Featured Articles Archives – Page 9 of 35 – Strategic Health Care Marketing

How HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index Works to Address Inequities in LGBTQ Health Care Access

April 25, 2023

// By Althea Fung // Health care is a necessity. But not everyone has equal access to medical services, which can negatively impact a person’s long-term health outcomes. In the U.S., racial and ethnic minorities, people of lower socioeconomic status, people who live in rural communities, and sexual and gender minorities often experience disparities in the health care they receive, according to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

Six Best Practices for Getting the Most From Your Creative Agency

April 21, 2023

Title text: 6 Best Practices for Getting the Most From Your Creative Agency

// By John Ferin // The meeting is about to begin. Your creative agency has spent days, weeks, maybe even months massaging their concepts, tactics, and messaging into the perfect presentation. You can see the beads of sweat forming on the presenters’ foreheads, signaling something big is at stake. The speakers speak, the slides begin to roll, and the ideas … miss the mark. There’s no way around it: The presentation fell short of expectations.

Acute Care Telehealth Expands Access in Community Hospitals

April 17, 2023

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // When patients in a rural community get sick and need access to intensive care or specialized care, the typical small community hospital — if there is one — doesn’t have experts on-site to manage their care needs — and transferring them to a large tertiary care center may not be an option if no beds are available. In these instances, acute care telehealth is helping patients receive the right care without having to leave their local community, a benefit to the patient, their family, the local hospital, and the tertiary care center.

Access Will Be Profitable — If Health Care Movers and Shakers Are Right

April 10, 2023

// By Lindsay R. Resnick, MHA // Assuring timely access to care — an individual’s ability to obtain health care services — has always challenged payers, providers, and without doubt, consumers. The industry’s constant back-and-forth blame game over cost and access must end. Customers are listening, and so are competitors. Recent market moves are making care more widely available than ever before. Billions upon billions of dollars are being invested in products and services that promise expanded access. The combination of retail clinics, telemedicine, homecare, digital health, and public/private insurance options has opened the access floodgates for many Americans. But access continues to be problematic. The thinking is that if you build it, they will come. But can they?

Northwell Health Takes the Lead on Gun Violence Prevention to Drive Awareness and Education Nationally

April 4, 2023

// By John Marzano // The politics surrounding gun ownership and control are infinitely polarizing. Yet, one truth believed by all Americans is that the use of guns and other weapons to inflict mass casualties and destruction of human life has no place in a peaceful, civilized society. Especially when it pertains to our children — our future. “Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children and adolescents,” said Michael Dowling, president & CEO of Northwell Health, kicking off this year’s Gun Violence Prevention Forum in February. Since 2019, Dowling has put himself and New York’s largest health system at the forefront of leading a coalition of more than 1,000 hospital and health system partners to raise broad awareness of the crisis of gun violence.

Leadership Begins with Listening: View from the C-Suite with Rose Glenn, Chief Marketing and Communication Officer, Michigan Medicine

March 27, 2023

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // In the middle of the pandemic, Michigan Medicine launched a new brand campaign, Michigan Answers, spearheaded by Rose Glenn, the organization’s chief communications and marketing officer. In explaining the meaning of the campaign, the branding guidelines emphasize, “At Michigan Medicine, we believe there’s a difference between an answer and a Michigan Answer. Michigan Answers are found where more than 100 years of teaching, research and patient care intersect with an endless curiosity and passion for changing patients’ lives for the better. Michigan Answers come with confidence.”

Improving Access: Making Video Visits Senior-Friendly

March 23, 2023

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // Technology is great — unless it’s a barrier. We don’t have to look back very far for a good example. When COVID vaccines became available in December 2020, older adults were first in line to receive the jab. But the process of scheduling an appointment online was so complicated that many people needed help from a tech-savvier relative or friend. Video visits are another example. When COVID was raging and vaccines weren’t available yet, older adults — the most vulnerable age group — shifted to virtual visits whenever possible. Today, virtual visits have remained popular with all patients. But age is a factor.

Taking the Chaos Out of Change

March 20, 2023

// By Cheryl L. Serra // Change happens. And it should, as internal and external forces inevitably alter an organization and the constructs it operates in. Health care is in a constant state of flux. New technologies, best practices, staffing structures, and financing all contribute to new ways of doing business. But managing change is an ongoing challenge for health care organizations.

Four Questions to Ask Before Using AI-Generated Content in Health Care

March 13, 2023

4 Questions to Ask Before Using AI-Generated Content in Health Care

// By Rachael Sauceman // You get into work, grab your coffee, boot up your computer, and look at your to-do list for the day. The one and only thing you’ve left for yourself on the to-do list is the thing you’ve been putting off for days — weeks even: Write that blog on the dangers of high blood pressure. Now instead, imagine that your process looks like this: You open a browser and go to your favorite AI platform, like the buzzy ChatGPT, which has recently become a media sensation, leading to a multibillion-dollar investment from Microsoft. You type in a series of questions for ChatGPT to answer:

HMPS 2023: Join the Crowd in Austin, April 17-19

March 7, 2023

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves, unwind, and soak up some inspiration for your biggest challenges, the 2023 Healthcare Marketing & Physician Strategies Summit (HMPS23) is tailor-made for you. This year’s conference reflects input from a wide range of professionals who helped shape each of the six content tracks. As a result, the program reflects the “voice of the customer,” with sessions that speak directly to the areas of greatest need.

Want More Referrals? Build a Better Provider Experience

February 27, 2023

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // For complex health systems with numerous specialties and subspecialties, referrals are their lifeblood — particularly referrals from external providers. Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH), a specialty pediatric hospital, was having difficulty keeping track of referrals. There wasn’t a standard process for sending and receiving referrals or tracking them once they were received, usually by fax, and sent to individual departments. The number-one complaint from referring physicians was that they had to resubmit them multiple times. Feedback included statements like:

How UAMS Stays in Touch with Referring Providers

February 20, 2023

Keith Whitworth, director of marketing, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // Marketing is all about understanding the needs of your market and finding ways to show how your product or service is the best solution for meeting those needs. As marketers, you know that part of your challenge is keeping your solution top of mind when people are in the consideration phase. If your service is not visible, chances are you won’t be considered.

Changing the Conversation: North Carolina Healthcare Association Counters the Blame Debate on the High Cost of Care in the U.S.

February 13, 2023

Cynthia Charles, vice president of Public Relations & Communications at North Carolina Hospital Association

// By John Marzano // Health care costs in the U.S. continue to rise. Who’s responsible? There are many contributors, but hospitals are taking a disproportionate share of the blame in the media. While they bear some responsibility, current news coverage pins most of the blame on them. How can health systems take charge of the narrative?

WebMD and Mercury Healthcare: What the Acquisition Means for Physician Strategies

February 8, 2023

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // When WebMD announced its acquisition of Mercury Healthcare in June 2022, the press release focused on patient engagement solutions. The headline reads “WebMD Health Corp. Acquires Mercury Healthcare, Building on Leadership in Patient Engagement Solutions.” But we learned that WebMD’s strategic vision is broader, also encompassing provider engagement. In a video explaining the vision, Ann Bilyew, general manager and senior vice president of WebMD Provider Services, states that physician referral management “is similar to the patient journey in that it is about understanding each individual physician’s unique preferences and learning how to reach them in the key moments of care.”

Physician Relations Management and Market Analytics Platform Accelerates Strategic Business Plans and Drives Growth

February 6, 2023

Michael Suk, MD, JD, MPH, MBA, FACS, chair, Musculoskeletal Institute and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery & Chief Physician Officer, Geisinger

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // If your organization is investing in highly compensated specialists to grow your service lines and provide needed care for patients, you want those physicians to be as productive as possible as soon as possible, and you want them to be the first choice of referring physicians. Doctivity, a novel physician relations management (PRM) platform using proprietary algorithms, which launched in March 2022, is making it easier to achieve these critical goals.

Maybe It’s Not Marketing’s Fault

January 24, 2023

// By George Danner // I am not a marketer, but I have listened to conversations among our marketing team members and their clients about the difficulty of the marketing role in health care. When patient volumes and/or market share are down, the organization’s reflex is to push a single lever — marketing — in hopes of re-establishing normal business activity that the system depends upon for survival. “If we had more billboards…” “Competitor X is marketing more than we are…”

Making Health Care Better for Underserved Communities: Viewpoints from HLTH 2022

January 17, 2023

Sachin Jain, MD, MBA, president and CEO, SCAN Group & Health Plan

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // Which is better — Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) or Medicare Advantage (MA)? Sachin Jain, MD, MBA, president and CEO of SCAN Group & Health Plan, doesn’t think it’s the right question. “We all know we have a broken health care system, and we have to try in our own ways to make it better,” he says. Jain was joined by Cheryl Pegus, MD, MPH, executive vice president of Health & Wellness at Walmart, in a session at HLTH 2022 in November, “Removing the Filter from the Business of Healthcare.” The panel discussion was moderated by Matthew Holt, founder/author of The Health Care Blog.

Era of Change for Health Care Marketing: 6 Key Strategies for Future Success

January 11, 2023

// By Amalia Stanton // It has been 34 months since the COVID-19 pandemic uprooted our lives and altered the way we work — perhaps forever. This time period has been like no other for individuals working in the health care field, including the marketing and communications professionals who play a critical role in supporting operations, strategy, and the overall success of a health delivery organization. Similarly changed, consumers became less loyal to their health care brands, had higher expectations for ease of access and shorter wait times, and became increasingly less patient and forgiving.

Moffitt Cancer Center’s Health Equity Program Gives Business Opportunity to Improve Health of Local Communities

January 9, 2023

// By Althea Fung // Although cancer affects all populations in the United States, because of various social, environmental, and economic factors, some groups bear a disproportionate burden of the disease than others. For example, Black men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than non-Hispanic White men. In addition, Hispanic women are 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 30 percent more likely to die from the disease than non-Hispanic White women. Over the years, many organizations have tried to implement programs and interventions to address health inequities in cancer care and other clinical areas. But many programs have fallen short due to various factors, including funding.

The Role of Physician Relations in Driving Growth

January 3, 2023

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // Connections between hospitals and doctors working outside the hospital aren’t as strong as they used to be. “So many organizations have realized we have completely lost touch with our primary care physicians,” says Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA, principal at Barlow McCarthy. “They don’t come to the hospital, they use hospitalists.” The pandemic has added to the challenges. “Everything changed with COVID,” she says. “Now, if a liaison sees the same office person two visits in a row, it’s a surprise, so you’re starting over with relationship building, even to get in.”

Options for Achieving the Strategic and Operational Imperatives of Call Centers

December 28, 2022

Yuriy Kotlyar is co-founder and CEO of American Health Connection

// By Yuriy Kotlyar // The explosion of digital health tools for communicating with patients can make call centers seem like yesterday’s news. Of course, experience shows health care marketing leaders the strategic value of a high-functioning, efficient call center. Many patients enjoy the conveniences of digital communication tools — self-scheduling, receiving test results and appointment reminders, researching specialists — when those tools can solve their problem. But even digitally savvy patients often need human assistance. They need help navigating the widening array of care options. They also need answers to myriad questions about their financial responsibility, insurance coverage, pre-authorizations, and other complex issues.

Health Care Consumerism, Up Close and Personal

December 19, 2022

// By Lindsay R. Resnick, MHA // As 2022 draws to a close, two issues have dominated industry talking points and sparked record-breaking investment in hundreds of specialty ventures: customer experience (CX) and digital health. I hope my newfound perspective on these trends can serve as thought starters going into 2023. This past year I suffered a spinal-cord injury. Multiple hospitalizations and extensive rehab have given me an eye-opening user’s view of the health care system. I’ve learned how little we know about delivering high-quality health care customer experiences and how often we mistake innovation for solutions.

Health Care Marketers’ Critical Role in Reducing Health Care Stigma

December 14, 2022

// By Cheryl L. Serra // If you’re embarrassed by your medical diagnosis, you will probably keep it hidden. You may not seek help, or if you do, you may find under-the-radar, less-credentialed and less-qualified people. You likely won’t talk about your condition with others in your social circles, further limiting the availability of helpful resources and information you receive. Your medical care will likely suffer. An often undiscussed symptom of many conditions is the stigma attached to them that results in secrecy and shame around the diagnoses. Some of these include mental health and substance abuse issues, and smoking-related lung cancer.

44 Years of Person-Centered Care: The Power of Planetree to Transform Organizations

December 12, 2022

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times: Health care is complex, dysfunctional, and slow to change. But one person can still make a difference. For Angelica Thieriot, it took a horrific experience as patient in a U.S. hospital in 1978 for her to imagine how different things could be if patients came first. Long before the term “patient experience” became a thing, Thieriot, a native of Argentina, took it upon herself to change things for the better in the U.S.

Marketers from Three Leading Organizations Weigh In on Patient Acquisition and Retention and What It Takes to Succeed

December 5, 2022

// By John Marzano // The history of service-line promotion dates back to the early 1980s when marketers built brand awareness of their organizations’ high-end specialty care using visual and emotional imagery to display the prowess of their services, physicians, and organizations. Marketing terminology referenced centers of excellence, and promoted an organization’s distinction as the largest, highest quality, best, or first program in almost all health care marketing and advertising.

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