Marketing Healthcare Today - Vol 8, Issue 2

MARKETING HEALTHCARE TODAYVOLUME 8 - Issue 2

Mercy Health System launched a campaign that combined its original commitment and mission to the community with the quality and advanced services provided.

Sarasota Memorial Hospital offered aspecial discount during the holidays for a series of non-invasive heart, lung and circulation tests.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and the Cabot Hosiery Mills of Northfield team up to provide thousands of new socks for low income children.

INSIDEWHAT’S

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and much more…

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VIRTuAL TREAsuRE HuNTMercy Medical Center create a virtual treasure hunt theme, encouraging website visitors to interact with new features, answer questions, and register to win a laptop computer.

040812162230

WEb SITE lAuNcH

MERCY sTARTs wITH MEMercy Health System used the faces of its patients, physicians and clinical staff to reinforce their mission and communicate the message that the care you receive there is indeed different.

brAND cAmpAIgN

NEw DAY FOR HEART CAREEast Carolina Heart Institute touted its unique patient-centered approach and advanced technology, including lasers and robotic surgery, for its opening campaign.

opENINg

HEART INspECTIONSarasota Memorial Hospital designed a campaign announcing special pricing on a series of non-invasive heart, lung and circulation tests, bringing awareness to cardiovascular disease and its risks.

cArDIAc SErvIcES

pIONEERs AT HEARTThis campaign by the Prairie Heart Institute at St. John’s Hospital focuses on their advancements in technology, years of experience and pioneering spirit.

cArDIAc SErvIcES

DON’T sCRATCH THE ITCHPiramal Healthcare markets its remedy for skin disease in a campaign focused at pharmacies and local medical shops, using a humorous message.

SkIN DISEASES

E D I T O R I A L s TA F F

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melinda Lucas [email protected]

GRAPHICS:Karla [email protected]

Melinda Lucas [email protected]

Randy Lucas [email protected]

BUSINESS ANALYST:John [email protected]

PROJECT SPECIALIST:Allyce [email protected]

PUBLISHER & EDITOR:Randy Lucas [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Jim BoylanStewart Gandolf, MBANancy Lecroy

ADVERTISING SALES:[email protected]

T O s u b s C R I b E

$175.00 per year for USA Seven (7) % tax will be added where applicable.Canada delivery - add $20

Overseas delivery - add $45

© 2010 Creative Images, Inc.,SM

ALL RIGHTs REsERVED

INSIDE

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A detailed look at healthcare marketing...

What works?What was involved?

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Marketing Healthcare Today (ISSN #1545-3219) is published bimonthly by Creative Images, Inc.SM - 141 Willets Road • Sylva, NC 28779 • Phone: 828-586-6789. © Entire contents copyright 2010 by Creative Images, Inc.. No part of this publication may be reproduced, digitized or transmitted without the publisher’s written permission. Send all address changes to: Circulation Department; Marketing Healthcare Today; 141 Willets Road; Sylva, NC 28779. Printed in the USA.

32 COMpLETE HEART CARENorthwest Health System wanted to raise awareness of the quality cardiac services that they offer to their community, as well as brand the newly formed Heart Hospital Network.

cArDIAc SErvIcES

s t r a t e g i c p l a n n i n g

a d v e r t i s i n g

m e d i a p l a n n i n g

r e s e a r c h a n d a n a l y s i s

c o n s u l t i n g

p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s

Turning shock To exhilaraTion since 1987.

To be perfectly honest, our clients are often surprised at the advertising campaigns we give them. Not exactly what they expected, they say.

But everything we do is based on all the knowledge we can get from research and decades of combined experience in health care marketing communications.

So, when the results start rolling in, any discomfort our clients might have felt is forgotten in a wave of euphoria. Perhaps that’s why our clients stay with us for years. And years. And years.

Holmes & Co. is ready to startle (and delight) you in the years to come. Contact Lisa Holmes at 801.355.2211 and find out how.

Strategic Health’s telephone surveys give you what you need to comply with HCAHPS requirements. And we give you the information in a hurry. And we give it to you at a price that’s hard to beat.

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4 MHT Vol.8 Issue 2 • 2010 www.MHTmagazine.com

O R G A N I Z AT I O NI N F O R M AT I O N

MERCY MEDICAL CENTER(hospital 150-499 beds)CONTACT: Melissa Erbes

701 10th Street SECedar Rapids, IA 52403 Phone: (319) 398-6011

AG E N C YI N F O R M AT I O N

GEONETRICCONTACT: Heather Stanley4211 Glass Road, Suite ACedar Rapids, IA 52402 Phone: (319) 221-1667

TA R G E T A u D I E N C E

Cedar Rapids community,potential patients, patients

and families

M E D I A u s E D

Direct Mail, Facebook Ads, Mall Kiosk, Newspaper Ads, Radio, Table Tents, Twitters, and Website / Banner Ads

D u R AT I O N

Several weeks

Web sitevirtual tour & open House

For more than 108 years, Mercy Medical Center has delivered The Mercy Touch® by partnering the latest technology with compassionate and high-quality patient care. Mercy is a fully-accredited 445 licensed-bed regional hospital that offers a wide range of patient services, including being the only hospital in the eastern Iowa Corridor to offer all-private acute patient rooms.

Mercy recently renovated its website and chose to promote the new site in a very innovative way. They worked with their website developer, Geonetric, to create a virtual treasure hunt theme, encouraging site visitors to interact with new features, answer questions, and register to win a laptop computer.

5MHT Vol.8 Issue 2 • 2010 www.MHTmagazine.com

Mercy promoted the launch and treasure hunt though many offline channels including print and radio. The campaign also had a strong social media presence including Facebook advertising, Facebook event set up, and numerous Twitter posts the day of the launch.

360 people logged onto the webcast during the first few hours of the Virtual Tour Open House, a better turnout than an in-person open house. Those who viewed the webcast were rewarded with a free cookie coupon (available for ‘purchase’ on the online Gift Shop).

Mercy’s new site is full of interactive features, including online Bill Payment, send a patient a Cheer Card, online Shopping at the Gift Shop, Home Medical or Fitness stores, visit a patient online using Mercy Messenger, Pre-register for OB, Interactive Wellness Tools, Virtual Tours, e-Newsletters, Annual Report videos, and online donations to name a few.


Geonetric developed a Treasure Hunt quiz that encouraged users to surf the new site to find the answers, then at the end entered them into a drawing for a free laptop. The last page of the Treasure Hunt was a simple Contact Us form that collected opted in users for future marketing campaigns.

During the live webcast, Geonetric and the Mercy marketing team were set up outside the cafeteria to assist users in the exploring the new site and completing the Treasure Hunt – of course there were free cookies as an extra incentive!


The virtual tour did an impressive job of showcasing Mercy’s new website to the community. Here are results and highlights from the first few weeks after launch, compared to pre-launch stats:

• Visits to the site improved 8.2%• Pageviews improved by 46% • The number of pages per visit improved 20% • Bounce rate decreased 6% • Average time a visitor spent on the site increased by 3:18 minutes • Mercy’s key pages (Careers, Find a Doctor, Services, MercyCare Community Physicians) moved into the top 10 viewed pages • Increased use of key functionality - 8 times more Calendar Registrations - Twice as many Find a Doctor searches - Over 3 times as many views of the News

Pictured below is a kiosk located in the mall advertising the upcoming event.



MERCY HEALTH SYSTEM(Healthcare system)

CONTACT: Yashima WhiteOne West Elm Street

Conshohocken, PA 19428Phone: (610) 567-5325


People living within the Philadelphia area with specific targets to the primary service

areas of our facilities.

M E D I A u s E D

Billboards, Newspaper Ads, Outdoor Transit, Radio, TV / Video

and Web Site / Banner Ads

D u R AT I O N

January - March 2008

MeRCYstarts witH me

Mercy Health System was founded as a healthcare ministry by the Sisters of Mercy who have been providing health care in Philadelphia for more than 90 years. In its mission, Mercy Health System is dedicated to being a transforming, healing presence that supports healthy communities, addresses the diverse needs of our neighbors at every stage of life, and is accessible to all, including the often forgotten poor and disadvantaged.

A rich history of commitment and service to the community often belied the innovative medicine, advanced technology combined and quality, compassionate care that is Mercy Health System.

The goal of this branding campaign was to reintroduce the Delaware Valley to the Mercy Health System of today. To not only educate the community as to the quality services and skilled

professionals providing care at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, Mercy Philadelphia Hospital, Mercy Suburban Hospital, Nazareth Hospital, Mercy LIFE and Mercy Home Health, but to reassure them that there are facilities where compassionate care and clinical competence go hand in hand.


:30 RADIO

radiospot...Dr. Jeff Komins: “I’m Dr. Jeff Komins, the Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Health System, a place where community health care is in action.

Breast cancer survivor, Mary Spotswood says...”

Mary Spotswood: “They really cared. Mercy starts with me.”

Dr. Jeff Komins: “And heart attack patient, Police Chief Bobby Smthye affirms...”

Police Chief Bobby Smthye: “They saved my life. Mercy starts with me.”

Dr. Jeff Komins: “Mercy Health System...blending medical excellence with compassionate care. Visit mercyhealth.org to find a facility near you.”

The objectives of this campaign were to reestablish Mercy Health System as the largest Catholic Health System in the Delaware Valley. To literally use the faces of Mercy Health System patients, physicians and clinical staff to communicate the message that the care a patient receives at a Mercy facility is indeed different because “Mercy Starts with Me.” The overall success of the campaign will be measured through increased referrals to their facilities, increased utilization by the community, enhanced recruitment of physicians and staff and increased traffic driven to their rebranded website.

Radio spots and billboards also used patient experiences to communicate the quality and compassionate care that they received.


“It starts with me relating to the problem and having the advanced technology and skill to solve it.”

“It starts with me.”“It starts with me assuring that Mercy Health System provides quality health services.”

“With my precision and surgical technique.”

“It starts with my compassionate care.”

“With me knowing every second counts.”

“With my quest for excellence.”

“With my smile.”

:30 TV - “Mercy starts with Me”

tvViDeo...

“And my experience.” “Mercy starts with me.”8,000 people dedicated to your health. Mercy Health System.

CAMpAIGN REACH Transit = 550 buses & 65 shelters - 54,673,990 impressionsOutdoor = 2 rotating billboards - 9,690,000 impressionsTV = 424 frequencyRadio = 300+ - 68,723,660 impressions print = 53 insertions - 8,719,121 impressions


REsuLTsThe immediate results of the campaign were within their own facilities. The colleagues, physicians and clinical staff have always lived the vision and mission of Mercy Health System, now their pride is uncontained.

• Web site visits = 750,000 from launch of rebranded site;

• E-Newsletter = 3,243 current subscribers

• Health Passport (health & wellness resource guide) = 4,500 distribution

• Successfully partnered with nationally recognized academic medical centers

• Increased physician and staff recruitment



EAST CAROLINA HEART INSTITUTE AT PITT

COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL(hospital over 500 beds)

CONTACT: Ann Nickels2100 Stantonsburg RoadGreenville, NC 27834

Phone: (252) 847-6732


JENNINGSCONTACT: Bruce Wlach104-A North Elliott RoadChapel Hill, NC 27514

Phone: (919) 929-0225

TA R G E T A u D I C N C E

Primary - 45 - 75 years of age in the 29 county service area

Secondary - decision-makers and influentials statewide and in the region

D u R AT I O N

December 2008 - November 2009

M E D I A u s E D

Billboards, Brochures, Direct Mail, Magazine Ads,

Newspaper Ads, Radio, TV/Video, Web Site / Banner Ads

b u D G E T

$275,000

it’s a neW DaYfor Heart care

The launch of the East Carolina Heart Institute at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in January 2009, was important to eastern NC because it fulfilled the promise of bringing world-class heart care to an area where heart disease has had a big impact on the population. The death rate from heart disease in eastern Carolina is higher than the national average. In fact, eastern North Carolina has a higher rate of heart disease than any state except Mississippi. The Heart Institute represents a strong commitment to cardiac care with the first facility dedicated specifically to research, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease in eastern North Carolina.

The Heart Institute also incorporated a new way to treat heart disease with a patient-centered approach, where the patient and their family take an active role in the process. This approach includes all types of physicians (cardiologists, cardiac and vascular surgeons) and scientists working together to treat cardiovascular disease. This integrated approach provides the best quality, best outcomes and uses the latest technology.


Business and regional magazines were used to reach statewide audiences outside the primary 20-county service area, as well as geographical targeting on national websites, including Yahoo.

The “mirrors” campaign showcases what the Heart Institute delivers to eastern North Carolina — highest quality care, latest technology, the benefits of an academic medical center, and the unique team approach — and how that approach gets patients back to their lives and families. While we wanted to get the message out about the great services available at the Heart Institute, we also wanted to emphasize what that all means to the patients and their families. The tonality and copy style was straightforward, caring, and professional.

The campaign had two phases — the launch in winter 2008/2009 to introduce this state-of-the-art facility designed around the needs of heart patients, and a community outreach program (through direct mail and radio) that started in third quarter 2009, that offered people the chance to experience the Heart Institute first hand through a series of seminars and free screenings.

The objectives of this campaign were threefold.• To build awareness for the opening of the Heart Institute• To optimize patient volume• To establish ongoing community education programs


specialists in atrial fibrillation.”

“At the East Carolina Heart Institute

“I choose a renowned cardiovascular surgeon,

at Pitt County Memorial Hospital

cardiologists, and

there’s a new way to care for patients.”

“It’s a patient-centered approach where you and the

“And of course my wife Leah.”

:30 TV - “patient-Centered Approach”

tvViDeo...

medical professionals are all involved in decision-making.”

“When you choose the Heart Institute, you choose a team.

Join our doctors for heart healthy seminars at the Heart Institute.”

“And all the best people.”

:30 RADIO

radiospot...The new East Carolina Heart Institute at Pitt County Memorial Hospital is one of the most advanced cardiovascular centers in the world. Its unique patient-centered approach means you and our brightest medical professionals are all involved in decision making. The Heart Institute uses the latest technology, everything from lasers to robotic surgery to help cure cardiovascular disease. It puts great emphasis on education, prevention, and clinical research to help us discover new cures. Even the building makes people feel better, with natural sunlight to promote healing. Their are ergonomic work stations for staff and a heart-healthy cafe for everyone. Obviously just talking about it gets us excited. The new East Carolina Heart Institute at Pitt County Memorial Hospital is now open. It’s a new day for heart care in Eastern Carolina. For more information, visit www.EastCarolinaHeartInstitute.com.


CAMPAIGN RESULTS:

• Vascular surgeries up 7.6%• Cardiac surgery up 5.9%• Cardiac procedures up 3.1%• Peripheral Artery Disease screening - 39% of attendees screened positive for symptoms of vascular disease

During the four month launch, 1.7 million gross impression were made through print, radio, tv and on-line.

Eight outdoor boards and 2 airport added 15+ million impressions.



SARASOTA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL(hospital over 500 beds)

CONTACT: Peter Taylor 1700 South Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, Fl 34239 Phone: (941) 917-1713


Age range 25-55 both male and female, current patients, potential patients, staff (over 4,000 at SMH), friends and neighbors

b u D G E T

$75,000

M E D I A u s E D

Billboards, Newspaper Ads /Tab-Ons, Radio and

Website / Banner Ads

D u R AT I O N

9 week campaign December 1, 2008 – January 31, 2009

R E A C H

Sarasota CountyPopulation 389,000

Manatee CountyPopulation 313,000

18-pointHeart InspectIon

Sarasota Memorial offered a 2-hour, 18-Point Evaluation with $49 special pricing during the holidays for people to receive a series of non-invasive heart, lung and circulation tests consisting of 10 vascular and cardiac diagnostic and 8 laboratory tests, as well as an in-depth risk assessment and physical exam to identify early markers and signs of cardiovascular disease.

Their Cardiovascular Disease Assessment Center is the only one of its kind in the region.

Staff’s objectives were to bring awareness to current and potential patients that may not know much about cardiovascular disease and its risks. They wanted to help identify early markers in their patients and help treat them so they could go on living a healthy lifestyle if there were signs. Another objective was to increase traffic flow to their Cardiovascular Disease Assessment Center. They wanted the community to learn more about Cardiovascular Disease and wanted them to know Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s Assessment Center could help treat it.


Look for special billboards and ads beginning the day after Thanskgiving promoting our Cardiovascular Disease Assessment Center.

One 2-Hour, 18-point Evaluation:Our Cardiovascular Disease Assessment Center team uses the latest, non-invasive heart, lung and circulation tests available – a series of 10 vascular and cardiac diagnostic and 8 laboratory tests– as well as an in-depth risk assessment and physical exam to identify early markers and signs of cardiovascular disease.

We are offering special pricing of only $49, just through the holidays, to drive interest and utilization of this innovative, evidence-based program. The special campaign ends in 60 days – Jan. 31, 2009 – at which time normal pricing will resume.

No physician referral is necessary. For information or an appointment, individuals may call (941) 917-6969.

Staff are encouraged to tell friends, neighbors and patients about this pioneering program and special promotion. The Cardiovascular Disease Assessment Center is the only one of its kind in the region. Since it opened in April, we have tested nearly 200 people – at least half were referred to their physician for follow-up based on results that found early signs of disease. During these uncertain economic times, we’re encouraging people not to forego important preventive care by offering this special pricing.

LINK:http://www.smh.com/sections/services-procedures/IAM/CV-assessment-center.html

Please note: Federal regulation prohibit us from providing this price to Medicare, Medicaid and TriCare/Champus patients.

The email below was sent out to 4,000 Sarasota Memorial Employees.

:15 RADIO

radiospot...Is your heart hitting on all cylinders? Find out with an 18-point heart inspection from Sarasota Memorial, now only $49 through January 31. Call 917-6969 to schedule yours.

Cardiovascular Disease Assessment Center – 18 Test Series includes:

Test 1 & 2: Arterial Elasticity AnalysisTest 3: Resting Blood PressureResponse Test 4: Blood Pressure ActivityTest 5: Eye Retina PhotoTest 6A: Carotid Intimal Medial ThicknessTest 6b: Abdominal Aortic Ultrasound screeningTest 7: MicroalbuminTest 8: Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP)Test 9: Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)Test 10: Left Ventricular Cardiac Ultrasound ScreeningTest 11 - 14: Lipid Profile - Total Cholesterol - HDL Cholesterol - LDL Cholesterol - TriglyceridesTest 15: Blood GlucoseTest 16: High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (HsCRP)Test 17: Lung FunctionTest 18: Body Mass Index (BMI)


REsuLTs:The Cardiovascular Campaign was so successful that the center had to book appointments a year and a half out from their start date. Due to so many calls of interest and appointments scheduled, the media campaign ended almost one month earlier than planned. The patients who found out they were at high risk of cardiovascular disease from their evaluation continue to be treated. Appointments with their board-certified cardiologists have continued even after the $49 special pricing ended.

The center scheduled numerous appointments with both males (582) and females (688) for a total of 1,270 patients seen so far. In the first 60 days the campaign ran, the center scheduled 1,200 appointments. They have now medically treated both mild and high risk patients who weren’t even aware they had signs of the disease.

CAMpAIGN REACH:Sarasota Memorial created newspaper ads and tab-ons to run in two of their local major daily newspapers:

The Sarasota Herald Tribune - circulates to 118,328 daily households and 134,101 on Sundays.

The Bradenton Herald – circulates to 41,237 daily households and 48,197 on Sundays.

Clear Channel Radio stats:Cume Persons = The total number of different peoplewho tune to a radio station during the course of a day-part for at least five minutes - 170,4000

Gross Impressions - 5,613,300

Total Spots - 1,332


By Stewart Gandolf, MBA

Chances are someone has already invited you to join them on “LinkedIn.com.” Your list of suitors may include friends, colleagues, salespeople and maybe even some people you barely know.

What should you do? After all, I am sure you already have plenty to do - do you really need to add something else to your already overcrowded plate?

Well, since I have both researched LinkedIn and used it effectively for several years, I can help you sort this out. (You should know that just this week someone from my LinkedIn network contacted me with a great opportunity for my company. Importantly, without LinkedIn, chances are we would have never found each other.)

Generally yes, you should go ahead and join LinkedIn. However, to make it productive you’ll need to consider the following:

1. why are you doing this? The first step is to define your objectives. Do you want to get or share ideas with colleagues? Do you want to position yourself as a thought leader in a given niche? Are you looking for new social opportunities? Are you looking to hire talent? Do you want a job? Are you looking to find new opportunities through networking? Are you trying to increase sales? Or are you simply looking for an easy, non-obtrusive way to stay in touch with people you know?

2. profile. Don’t do what most people do, i.e., simply sign up for your free account and then forget it. Plan on investing an hour to get to know the LinkedIn landscape and fill out your profile. You don’t need to list everything you’ve ever done when you are getting started, but the more robust and relevant you look to your desired target audience and objectives, the better.

3. strictly business. Remember that LinkedIn is very business oriented. Most Internet-savvy people put their social lives on Facebook, their business lives on LinkedIn. While there are exceptions, getting too casual on LinkedIn is like showing up in shorts at a formal dinner party.

4. Reach nearly anyone. LinkedIn has a partially deserved reputation for being a virtual watering hole for salespeople, recruiters and people looking for jobs. However, you will be making a big mistake if you assume that everyone on LinkedIn falls into those categories.

You can use LinkedIn to connect with many hard-to-reach VIPs including the press, government officials and executives at leading companies.

For example, Reid Hoffman is not only LinkedIn’s Founder and CEO, he is also one of the Internet’s leading financiers and entrepreneurs. In March, 2009, Hoffman stated on the Charlie Rose Show that he won’t “take a meeting with

a prospective entrepreneur if they don’t come referred. It’s actually one of the ways I use my own personal LinkedIn profile.”

I felt pretty excluded from Hoffman’s big league network until I checked my LinkedIn account, and realized that I too could use LinkedIn to easily connect with him if I ever need to. That was a pretty powerful feeling, and it was also the first time I really had a grasp of how powerful LinkedIn can be.

5. premium Accounts. Most of what LinkedIn offers is free, but they do offer several premium accounts that will increase its utility. Once you know your way around LinkedIn you can explore these options if appropriate.

6. Groups. In my opinion, LinkedIn’s most important feature is “groups.” LinkedIn offers thousands of groups that you can join, based upon your interests and background. Some are open - anyone can join - and others require approval from the group’s creator.

For example, some of the groups I have personally joined include the American Medical Association, Association of Medical Media, the Buckeye Alumni Network, and about two-dozen others.

You’ll get updates weekly (or daily if you prefer), and naturally, some groups are better than others. The good news is that you can easily cull out the ones that waste your time.

7. be a good citizen. Don’t just passively watch the world go by. Participate in the groups you join. Contribute useful comments, forward links, share content or ideas, answer or ask questions. Over time, people will begin to notice you and reach out to you with things that will directly benefit you. Beware, however, that overt self-promotion is a faux pas.

8. whom to link with. While LinkedIn advises its users to link solely with people they know, the dividing line can become fuzzy. I generally link with people I know, have met and want to keep a dialogue with, or people with whom a business relationship is at least possible. You really need to use discretion, because if too many people say they don’t know you, LinkedIn will suspend your account.

ConclusionI could go on and on with more instructions about LinkedIn, but at this stage, your best path to learning is experiential. You’ll have to get online and sign up to really understand it. So go get an account, fill out your profile, and make sure you do a search for groups that might be relevant to your interests.

Copyright of Healthcare Success Strategies. To reach them call 800-656-0907 or visit their website at www.healthcaresuccess.com. Healthcare Success Strategies provides consulting, online and offline healthcare marketing advertising services, training and educational products.

How to profit from LinkedInsocial Media in Healthcare Marketing


Submitted by: Jim Boylan, Mad River Research

For the second winter Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and the Cabot Hosiery Mills of Northfield are teaming up to provide thousands of pairs of new socks to low income Vermont kids.

The Blue Socks for Kids Project is an effort of Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Vermont Caring Foundation to help low income Vermont families get through the tough winter months. The Blue Socks for Kids Project was developed by the Vermont Caring Foundation which was looking for a project that would impact a large number of kids. Research showed that one of the items low income and homeless families say they need, but often have trouble affording, are good winter socks. The Caring Foundation was established by the Berlin-based Blue Cross Blue Shield to help Vermont kids become healthier.

The people at Blue Cross thought it would be a great idea to provide low income Vermont families with free children’s socks. They approached Cabot Hosiery Mills with the idea and Cabot was brought on board to make the socks. It was decided early on not to collect assorted socks for donation but to manufacture socks made from blue merino wool specifically for the Project. Thus the Blue Socks for Kids Project was born.

Merino wool was selected because it is soft and helps regulate temperature by wicking away moisture from the feet. In fact, merino wool played an important role in the history of Vermont. In the early 1800s many Vermont farmers began raising Merino sheep to supply New England‚s growing textile

industry. By 1837 there were more than a million merino sheep grazing Vermont fields.

Both of the firms in this effort are local Vermont companies with a history of serving and employing Vermonters. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont is an independent Vermont based non-profit corporation governed and operated by Vermonters. It has served Vermont for more than 60 years and is the state’s oldest health insurer. Blue Cross Blue Shield provides coverage to some 180,000 Vermonters, including several thousand who are enrolled in the Catamount Health Plan. The company

employs 350 Vermonters who work at the firm’s Berlin and Williston offices.

Cabot Hosiery Mills began in 1978 when the Cabot family took over an old mill building in Northfield and began manufacturing socks under the Cabot name. A new modern 55,000 square foot plant was built in 1995, a mile from the old mill building. The new building allowed Cabot to increase production and become much more efficient.Cabot’s 70 plus

employees now produce more than four million pairs of socks annually. These socks are sold under a number of private label brands such as Talbots, Orvis and L.L.Bean as well as its own Cabot & Sons brand. The firm’s production now includes socks for the U.S. military, including the Marines and Special Forces. The newest addition to the Cabot line is the “Darn Tough Vermont” label, a premium, all-weather performance sock knitted of 100 percent merino wool. Cabot is the only sock company remaining in Vermont and the Northeast and is one of the last sock manufacturers in the United States.

blue socks for Kids project

The Blue Socks Project is a true community effort involving two Vermont firms helping low income Vermont children to stay warm this winter. The Vermont Caring Foundation provides funds for the materials and Cabot provides the labor. Last year, on a snowy day in December, the Blue Socks for Kids Project delivered 10,000 pairs of blue merino wool socks in three children’s sizes to Vermont’s five Community Action Agencies and a number of Family Homeless Shelters for distribution to families in need. The local agencies reported that the socks were all distributed within two weeks and all involved agreed that the Project was a great success.

This year the Blue Socks for Kids Project will increase the number of socks to 11,000 pairs in four children’s sizes and the socks will again be distributed through the Community Action Agency and Homeless Shelter Network. The socks will be distributed statewide on December 21st after a small event in the morning at the Cabot factory in Northfield where Governor Douglas will assist in loading trucks with boxes of Blue Socks for Kids.

Source: Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development. 2010 Calendar of Health Observances and Recognition Days.

For more information, visit www.stratsociety.org.

mArCh 2010MONTH-LONG:brain Injury Awareness MonthColorectal Cancer Awareness MonthHemophilia Awareness MonthKidney Month

wEEK-LONG:patient safety Awareness week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 7 - 13pulmonary Rehabilitation week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 14 - 20poison prevention week. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 21 - 27

DAYs:walk for Epilepsy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 27Doctors’ Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 30

APrIL 2010MONTH-LONG:Autism Awareness MonthChild Abuse prevention MonthFoot Health Awareness MonthOccupational Therapy Month

wEEK-LONG:Healthcare Access personnel week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 4 - 10Health Information privacy and security week . . . April 11 - 17patient Advocacy week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 11 - 14Healthcare Administrative professionals week . . . . April 18 - 24Healthcare Volunteer week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 18 - 24Medical Laboratory professionals week . . . . . . . . . April 18 - 24Infant Immunization week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 24 - May 1

DAYs:Health Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 4Radiology Nurses Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 8

DON’T FORGET THESE IMPORTANT NATIONAl HEAlTH REcOGNITIONS



PRAIRIE HEART INSTITUTE AT ST. JOHN’S HOSPITAL(hospital over 500 beds)

CONTACT: Tim Butler800 E. Carpenter

Springfield, Il 62769 Phone: (217) 757-6818


BVKCONTACT: Tricia Lewis

999 Oakmont Plaza Drive, Suite 300Westmont, Il 60559

Phone: (630) 789-3222


The people of Springfield, IL and the surrounding rural area

M E D I A u s E D

Newspaper Ads, Outdoor Transit, Radio and TV/Video

D u R AT I O N

June 2008 - June 2009

pioneeRs at HeaRt…premier cardiovascular services

Prairie Heart Institute at St. John’s Hospital is the largest heart program in Illinois. They perform more cardiovascular procedures than any other hospital in the state ... including the Chicago area. Research shows that the more procedures a facility performs, the safer it is for the patient. They also have developed a reputation as one of the premier cardiovascular programs in the country, but it’s their dedication to providing superior quality of care and compassion to patients and their families that makes them unique.

They had more than one objective for this campaign. The first objective was to differentiate the Prairie Heart Institute at St. John’s Hospital from their competition. They also wanted to differentiate the quality of Prairie cardiologists from other cardiologists in the market. The final objective was to build awareness among Springfield residents that they could access the renowned Prairie Heart Institute in their community.


The outdoor boards and transit reinforced the messages delivered in the print. They also maintained the same look and feel, with the red paper background and logo treatment.

This heavy copy driven version of the transit component, at left, includes a statistic saying “As long as it takes you to read this someone will have a heart attack.”

The transit ads were created to catch people’s attention. The execution below featured arrows pointing up to the windows and passengers on the bus. Underneath the arrows it said, “One of these people will likely suffer a heart attack.”

The logo was incorporated on a small note-like piece of paper, which allowed it to visually pop off the red background.


(loud noises)

:30 TV - “patient-Centered Approach”

tvViDeo...

(taking breath) “Well, hello world. Thought you’d seen the last of me didn’t you? I won’t lie. I was pretty scared there myself. Never thought I’d be the type

NURSE TO FAMILY: “She did great. Everything is going to be fine.”

to have heart problems. Lucky for me, they caught it as fast as they did. So that bright light over there, well, it’s just going to have to wait.”

The radio and TV components of the campaign featured a patient who had a heart attack. The commercial depicts the patient recounting their heart attack. The commercial depicts the patient recounting their near death experience because they had suffered a heart attack. The spot closes with them realizing they made the right choice by coming to Prairie Heart Institute at St. John’s Hospital.


The print highlighted Prairie Heart’s advancements in technology, years of experience and their pioneering spirit. The print features a stethoscope. This simple visual stands out against a vibrant red paper background. The print ads were headline

driven, with body copy that focused on the different aspects of Prairie Heart’s care.


Every Health Crisis poses Opportunities and Risks for Healthcare Marketers

By Nancy Lecroy, Vice President of Marketing, Beryl

It’s been said that behind every crisis is an opportunity, which is the case with H1N1 and future healthcare pandemics that may affect the country. For a healthcare marketer, the key is to recognize that each event represents a chance to position your organization as a trusted resource that’s capable of managing and responding to the crisis and the public’s related health needs during the emergency.

There is a natural urge in humans during a crisis to seek information, and we want it fast. In response, many hospitals’ marketers are using their call centers to establish a foundation for marketing and connecting with patients and potential patients around health outbreaks.

Why is the call center option a solid marketing tactic in an age when people can investigate information for themselves via the Internet? Because after accessing information, people usually want to talk about it, as evidenced by call centers that have been inundated with H1N1 questions. More and more hospitals are also relying on call centers to manage these inquiries.

Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California network includes 19 hospitals, and its call center handles between 2,000 and 7,000 calls each day during a normal flu season. When a Texas girl died of H1N1 last April, calls in California spiked to more than 10,000 on one day. Each interaction represented an opportunity for the network to reinforce its value to the public and to remind consumers of the services and personnel they had available to serve the public’s needs.

Branded call centers, or 800 numbers branded for a specific health concern, provide several advantages for hospitals and marketing efforts: • Consumers can speak to knowledgeable personnel quickly • Call center personnel can arrange medical appointments, if necessary • Call center personnel can point consumers to other sources of information that may exist on the hospital’s

Web site, building traffic and loyalty to the hospital as a source of information • Consumers who have a positive experience with a call center representative are more likely to positively respond to other messages from or about the hospital • Call center utilization can prevent non-emergent cases from clogging ERs or clinics • Physicians who use the call center for their professional needs, such as referrals, can also be pulled closer to the organization, if the experience for the physician and/or the physician’s patients is positive

One way to measure the call center’s impact on Kaiser Permanente’s market share would be to track whether the callers who called in response to the H1N1 crisis entered a Kaiser Permanente facility over the following year for something other than emergency treatment. It would not be completely valid to assert that the visit is absolutely related to the consumers’ experience with the H1N1 hotline, but logic says consumers don’t increase consumption of services that have disappointed them in the past.

A well-handled crisis now could be an investment for the futureAs seen in Kaiser Permanente’s example, the

panic that strikes the public in the midst of a health crisis drives them to connect with local healthcare providers in a rush. How providers handle these calls will impact how consumers relate to providers when normalcy returns.

If you want your hospital to be perceived as a leading player during an isolated health crisis, you have to position your organization as an essential part of the community response team. This means you have to engage with community leaders and make sure they understand your organization’s capabilities so they properly frame what your hospital can do during emergencies, if asked by the media, for example.

If a mayor knows that you have a 14-bay emergency department, but doesn’t know that your hospital has two portable 10-bay mobile units and an emergency triage tent that can manage 100 patients, then you need to enhance your communications with city planners.


Don’t stop there because your hospital call center could also serve as a community resource. You could volunteer to turn the call center into a 24-hour crisis communications center for a short period of time so the local 911 system isn’t overwhelmed. Your phone center staff can be trained to address a limited, but essential number of questions, in addition to the healthcare questions they might normally answer.

For long-lived public health crises, such as the recent H1N1 epidemic or even seasonal flu, some hospitals have set up a disease-specific hotline to encourage consumers to call for information, self-assessments, even physician referrals. Leveraging the understandable concern that consumers have about major public health issues can establish a natural reliance on your organizations by consumers in your markets.

What does all this buy the organization? It may buy loyalty. If consumers know they need to call the hospital hotline to get community information following a hurricane or major catastrophe, they are likely to keep that number in their head or at least handy when the crisis is over.

Providing this type of service also helps ensure that healthcare professionals are seeing patients with the most immediate needs and that consumers receive quick access to information, protecting patient satisfaction scores.

Since 2008, the public has been bombarded with stories about H1N1 deaths, leading normally timid consumers of healthcare services to become more eager to seek professional medical care at the slightest sign of illness, even when they may simply have a cold and need over-the-counter medicines.

These misunderstandings can cause bottlenecks in emergency departments leading to poor customer experiences or patient safety risks for consumers with actual urgent health needs. Their care may be unnecessarily delayed by consumers who’ve falsely self-diagnosed themselves with H1N1.

Often, consumers just want medical professionals to help them assess their condition, or to have access to reliable information about this virus. A dedicated call center or branded 800 number is an obvious option to address these questions appropriately.

Designing a response plan Health crises represent an opportunity to maximize marketing tools ranging from advertisements and direct mail, to organizations’ websites, to call center interactions. In call center or social media environments, there is a priority to connect the public with professionals trained to speak to the crisis immediately.

This often requires calling on personnel outside of medical staff such as time-strapped nurses and relying on a call center or social media team who is adequately trained to address the issue. These advisors should also have the capacity to refer hospital services and practitioners to callers to create a more efficient patient experience should a caller require further consultation.

In ideal scenarios, callers should also have a resource where they can collect reliable, vetted information about the health issue independently, such as a website or easy-to-find links that advisors can provide over the phone or via instant messaging.

For some, developing an in-house response center to this degree can be a daunting task, with training and on-going staffing being the biggest challenges. For this reason, many hospitals outsource call center services allowing them to focus on other marketing efforts. Still others simply expand their switchboard services.

The marketing template developed during these times will be a tool to refer to in future emergencies, making the roll-out faster and serving the public’s interests on a schedule that matches their real-time needs.

Each reassurance that your organization has the resources and knowledge to serve the community in times of crisis will complement marketing and branding efforts in times of calm. Nancy Lecroy is the vice president of marketing at The Beryl Companies, the country’s leading outsourced healthcare call center for more than 450 U.S. hospitals. Its services include clinical post-discharge call programs and physician referral services in addition to call center support of strategic marketing campaigns. In December 2009, Beryl launched an H1N1 solution for hospitals that helps consumers identify their risk of having or contracting the virus by phone or online. For more information, visit www.beryl.net.

Leveraging the understandable concern that consumers have about major public health issues can establish a natural reliance on your organizations by consumers in your markets.


Media FocusCardiovascular Services

BEYOND THE CUTTING EDGE CARDIO CAMPAIGNOrganization: MidMichigan Medical Center - Midland -- Midland, MIAgency: Clear River Advertising & Marketing -- Midland, MI

HEART & VASCULAR INSTITUTE BILLBOARD TEASEROrganization: University Health Care System -- Augusta, GA CARDIOLOGY AWARENESS &

PREVENTION CAMPAIGNOrganization: Dayton Heart & Vascular Hospital -- Dayton, OHAgency: SBC Advertising -- Columbus, OH


Media Focus

HEALTHY HEARTS IN THE CITYOrganization: Provena Mercy Medical Center -- Aurora, IL

HEART & VASCULAR MAP CAMPAIGNOrganization: King’s Daughters Medical Center -- Ashland, KYAgency: Brown Parker & DeMarinis Advertising -- Delray Beach, FL

HEART CENTER VIP INVITE & PROGRAMOrganization: Tanner Health System -- Carrollton, GA



PIRAMAL HEALTHCARE


SYNAPSE MARKETING CONSULTANCY PVT. LTD.CONTACT: Aleem Merchant

439, Laxmi Plaza, Laxmi Industrial Estate, Andheri West

Mumbai, Maharashtra 400053 Phone: +919820365228


Indian Rural Market with families of Lower level income groups

b u D G E T

$15,000

M E D I A u s E D

Billboards, Posters and Outdoor Transit

D u R AT I O N

1 year

GLobaL MaRketinG ConCeptsskin disease awareness campaign

The Indian Rural Market has various incidences of eczema and pruritis, or other skin diseases, which are either ignored or treated with home remedies. Piramal Healthcare realized this problem and decided to market their brand, Lobate GM, with an awareness campaign at pharmacies and local medical shops, using a clear and simple message.

Synapse was given the task. Various methods were evaluated to reach the audience effectively and clearly. A humorous route was chosen, taking slice of life instances in typical rural setups, like crowded trains, families on a single motorbike, or a festival called ‘Govinda’ that marks the birth of lord Krishna. The simple idea that we communicated in various languages was that something as simple and minor like, “Scratching, could be dangerous.”


Over 25,000 posters were printed and displayed at pharmacies.

The campaign was awarded a Global Award, in the New York Festivals and was very well accepted by the target audience. Today, Lobate GM is a successful brand, showing growth every quarter, including the rural markets.



NORTHWEST HEALTH SYSTEM(Healthcare system)

CONTACT: Pat Driscoll or Dixie Lee Hedgecock609 West Maple StreetSpringdale, AR 72764

Phone: (479) 757-4491


CREATIVE ALLIANCECONTACT: Elizabeth Barton

437 W. JeffersonLouisville, KY 40202

Phone: (502) 214-3031


Adults 35+

M E D I A u s E D

Newspaper Ads and TV / Video

D u R AT I O N

August - December 2009

b u D G E T

$100,000

CoMpLete HeaRt CaRerigHt Here in your community

The objective of the campaign from Northwest Health System was two-fold. The first objective was to raise awareness of the quality cardiac care available to local residents right in their own community. The health

system wanted their patients to understand that they did not need to travel to larger citites for advanced heart care. The second objective of this campaign was to brand the newly formed Heart Hospital Network,

a virtual network established by Northwest Health System to provide cardiac care to the primary and secondary service areas.


cardiac procedures being performed right

here at Northwest Health System. So he was out of

“His heart surgery didn’t require a long hospital stay or

the hospital and back to what he enjoys. Good

a long trip out of town because of the advanced

thing...because this is the only driving he

comprehensive cardiac care in your community, visit northwesthealth.com.”

likes to do anymore. To learn more about the

:30 TV - “Golf”

tvViDeo...

25 print ads were inserted in 3 publications over 4 months


System’s advanced cardiac care.

From advanced minimally-invasive mitral valve repair

“These moments...brought to you sooner thanks to

to open heart surgery, everything your heart

Northwest Health

needs is right here at home. Learn more about

northwesthealth.com.”our comprehensive cardiac care at

:30 TV - “Grandma”

tvViDeo...

REACH • Broadcast TV: 915 GRP’s over a total of 4 weeks

• Cable: 375 spots over a total of 5 weeks

NINTHANNUAL

EArLY DEADLInE: FEbruArY 27, 2010 • LATE DEADLInE: mArCh 15, 2010

spONsORED bY CREATIVE IMAGEs, INC., AND MARKETING HEALTHCARE TODAY MAGAZINE

Don’t miss this opportunity to be recognized in the 2010 Aster Awards Competition! This program is designed to honor the

nation’s most talented healthcare marketing professionals and their outstanding marketing and advertising efforts. This national competition is one of the largest of its kind and offers the most detailed category selection for more

precise competition of like-sized organizations.

Winning entries, judged by a diverse panel of experts, are published in Marketing Healthcare Today magazine. An overall Best of Show trophy,

Judge’s Choice trophies and Gold, Silver, or Bronze certificates are granted to entries which exemplify true quality in advertising.

Congratulations to all winners in last year’s competition!

For entry forms, visit us online at www.AsterAwards.com or call toll free (800) 254-6789 ext. 102.

Marketing Healthcare Today - Vol 8, Issue 2

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Transcript of Marketing Healthcare Today - Vol 8, Issue 2