How Henry Ford Uses Technology to Drive Its Messages to a Growing Audience
// By Lisa D. Ellis //
Industrialist Henry Ford (1863-1947) manufactured the first affordable mass-produced car in the early 1900s, striving to improve the quality of life for many middle-class Americans. Now a full century later, the Henry Ford Health System is following his tradition by strengthening its marketing efforts to reach residents from all walks of life in the greater metro Detroit area, with the goal of ultimately improving their well-being.
And while the industrialist’s challenge was speeding up the manufacturing process to save time and money, the challenge facing his namesake health system is finding ways to cut through the clutter and help its voice be heard in this highly competitive urban climate. It’s accomplishing this ambitious task by relying on the latest technology, which allows it to effectively navigate the busy marketplace without taking resources away from many other pressing priorities.
Coordinating a Wide Continuum of Services
The Henry Ford Health System operates an integrated delivery system based in Detroit, Michigan, including its flagship hospital and academic medical center, Henry Ford Hospital, as well as four acute care hospitals; three behavioral health facilities; a 1,200-member medical group; the Henry Ford Physician Network, a clinically integrated physician network; HAP, an insurance plan with more than 675,000 members; and an expansive Community Care Services division. With such a wide continuum of services to coordinate, it’s crucial that the marketing department be able to let patients know about all of the offerings available within the system for all their care, and encourage them to take advantage of these services so that their medical needs can be met in the most seamless way.
Sheila Acker, director of interactive marketing at Henry Ford Health System
One of the ways Henry Ford Health System is accomplishing this is by working smarter, not harder, by leveraging the digital technology available to it. Healthgrades, a Denver-based online resource for information about physicians and hospitals, has been instrumental in helping the organization to understand its audience and its needs, and to tap into the opportunities that exist in the area, says Sheila Acker, director of interactive marketing at Henry Ford Health System.