How Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Handled Unthinkable Human and PR Crisis

This may not be what hospital communicators signed on to deal with, but it can — and did — happen. How would you handle the ensuing human and PR crisis? On September 12, 2017, a Rhode Island man drove up to Lebanon, New Hampshire, and entered the intensive care unit at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, where his mother was recovering from an aneurysm. According to news reports and indictments filed against him, the man asked for some time alone with his mother. Once they were alone, he allegedly pulled out a handgun and shot her four times, killing her.

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Murder in the ICU: How To Manage a Crisis from a Human and PR Perspective

This may not be what hospital communicators signed on to deal with, but it can — and did — happen. How would you handle the ensuing human and PR crisis? On September 12, 2017, a Rhode Island man drove up to Lebanon, New Hampshire, and entered the intensive care unit at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, where his mother was recovering from an aneurysm. According to news reports and indictments filed against him, the man asked for some time alone with his mother. Once they were alone, he allegedly pulled out a handgun and shot her four times, killing her.

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New Digital Strategy Boosts Traffic and CTA Clicks

Audiology First is a private hearing center in Columbia, Maryland. While the staff prides itself on taking a personalized approach to meeting the needs of each patient, its marketing efforts were strictly generic. This mismatch led to a lagging customer base. “We were getting customers, but not as many as we wanted,” explains Diana Wagner, Read More

How One Audiology Center Turned Up the Volume on Its Digital Strategy

// By Lisa D. Ellis // When an audiology practice wasn’t growing at the desired rate, the owner turned to the experts for help sharpening its online presence and marketing efforts. The results have been impressive, with a steadier stream of new and repeat customers now coming in. This success was recently recognized by the Read More

How To Turn a Clinic Opening Into a PR Windfall

In today’s hectic world, it’s the little things that matter, especially when it comes to making life a bit more convenient. And when this convenience brings tangible benefits to families with young kids, including those with chronic medical needs, it can be enough to spark a compelling public relations angle that has real traction. When Children’s Read More

Health System Makes Big Impact with Just a Smartphone, Tripod, and Facebook Account

Learn How Low-Key Marketing Campaign Has Moved the Needle with Facebook Live // By Lisa D. Ellis // Sometimes the simplest plans are the most effective. That’s what one health system discovered when it stumbled onto a no-cost way to share its expertise across its target area. In the process, it also succeeded in spotlighting Read More

A Texas Health System Spreads The Word Via Facebook Live

Bay Area Regional Medical Center, in Webster, Texas, first opened its doors in July 2014. As an independent facility in the Houston Bay Area not affiliated with any larger systems or networks, it had to work hard at first to establish its reputation in an already crowded market. “Initially the goal was to find a Read More

Children’s Hospital Campaign for New Clinic Leads to Public Relations Bounty

// By Lisa D. Ellis // In today’s hectic world, it’s the little things that matter, especially when it comes to making life a bit more convenient. And when this convenience brings tangible benefits to families with young kids, including those with chronic medical needs, it can be enough to spark a compelling public relations Read More

Strong Technology Infrastructure Boosts Your Community Impact

The technology landscape is rapidly evolving, creating new challenges — and also new opportunities — for marketers in all industries. For those working in the health care sector, this means that the time is right to draw on the latest tools to have the most meaningful impact in a variety of situations. Marketers need look Read More

Why You Need a Strong Technology Infrastructure to Navigate the Next Crisis or Natural Disaster

// By Lisa D. Ellis // The technology landscape is rapidly evolving, creating new challenges — and also new opportunities — for marketers in all industries. For those working in the health care sector, this means that the time is right to draw on the latest tools to have the most meaningful impact in a Read More

Awards Programs Can Heighten Your Profile and Reputation

Competing for — and winning — awards can be an important part of your health care organization’s marketing strategy. Awards can help you raise awareness about your service lines, driving new business; recognize individual employees as leaders, improving staff morale and elevating performance standards; and promote your organization as a stellar workplace, helping to attract Read More

Prize-Winning Strategy: Using Award Programs to Spotlight Your Accomplishments

// By Lisa D. Ellis // Competing for — and winning — awards can be an important part of your health care organization’s marketing strategy. Awards can help you raise awareness about your service lines, driving new business; recognize individual employees as leaders, improving staff morale and elevating performance standards; and promote your organization as Read More

Call for Entries — 2018 eHealthcare Leadership Awards

The Call for Entries for the 2018 eHealthcare Leadership Awards is now open. This leading awards program, which draws some 1,000 entries, exclusively recognizes the very best websites and digital communications of healthcare organizations (both large and small), online health companies, pharmaceutical/medical equipment firms, agencies/suppliers, and business improvement initiatives. These awards highlight the role of Read More

Social Listening Strategies: Improve Patient Satisfaction and Your Online Reputation

Love you, hate you, want something from you. When any of your patients have these or other strong feelings about you, chances are they’ll turn to social media and share their sentiments in a very public way to a very wide audience. This makes it essential to stay on top of the latest comments posted Read More

JAMA Network Deploys Social Media Listening Strategy to Tune Communication Efforts: Tactics You Can Deploy Today

// By Lisa D. Ellis // Love you, hate you, want something from you. When any of your patients have these or other strong feelings about you, chances are they’ll turn to social media and share their sentiments in a very public way to a very wide audience. This makes it essential to stay on Read More

Looking To Boost Your Health Care Brand? Consider Audio.

Have you incorporated audio content in your health care communications strategy? If not, you could be missing an opportunity to engage prospective patients who live in your service communities, and to position your organization as a leader to referring physicians across the country. While some health systems dabble in producing radio content and developing podcasts Read More

Strong Audio Strategy Can Boost Your Health Care Brand in New Ways

// By Lisa D. Ellis // Have you incorporated audio content in your health care communications strategy? If not, you could be missing an opportunity to engage prospective patients who live in your service communities, and to position your organization as a leader to referring physicians across the country. Learn how one health system leads Read More

Omaha Hospital Celebrates Its Storied Past in New Marketing Campaign

What’s old is new again at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. Methodist recently celebrated its 125th anniversary, and this milestone provided a valuable opportunity for the health system to build on its past to position itself for the future. While most health care systems pride themselves on being ahead of the curve when it comes Read More

Genomics Creates Strong Market Niche for One Health System

Geisinger Health System is on the cutting edge when it comes to precision medicine, and its capacity in this area has proven to be a strong market differentiator. As an integrated community health system serving areas of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Geisinger has long been known for its patient-centered focus and innovative approach to caring Read More

Geisinger’s Translational Research Program Provides a Strong Market Differentiator

// By Lisa D. Ellis // Geisinger Health System is on the cutting edge when it comes to precision medicine, and its capacity in this area has proven to be a strong market differentiator. As an integrated community health system serving areas of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Geisinger has long been known for its patient-centered Read More

Methodist Hospital’s Multifaceted Campaign Celebrates the Past, Embraces the Future

// By Lisa D. Ellis // What’s old is new again at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. Methodist recently celebrated its 125th anniversary, and this milestone provided a valuable opportunity for the health system to build on its past to position itself for the future. Read on to find out how a multifaceted campaign helped Read More

Fundraising: Facilitate the Giving Impulse of Your Health Care Organization’s Champions — with Viral Results

Some of the greatest champions for your health care organization no doubt come from your service communities. A new campaign from the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) shows how champions are newly motivated and empowered to take the lead in raising funds for causes they care about. Millennials and Generation Xers often naturally add viral elements Read More

Empower Your Community Champions to Advocate on Your Behalf

What Your Health Care Organization Can Learn from a New Decentralized Fundraising Campaign That Leverages Generational Giving Trends // By Lisa D. Ellis // Some of the greatest champions for your health care organization no doubt come from your service communities. A new campaign from the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) shows how champions are newly Read More

Laughter Can Be the Best Medicine for a Hospital Brand—Especially If You Know How to Reap More Yucks for the Bucks: Here’s How

Notable Health Care Advertising // By Peter Hochstein // Uh oh! Something isn’t quite right about the race car driver in a TV spot. He’s a bit too pudgy. He seems overly fidgety. Instead of wearing a race car driver’s fireproof suit, he’s sporting a short-sleeved polo shirt. And as he floors the gas pedal Read More

Beneath the Surface Frivolity of UCHealth Ads That Promote the Denver Broncos, There’s a Strong Dose of Marketing Horse Sense

Notable Health Care Advertising // By Peter Hochstein // Intuitively, you’d probably think that advertising for UCHealth should reflect nothing but gravitas. After all, it’s a 1,620-bed Colorado health care system with seven campuses (and three more under construction as of this writing), more than 2.5 million annual outpatient visits, and the University of Colorado’s Read More