Susan DubuqueContributing Editor
Plain-English Health Care
Richmond, VA
(866) 641-4548
Follow Susan: LinkedIn
Susan Dubuque, a strategist and writer specializing in health care and behavior change, was a cofounder and principal of Two Tango (formerly NDP Agency). She literally wrote the book on marketing’s role in health improvement, Gearing Up for Population Health: Marketing for Change, published by the SHSMD of the American Hospital Association. She is an adjunct instructor at VCU’s School of Health Professions. Susan serves on the editorial advisory board of Strategic Health Care Marketing and is co-chair of the 2024 eHealthcare Leadership Awards.
Susan has contributed her expertise to the articles listed below.
// By Susan Dubuque // Thirty-eight children’s hospitals and three Ronald McDonald Houses partner with The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, giving kids with serious health problems the opportunity to just be kids. If you are up for a bit of inspiration, read on. This article might give you a whole new perspective on patient experience.
University Health in Texas embraced change to create an effective brand strategy, conducting research to understand community needs during transformative times. Their new brand platform supports the organization’s strategic direction while engaging the community on a journey of health improvement. Discover the strategy and creativity behind this award-winning campaign.
// By Susan Dubuque // In the aftermath of COVID-19, cities across the country, including San Francisco, faced significant challenges. During the same period, UCSF Health began a new strategic journey to expand its services to encompass the entire spectrum of care. Discover how UCSF Health shifts consumer perceptions by sending a love letter to San Francisco.
// By Susan Dubuque // University Health in Texas embraced change to create an effective brand strategy, conducting research to understand community needs during transformative times. Their new brand platform supports the organization’s strategic direction while engaging the community on a journey of health improvement. Discover the strategy and creativity behind this award-winning campaign.
// By Susan Dubuque // The University of Maryland Medical Center employs a three-tier marketing strategy for its transplant program, using strategic communications for broad reach, targeted digital tactics for mid-funnel engagement, and search campaigns to capture bottom-funnel consumers. Find out how this leading medical center achieves impressive results with a multichannel marketing and communications strategy.
// By Susan Dubuque // CHI St. Vincent’s marketing team created a multichannel recruitment and retention strategy that engaged team members across the health system. The campaign targeted both internal and external audiences and used a broad range of traditional and digital media. Get insights on supporting your organization’s recruitment and retention initiatives from this award-winning campaign.
// By Susan Dubuque // When the marketing team set out to make Comer Children’s a household name, it had a not-so-secret weapon to tap into: the powerhouse brand of the University of Chicago Medicine. Find out how an engaging new campaign helps position Comer Children’s as a nationally recognized brand, generating remarkable results in record time.
South Shore Hospital, part of South Shore Health, serves hundreds of thousands in the Greater Boston area. To differentiate itself, the marketing team crafted the brand positioning “Your Health, Our Passion, One Community,” reflecting the hospital’s commitment to offering exceptional services and fostering a community-centric healthcare approach.
// By Susan Dubuque // Podcasts are a popular and well-established audio medium used by health care organizations of all sizes to share longer-form content that educates, inspires, entertains, and provides thought leadership to various audiences. Discover secrets of award-winning podcasts from three top organizations and get practical tips to make podcasting vital for your marketing strategy.
// By Susan Dubuque // Yuma Regional Medical Center’s (YRMC) quality journey began when the health system saw significant operational and clinical improvements. But for employees and the community, this positive message needed to be amplified. Discover how Yuma Regional Medical Center’s “We Believe” campaign elevated the perception of quality for both internal and external audiences.
// By Susan Dubuque // For 25 years, the eHealthcare Leadership Awards have celebrated excellence in health care digital marketing. At the 2023 awards, winning videos showcased the power of video to capture attention, evoke emotion, and drive action. Read the full article for expert insights and examples of award-winning videos.
// By Susan Dubuque // South Shore Hospital, part of South Shore Health, serves hundreds of thousands in the Greater Boston area. To differentiate itself, the marketing team crafted the brand positioning “Your Health, Our Passion, One Community,” reflecting the hospital’s commitment to offering exceptional services and fostering a community-centric healthcare approach.
A new Strategic Health Care Marketing webinar for health care marketers and strategists
Presented on May 23, 2024
Podcasts are a popular, well-established audio medium used by healthcare institutions around the world to share longer-format content. They are an excellent marketing tool offering an array of benefits, including: increasing brand awareness, engaging patients, building community, and establishing thought leadership.
In this webinar, you’ll learn how to leverage the power of podcasts to enhance brand visibility and community/patient engagement. We’ll provide a playbook with practical tips related to defining your audience, content creation, hosting, and physician engagement.
You’ll hear from industry leaders — including 3 Platinum winners of the 2023 eHealthcare Leadership Awards “Best Healthcare Podcast” category — about how podcasts can be a valuable tool for elevating your marketing by connecting with audiences in a highly personalized way.
You’ll learn:
And much more…
// By Susan Dubuque // White Plains Hospital, part of the Montefiore Health System, is renowned in Westchester County for its 130-year legacy. In 2022, the hospital shifted its marketing strategy to emphasize its capability in complex care, launching the successful “Every Day” campaign to highlight its advanced services and exceptional patient experience.
In this new report from Strategic Health Care Marketing, you’ll get critical insights on the current PR landscape in health care. Through case studies and expert insights, you’ll discover what health care organizations around the country are doing to step up their PR efforts and protect their brands.
// By Susan Dubuque // This year marks the silver anniversary of the eHealthcare Leadership Awards. Join us as we celebrate 25 years of industry innovation and honor your accomplishments from the past year. The eHealthcare Leadership Awards recognize outstanding health websites and digital initiatives. The Call for Entries is officially open!
// By Susan Dubuque // In 2022, Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center received the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for spine surgery. The award coincided with the official launch of the new Center for Spine Care and kicked off the “Get Back to Being You” campaign. View the award-winning creative that supported the campaign.
// By Susan Dubuque // Providence’s marketing model uses a combination of digital technology and direct mail to boost enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans, build patient volume, and increase customer loyalty. Get critical insights on Providence’s dual approach to new-patient acquisition.
// By Susan Dubuque // Static brands result in static organizations. Dynamic, forward-leaning brands break through the noise and unleash the real potential that can change not only your organization but the industry as a whole. Discover a practical and scalable approach to formulating a dynamic brand strategy for your organization.
// By Susan Dubuque // In early 2022, the Centra marketing team recognized the need to evolve the look and feel of the organization’s advertising. The health system marketing team created the “It’s My Life” campaign based on personal, lifelong relationships Centra caregivers have with patients they serve. to learn the strategy behind this campaign.
// By Susan Dubuque // Baptist Health has tackled cancer advertising and marketing from several angles. Research revealed that many people in the market assumed that a cancer diagnosis meant a death sentence, and as a result, they avoided seeking medical treatment. A new campaign was needed to help consumers overcome this barrier by flipping the narrative.
// By Susan Dubuque // CHRISTUS Health has been committed to the health and well-being of individuals and communities for generations. Today, it remains true to its original mission and purpose. See how CHRISTUS Health’s brand promise is reflected in its broader advertising initiatives, while also responding to the needs and opportunities of each of its markets.
// By Susan Dubuque // We’re all familiar with the saying “No margin, no mission.” The marketing team at Loma Linda University Health takes that philosophy to heart when it comes to strategy and execution of its advertising. Learn how you can concentrate your advertising efforts to produce the greatest result from a business and mission perspective.
In this new report from Strategic Health Care Marketing, you’ll get critical insights on the current PR landscape in health care. Through case studies and expert insights, you’ll discover what health care organizations around the country are doing to step up their PR efforts and protect their brands.
// By Susan Dubuque // As New York’s largest health care system, Northwell assumes the unique responsibility to support the community by helping each member live the longest, fullest life possible. The marketing team set out to create an inspirational campaign featuring a cast of New Yorkers who have reached the remarkable age of 100+.