Direct, Personal Approach to Marketing Works for Occupational Medicine Programs
// By Sheryl S. Jackson //
“In the occupational medicine business, quality service delivery is the differentiator,” says Terri Hanlon-Bremer, vice president of employer solutions at TriHealth in Cincinnati. “If a company is not happy with your service, they will quickly change to another provider.” TriHealth has found that good old-fashioned face-to-face relationship building is the best approach to the employer market.
Terri Hanlon-Bremer, vice president of employer solutions, TriHealth
Health care marketers are always looking for new ways to reach consumers through social media platforms, digital advertising, and a strong, online presence, but the staff at TriHealth’s Occupational Medicine program have found that a high-touch, personal marketing strategy works well for their service.
The occupational medicine program is 35 years old and predates the merger of Bethesda and Good Samaritan Hospitals in 1995 to form TriHealth, says Terri Hanlon-Bremer, vice president of Employer Solutions for the health system.
Employees at area businesses are the ultimate recipients of the program’s services, but employers are the primary client, making this a business-to-business marketing effort versus a business-to-consumer strategy.
Because the health system brand is strong and well-recognized, employers know who they are even though they are in a very competitive market, Hanlon-Bremer explains. “We can focus on explaining our specific services and working closely with clients to create the program that they need for their employees rather than explaining the health system,” she says. “This is an advantage over our competitors — other health systems, freestanding clinics, urgent care centers, primary care practices, and health clinics.”
Services include injury care, physical therapy, work capacity services, substance testing, physical exams, respirator services, workplace hazards exams, travel health and immunization, Family Medical Leave Act exams, and disability exams. Program services are offered at six freestanding locations and at the worksite for some employers.