// By Lisa D. Ellis // What do the peach orchards of Northern California and most major health systems have in common? There are actually more commonalities than you might think, according to Ritch K. Eich, who worked on several ranches to earn his way through college before going on to build an impressive career Read More
// By Lisa D. Ellis // At a children’s hospital in Massachusetts, families of patients trying to park their cars in the very crowded multilevel garage will find a valet waiting at the top level to take the vehicle for them if the lot is full. This helps to relieve parents’ stress and makes a Read More
// By Lisa D. Ellis // The fate of the American health care system is currently unknown as a new health care plan is making its way through Congress, raising many questions for people working in health care organizations, as well as for the patients they serve. How can you be sure your organization is Read More
“If you’ve been involved with hospital advertising for a while, you’ve probably seen it all,” observes Peter Hochstein, veteran copywriter and SHCM contributor. “Touching testimonials from patients telling what a hospital’s doctors did for them. Doctors explaining how they collaborated on a medical breakthrough. Pictures galore of high-tech tools, people in surgical masks, MRI images Read More
“Consumer engagement is one of those terms-of-the-moment in marketing to which marketers apply a variety of meanings,” says John Brand, senior director of marketing and public relations at St. Luke’s University Health Network. He says his organization defines “engagement” as “compelling consumers to take action on behalf of our brand, primarily in social spaces.” Brand says Read More
“[T]here are few departments within a hospital that juggle more responsibilities, impact the organization’s brand as dramatically, or have as visible a role in telling the hospital’s story” as the PR and marketing departments, notes Tom Mone. “That said, there is one story that hasn’t been told as often or as boldly as it should. Read More
Notable Health Care Advertising // By Peter Hochstein // If you’ve been involved with hospital advertising for a while, you’ve probably seen it all. Touching testimonials from patients telling what a hospital’s doctors did for them. Doctors explaining how they collaborated on a medical breakthrough. Pictures galore of high-tech tools, people in surgical masks, MRI Read More
// By John Brand // Consumer engagement is one of those terms-of-the-moment in marketing to which marketers apply a variety of meanings. At St. Luke’s University Health Network, a seven-hospital health system spread across northeastern Pennsylvania and northwestern New Jersey, we define it as compelling consumers to take action on behalf of our brand, primarily Read More
// By Lisa D. Ellis // What trends should be on your radar screen as you navigate the ever-changing health care field? Find out what a group of experts say is coming down the road so you can help your organization be prepared for whatever comes next. SHSMD’s Futurescan 2017-2022: Health Care Trends and Implications Read More
// By Tom Mone // No hospital public relations or marketing department is sitting around looking for something to do. In truth, there are few departments within a hospital that juggle more responsibilities, impact the organization’s brand as dramatically, or have as visible a role in telling the hospital’s story. That said, there is one Read More
Blogging is becoming an increasingly important way to communicate with your target audience. And it can also provide a valuable forum for your staff to share their experiences and ideas within the larger organization and beyond. This lesson comes from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, where some forward-thinking staff members created Read More
// By Lisa D. Ellis // Blogging is becoming an increasingly important way to communicate with your target audience. And it can also provide a valuable forum for your staff to share their experiences and ideas within the larger organization and beyond. The Doctor’s Tablet This lesson comes from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Read More
“Your health system or hospital story doesn’t matter—until it does,” says Eric Brody. “What matters is simply how your story fits into the lives of your audience.” Brody is president of Trajectory, a national branding and marketing agency. He notes that while this simple concept is tough to deliver on, it’s also critical to your success Read More
Physician-contributed writing provides a great way to provide thought leadership and to share your medical staff members’ expertise more broadly. It can also help to personalize your organization and make a deeper connection with patients. But it’s essential that any staff-contributed writing goes through a defined editorial process that ensures the content accurately represents your Read More
It probably comes as no surprise that in 2017, people are relying on smartphones more than ever before. And most of them go beyond using these devices to make calls, send texts, and check their emails. They also go mobile to search for information, find services in their neighborhoods, and get directions. This trend has Read More
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 Read More
// By Lisa D. Ellis // Circus performers who walk the tightrope receive extensive training to prevent falls. But medical personnel who represent their health care organizations are often much less savvy about how to avoid taking a misstep when they enter the complex world of social media. As a result, health systems can suffer Read More
// By Lisa D. Ellis // This post accompanies the article, Putting Micro-Moments to Work for Your Organization: Q and A with Google’s Ben Killmer. “The trend toward mobile is changing everything,” says Stewart Gandolf, MBA, CEO, and creative director of Healthcare Success. “It’s not just people talking on their mobile phones but today mobile Read More
// By Lisa D. Ellis // Clinical service department profitability is a constant challenge for hospitals. But what’s changed is just about everything else. It probably comes as no surprise that in 2017, people are relying on smartphones more than ever before. And most of them go beyond using these devices to make calls, send Read More
// 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 Read More
// By Eric Brody // Your health system or hospital story doesn’t matter—until it does. What matters is simply how your story fits into the lives of your audience. This simple concept is tough to deliver on, but it’s also critical to your success as a health care marketer. It really comes down to the Read More
“When parents have children with fevers or a bout of stomach flu, whether they need a general practitioner or a specialist, they’ll generally look for doctors who are close to them,” observes Terrence Tucker, media supervisor at Response Mine Interactive. “Even if the need isn’t immediate and patients are just looking for a physical exam, Read More
Notable Healthcare Advertising // By Peter Hochstein // In the Champlain Valley of upstate New York, where the nearest big city is Plattsburgh, population just short of 20,000, and the prevailing ethos is blue collar, 300-bed Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital had a problem. “ When you think of the kind of male who lives in Read More
Veteran copywriter and SHCM contributor Peter Hochstein boils down one hospital’s advertising campaign down to one word: wisecracks. The little girl getting wheeled into surgery is about 11 years old—and not at all like any other little girl you’ve seen in TV spots about surgery. She’s a quick-thinking, fast-talking, smart mouth. But then, so is Read More
“Here’s important context for health care marketing in 2017: Attention and trust continue to decline across the country,” says Ryan Hanser, APR, who leads Hanser & Associates, a full-service PR firm based in Des Moines, Iowa. “Sure, we still have knowledgeable specialists—doctors, for starters. The trouble is that people increasingly reject the authority of expertise. Read More