Digital Marketing and Analytics

Unlock Health Aims to Fulfill Industry Need for Unified Growth Platform

Brandon Edwards, CEO, Unlock Health

Whenever there’s an announcement about a major M&A move, it makes you wonder about the backstory. Why did Company A decide to acquire Company B? What did both sides hope to gain? What market needs did they solve for? And how will customers benefit? Unlock Health announced its acquisition of SPM Group on November 28, Read More

Aligning Advertising and Organizational Purpose Through One Mission

lluh-logo

Nearly every health system has a mission statement, and most are a version of “meeting the health needs of the community.” But bringing a mission to life — truly operationalizing it — is a different matter. // By Susan Dubuque // Health care marketing budgets have declined significantly in the past year, and marketing leaders Read More

What Unlock Health’s Acquisition of SPM Group Means for the Industry

Amanda Seaford, CEO, SPM Group

The leaders of the two companies believe a combined organization, with a broad portfolio of capabilities, fills an industry need for a unified partner for all health care marketing needs. // By Jane Weber Brubaker // Whenever there’s an announcement about a major M&A move, it makes you wonder about the backstory. Why did Company Read More

Data-Driven Media Planning: How to Optimize Your Strategy

Maggie Checinski, director, integrated media, SPM Marketing and Communications

The continued growth in channels makes precision media buying more important than ever. Today, consumers have a seemingly endless array of media options to choose from, causing many health care marketers to ask: “How should I allocate my limited budget to maximize the effectiveness of media buying?” It’s a crucial question that will often determine Read More

How Health Care Organizations Can Use Media Data to Effectively Target Market

Brian Griffin

The continued growth in channels makes precision media buying more important than ever. // By Brian Griffin // Today, consumers have a seemingly endless array of media options to choose from, causing many health care marketers to ask: “How should I allocate my limited budget to maximize the effectiveness of media buying?” It’s a crucial Read More

How a Data-Driven Media Strategy Can Deliver Cost-Effective Results

Andrea Becker, senior director, marketing, WellSpan Health

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

Boosting Your Fundraising Success With Effective Advertising

Eric Peters, vice president communications, MCV Foundation

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

Data-Driven Approach to Media Planning for WellSpan Health’s Breast Cancer Initiatives Delivers Cost-Effective Precision Marketing

Maggie Checinski, director, integrated media, SPM Marketing and Communications

Thorough research identified target audiences and pinpointed their media of choice. // By Brian Griffin // 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 Read More

How Marketing and PR Collaboration Can Help Address Staffing Shortages

Suzanne Bharati Hendery headshot

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

Geisinger Unifies Efforts to Establish a New Brand Platform

Don Stanziano, chief marketing and communications officer, Geisinger

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

Geisinger Maximizes Budgets by Aligning PR and Marketing

The chief marketing and communications officer for Geisinger shares how collaboration between marketing and public relations enhances effectiveness and efficiency. // By Susan Dubuque // 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 Read More

Aligning HR and Marketing to Enhance Recruitment and Retention

Rian Brooks, manager of workforce planning and talent acquisition, Michigan Medicine

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

Unifying HR Marketing and Brand, Part 2: Michigan Medicine

Rebecca Priest, director of marketing, Michigan Medicine

Marketing and talent acquisition executives from Michigan Medicine share how collaboration and brand alignment helped to address staff recruitment and retention challenges for their organization. // By Susan Dubuque // Health care industry experts have been sounding the alarm about the staffing shortage for decades, with a variety of factors contributing to the problem — Read More

How Aligning HR and Marketing Can Bring Your Recruitment Brand to Life

J.L. Grayson, director of brand strategy, Moffitt Cancer Center

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

Conference Preview: SHSMD23 Connections Aims to Inspire and Challenge

Ryan Younger, vice president of marketing, Virtua Health

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

Unifying HR Marketing and Brand, Part 1: Moffitt Cancer Center

Joel English, senior vice president, BVK

Marketing executives share how Moffitt Cancer Center’s marketing and HR teams work together to alleviate recruitment and retention challenges by aligning with the brand. // By Susan Dubuque // 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 Read More

SHSMD23 Connections: Be the Change Your Organization Needs

Lisa Crockett-Providence

Connect with the community shaping the future of health care. // By Jane Weber Brubaker // 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 Read More

How to Navigate Today’s Fragmented Health Care Media Landscape

Kara Rozek, VP, media, SPM Marketing & Communications

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

Meeting the Right People at the Right Time in a Fragmented Media Universe

Melanie Graham

Today’s media landscape is a far cry from the days of print magazine ads and TV spots. It’s fragmented across countless channels and media formats, making media planning more complex than ever. We sat down with Kara Rozek, VP, media at SPM Marketing & Communications, to learn how health care marketers can adapt to today’s Read More

Listening, Learning, and Partnering: Lessons From Michigan Medicine’s Leadership Success

Rose Glenn, chief marketing and communication officer, Michigan Medicine

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 Read More

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

Jane Weber Brubaker

To find the right answers, ask the right questions. // 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, Read More

Does Your Health System’s Referral Management Process Need an Overhaul?

Angela Pettigrew, director of Provider Connect, Texas Children’s Hospital

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 Read More