Subtopics: Media Relations, External Communications, Events, News Rooms, etc.
By David M. Mastovich Can you picture Brian Williams in one of those Southwest Airlines “Want to Get Away?” commercials? The NBC Nightly News Anchor was suspended for six months after misrepresenting events that occurred while he was covering the Iraq War in 2003. Bloggers, comedians, and traditional news media outlets continue to feast on Read More
A frenzy of media attention has been centered on Nebraska Medicine in Omaha recently. As one of only three hospitals in the United States to run a biocontainment unit equipped to treat highly infectious diseases, it has had an almost unprecedented opportunity to play host to a few of the nation’s first Ebola patients over Read More
Spectrum Health Medical Group (SHMG) has grown in leaps and bounds in recent years, and so have its onboarding and communication efforts, which are essential to helping new providers acclimate to the large, multidisciplinary system. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Spectrum Health is the second largest health care provider in the state, offering inpatient and Read More
By Lisa D. Ellis If an Ebola patient walked into your organization’s emergency department today, would you be ready to handle the communication needs of the situation appropriately? If not, you could be missing out on some valuable opportunities to educate the community and at the same time, to help to promote the good work Read More
By Lisa D. Ellis A frenzy of media attention has been centered on Nebraska Medicine in Omaha recently. As one of only three hospitals in the United States to run a biocontainment unit equipped to treat highly infectious diseases, it has had an almost unprecedented opportunity to play host to a few of the nation’s Read More
Spectrum Health Medical Group (SHMG) has grown in leaps and bounds in recent years, and so has its onboarding and communication efforts, which are essential to helping new providers acclimate to the large, multi-disciplinary system. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Spectrum Health is the second largest health care provider in the state, offering inpatient and Read More
by Jennifer Busick At a health care center in Florida, patients who were undergoing radiology procedures believed they were receiving injections of a narcotic painkiller, fentanyl. What they didn’t know was that a radiology technician at the clinic was injecting himself with the fentanyl and then refilling the syringes with saline solution. Although fentanyl is Read More
by Jennifer Redmond Implementation of the Affordable Care Act has created an equal share of opportunity and difficulty for health care providers. In an evergrowing market, providers are vying for the attention of consumers in creative ways, but some, in an effort to edge out the competition, are met with vehement criticism. This pressure to Read More
by Maureen Scullin, CCWS When St. Joseph Healthcare of Nashua, NH, launched the third year of Lighten Up Nashua in January 2014, the hospital decided to throw a party. The event celebrated the launch of the program’s latest weight-loss challenge. And despite the fact that it was January in New England, a time when many Read More
by Ritch K. Eich, PhD Special events have been an integral part of health care organizations for centuries. For example, back when Catherine McAuley founded the Sisters of Mercy religious order in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831, charity functions—sermons, bazaars, and other appeals—were an integral part of social life. In his 1955 book about that period, Read More
by Sheryl S. Jackson Keep Focus on Patient-Centric Care and Take Time to Engage Everyone in the Process Increasing financial and competitive pressures within the health care industry have spurred hospital acquisition of other health care providers – physician practices, urgent care centers, and imaging centers. While the reasons for acquiring other entities varies from Read More
by Sheryl S. Jackson U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals, Healthgrades, Leapfrog, Hospital Compare, Top Doctors – the list of third-party sources that rank hospitals seems to grow each year. While it is exciting to be named “best” in the city, region, or specialty, what does this information mean to consumers and to health Read More
by Cheryl L. Serra A pre-flight check may soon include measuring your blood pressure and heart rate. As evidenced by the CareHere Walk-In Clinic and Wellness Store at the Nashville (TN) International Airport, discussed in last month’s issue, health care marketing is starting to show up at airports, which have a desirable captive audience. According Read More
Workplace programs cut chronic disease costs, but savings from lifestyle change efforts elusive According to a new Rand Corporation study, workplace wellness programs can lower costs for employees with chronic diseases, but components of the programs that encourage adoption of healthier lifestyles may not reduce health care costs or lead to lower net savings. Examining Read More
by Mark S. Gothberg Why would the City of Hope, a Los Angeles area research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases, participate in the 125th Rose Parade on New Year’s Day? For pretty much the same reasons it has been involved in this world-famous parade, held in Pasadena, CA, for the Read More
by Dan Dunlop The best marketers have always been accomplished storytellers, and that is still the case today. The stories they craft are meaningful and connect with the audience in a manner that meets some fundamental need – educational, informational, emotional, or entertaining. The most effective stories allow the audience members to become part of Read More