Each week we email a tip or news that we are covering in Strategic Health Care Marketing. You can view the archives of this weekly ezine below.
Conflict between the sector’s “haves” and “have-nots” has been brewing for years and is coming to an inflection point. Health care in the U.S. has been very good to those who participate on the business end of the enterprise, but the comfort they enjoy is often at the expense of others. Those frictions are likely Read More
How can a health system make a difference in utilization, quality and outcomes, and cost — and improve engagement with underserved members of its community? This was the topic of a recent presentation at the 2023 SHSMD Connections Virtual Conference. Lindsay Cosimano is senior director of marketing communications at Nebraska Health Network, an accountable care Read More
Health systems rely on their communications teams to keep all stakeholders informed during a crisis and help to bring healing to the community in the aftermath, through empathetic messaging. At SHSMD Connections in September, three health system communications leaders shared their experiences following a crisis in their respective communities. “Sometimes the strength of the people Read More
An effective public relations effort can give organizations a megaphone to amplify health care brand recognition. As a faith-based, mission-oriented organization, OSF HealthCare (OSF), founded in the late 1800s, has historically met internal and external challenges through innovation. In the past decade OSF, headquartered in Peoria, Illinois and serving patients in Illinois and Michigan, has Read More
Last year, Central Pennsylvania-based WellSpan Health established two major goals to combat breast cancer and strengthen the health system’s market position: 1) heighten awareness of breast care services, and 2) increase mammography screenings. These relatively common goals for health care organizations are often supported by the same time-worn tactics that marketers have used for years Read More
A recent report on philanthropy trends in the U.S. describes giving as “getting bigger and wider.” The proliferation of big-ticket donations continues, with billionaires pledging to give away their wealth. However, growth in donations is not limited to the super-rich. Online donation platforms and social media campaigns along with the can-do attitudes of younger generations Read More
According to a recent report in Becker’s Health IT, health care marketing budgets have declined by 8 percent over the past year — down markedly from 2019 when budgets peaked. Marketing leaders also indicate that they are experiencing increased pressure to quantify results and demonstrate a return on investment. Aligning marketing and public relations efforts Read More
In the aftermath of COVID-19, hospitals and health systems are pressured to do more with less. The 2023 Healthcare Marketers Trend Report reveals that marketing and advertising budgets have shrunk by 8 percent. At the same time, marketing departments are being asked to produce measurable results and contribute to business objectives. One strategy to make Read More
Public relations, or PR, is first and foremost about building and maintaining trusted relationships externally, with consumers and patients, providers, the media, and the larger community. We spoke with two healthcare PR leaders about how they forge those connections and raise the profile of their organizations to key audiences. Their work requires a multifaceted approach Read More
“When it comes to women’s health, there’s a lack of attention, funding, research, and education,” writes Wendy Margolin in a recent article. “From the moment we start menstruating, it’s a secret. Girls are often embarrassed to tell their mothers, which is partly what makes Judy Blume’s book and recent movie, Are You There, God, It’s Read More
Health care industry experts have been sounding the alarm about the staffing shortage for decades, with a variety of factors contributing to the problem — the aging population, lack of nursing faculty, competition from other industry sectors, and burnout. Now, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and health systems face unprecedented challenges as Read More
Emory Healthcare’s rebranding initiatives enable the health system to stand out in Atlanta’s crowded market. Emory’s success should serve as an example for other hospitals and health systems looking to develop a successful rebranding strategy and drive growth. There are hospitals and health systems with reputations verging on veneration. But for all the world-renowned research Read More
A successful health care rebrand requires two things: effective project management and clear communication. Your brand is more important than ever, especially for organizations seeking to be recognized over an expanding number of marketing platforms and sales channels. Shifts in the market, mergers and acquisitions, and other company changes also drive the need for brand Read More
As many as 24 million people could lose their Medicaid coverage by late 2024 as part of an ongoing process of Medicaid redeterminations. Hospitals have a vested interest in making sure they stay on the rolls. Providence has embarked on an ambitious outreach campaign with a singular goal: Keep its patients insured. The Renton, Washington-based Read More
The scarcity of health care workers is not new. Since the 1980s, there has been significant industry chatter, particularly surrounding the critical shortage of nurses. When COVID hit, demand skyrocketed, just as the “Great Resignation” struck. Workforce shortfalls threaten patient care and have significant financial implications. One study finds that labor shortages have cost hospitals and Read More
Each fall, the SHSMD Annual Conference brings together the best and brightest in our industry — from seasoned veterans to tomorrow’s leaders — for three days of sharing, growing, and learning together. This year, the health care strategy and marketing community will convene in Chicago from September 10-12 at SHSMD23 Connections. The conference is an Read More
Being in the middle of the western half of the United States — between well-known East and West Coast medical facilities — presented Children’s Hospital Colorado with a marketing challenge. In addition to making potential patients and their loved ones aware of its existence, the hospital wanted to demonstrate the individualized, innovative, and often complex Read More
DEI is about more than representation. It’s all about creating an environment where everyone feels heard, respected, and empowered. No other industry has more of an imperative to embrace DEI than health care as the path to a healthier future for everyone. At this year’s Healthcare Marketing & Physician Strategies Summit (HMPS23) in Austin, Texas, Read More
Health care marketers are sometimes on the defensive when proposing budgets to their CEOs and CFOs, feeling the pressure to justify the expense and project the expected return on investment — especially for “softer” initiatives like brand building. So, it was refreshing to hear a different perspective from Bill Robertson, CEO of MultiCare, a 12-hospital Read More
As a health care provider, how can you ensure your patients are able to easily navigate your facilities to access care when they need it? Health care facilities lose an estimated $200,000 per year due to scheduling conflicts directly caused by patient navigation challenges, reports Clay Anderson in a new article. First impressions are crucial. Read More
Improving the patient experience is an ongoing challenge for health systems—especially in the age of health care disruption. Leadership buy-in and actionable data are essential to driving meaningful change. When Matt Gove entered health care marketing, first with Grady Health and then Piedmont Health in Atlanta, he considered it “the ultimate consumer business because everyone Read More
One of the oldest and truest axioms in consumer advertising is that the most successful and persuasive messaging finds a way to turn a feature into a benefit. Nowhere is this on greater display than in health care, and smart public relations professionals have known this for years. The fact that your hospital operates a Read More
U.S. hospitals are seeing a dramatic rise in workplace violence. While some organizations are taking active steps to address the issue — including developing internal and external campaigns — more is needed: Only 43 percent of workers believe their organization’s policies against workplace violence are effective. In most hospitals today, electronic medical records and patient Read More
Today’s health care media landscape is drastically different from the era of print magazine ads and TV spots. It is now characterized by a fragmented array of channels and diverse media formats, which has made media planning more complex than ever. Do you recall what media buys looked like five, 10, or even 20 years Read More
As hospital systems have merged and grown over the years, so have the number of executives occupying their C-suites. The chief information officer (CIO) was a creation of the 1990s, as hospitals began relying on electronic medical records. A more recent admittee to the C-suite is the CXO, or chief experience officer. So, what is Read More