a 30-minute, rapid-fire idea-jamming session. Get your legal pad out because you'll be filling it with ideas from our star-studded panel of media pros
The 3rd Annual Social Media for Communicators February 22-24 • Coca-Cola Company World HQ • Atlanta
Price: $1195
Member Price: $945
* Revolutionize your traditional PR strategies to adapt to the online world
* Use Twitter to turn your employees and stakeholders into the best ambassadors for your brand
* Increase employee engagement and collaboration by creating an internal social networking platform à la Facebook
* Define the metrics for your social media goals and demonstrate ROI that affects your bottom line
* Protect your professional reputation and personal brand if you're attacked by a cyber-bully
* Identify when you should pursue legal action against online conduct that may be libelous or infringe copyrights
* Get the C-suite to recognize the value of social media during a crisis
* And so much more!
All of this packed into three tracks, with 18 sessions to choose from—and three extraordinary keynotes. (See the conference at a glance.)
Bonus: Networking, networking, networking! Exchange business cards and ideas with your peers at the networking luncheon and during a conference cocktail party hosted by The Coca-Cola Company at their state-of-the-art World of Coca-Cola center.
