Centralized Strategy, Local Impact: Inside CHRISTUS Health’s Marketing Transformation

A new Strategic Health Care Marketing webinar for healthcare marketers and strategists

Mergers and acquisitions help health care organizations achieve growth targets, but unifying marketing across an entire system can be daunting. This webinar will show how CHRISTUS Health is turning marketing complexity into clarity with the help of its agency partner &well. You’ll learn how a market maturity model can strengthen your brand and drive advertising efficiency.

Wednesday | July 9, 2025 | 2 p.m. Eastern

Your Presenters:

• Jeff Stewart, Vice President, Strategic Marketing, CHRISTUS Health
• Julie Benton, President, &well

You’ll learn:

• How CHRISTUS Health structures its marketing model for systemized campaign planning that accounts for regional variation
• How maturity planning provides structure while allowing for flexibility
• What centralized creative and media buying looks like in practice
• How the system localizes and activates marketing campaigns
• Lessons learned, and what they’d do differently

Register Now »

Breaking the Cycle: How Project ECHO Is Transforming Trauma-Informed Care for Children

The ACEs ECHO Program at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center brings new hope to children suffering from the impact of traumatic life experiences. Read on to learn more about the program and explore how health care marketing can play a vital role in addressing the needs of this population.

From Budget Battles to Consumer Backlash: Paul Keckley on the Future of U.S. Health Care

// By Jared Johnson // The U.S. health care industry is approaching a critical inflection point. In a candid and thought-provoking keynote at the 2025 Healthcare Marketing & Physician Strategies Summit, Paul Keckley outlined the challenges and potential opportunities health care leaders must navigate in an era of unprecedented economic uncertainty, regulatory disruption, and consumer discontent.

Your Employer Brand Shows What Candidates and Patients See

// By John Marzano // In an SHCM exclusive Q&A, marketing strategist Cynthia Newton unpacks how review platforms, transparency, and employee engagement reshape health care reputation from the inside out. Read the full article for insights to help ensure that your employer reputation matches your culture.

Health Care Advertising Showcase Featuring Campaigns from Community Health Systems, CHI St. Vincent, Baptist Health, and Centra

In February 2024, Strategic Health Care Marketing launched a new column called Advertising Showcase. Each month, we feature a multimedia advertising campaign from some of the nation’s leading hospitals and health systems — many are winners of eHealthcare Leadership Awards.

In this new report from Strategic Health Care Marketing, we have compiled four varied Advertising Showcases. We hope this excellent work gives you a little inspiration for your next creative endeavor.

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Biggest Issues Facing Academic Medical Center Marketers in 2025

// By Therese Lockemy, MBA // Marketing leaders from Banner Health, Renown Health, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and Primacy share how academic medical centers adapt strategy, structure, and technology to align today’s health care landscape. Learn how academic medical center marketers adjust their strategies to optimize effectiveness today and focus on the future.

How Tanner Health Aligns Marketing and Philanthropy to Maximize Impact

Health care philanthropy’s resurgence is leading to larger fundraising initiatives, expanded development departments, and new partnerships between marketing and philanthropy to help organizations tell their stories, leverage their brands, and engage donors. Keep reading to discover how marketing and fundraising work together to create a greater impact.

Health Care Podcasts: Making an Impact with Sight and Sound

// By Susan Dubuque // Award-winning marketers from Orlando Health, Norton Healthcare, CommonSpirit Health, and BayCare Health System share how they launched, evolved, and elevated their podcasts. Keep reading for insights, practical tips, and inspiration to help you launch your organization’s podcast or take it to the next level.

From Adversity to Action

// By Susan Dubuque // The ACEs ECHO Program at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center brings new hope to children suffering from the impact of traumatic life experiences. Read on to learn more about the program and explore how health care marketing can play a vital role in addressing the needs of this population.

How Roper St. Francis Built a Data-Driven Case for a Bigger Marketing Budget — and Won

Marketing budgets have rebounded since the pandemic, and health systems are focused on efficiency and ROI-driven spending. Roper St. Francis shares its approach to justifying a robust marketing and communications budget using benchmarking data. Learn how to create a budget proposal grounded in benchmarking data and how you can master strategic presentations.

Where Marketing Meets Philanthropy

// By Susan Dubuque // Health care philanthropy’s resurgence is leading to larger fundraising initiatives, expanded development departments, and new partnerships between marketing and philanthropy to help organizations tell their stories, leverage their brands, and engage donors. Keep reading to discover how marketing and fundraising work together to create a greater impact.

Health Care Mergers and Acquisitions: A Strategic Guide for Marketers

Hospital and health system mergers are nothing new for anyone familiar with health care. After a slight decline during and after the pandemic, mergers and acquisitions have picked up again. Read on to understand the current state of health care mergers and acquisitions and get an actionable playbook for marketers and strategists.

Show Me the Numbers: Data-Driven Playbook for Supporting Your Budget

// By Susan Dubuque // Marketing budgets have rebounded since the pandemic, and health systems are focused on efficiency and ROI-driven spending. Roper St. Francis shares its approach to justifying a robust marketing and communications budget using benchmarking data. Learn how to create a budget proposal grounded in benchmarking data and how you can master strategic presentations.

Old-School M&A Is Out; New Collaborations Are In

// By Daniel Fell // Hospital and health system mergers are nothing new for anyone familiar with health care. After a slight decline during and after the pandemic, mergers and acquisitions have picked up again. Read on to understand the current state of health care mergers and acquisitions and get an actionable playbook for marketers and strategists.

Redefining the Health Care CMO: How to Prove Marketing’s Value in Tough Times

How do chief marketing officers (CMOs) defend the fundamental value of health care marketing amid budget constraints, workforce shortages, and increasing use of artificial intelligence? Head marketers from UCSF Health and Baptist Health South Florida share their thoughts on how their role is shifting to meet the needs of their organizations.

Expressive Therapies Shape Patient Experiences at Seattle Children’s and University Hospitals

The application of art and music in healing dates back thousands of years. Today, these timeless practices are finding new life in modern health care. Read the full article to explore how expressive therapies are used to shape patient experiences and enhance clinical care at leading health systems.

The Way to Better Solutions, Results and Respect: A Case for the Marketing Process

A free white paper, published by Prairie Dog

With all the pressures faced by health care marketers, it can be too easy to jump straight to tactics like launching new campaigns without properly diagnosing the root problem and crafting an evidence-based strategy. This is a risky path that can result in marketers moving forward with incorrect, misinformed or incomplete actions. Ultimately, results suffer along with the reputation of the marketing function.

This white paper shares three such examples, showing how the discipline of the marketing process (diagnosis, strategy, tactics and measurement) helped avoid misdirected and ineffective actions.

Download Now  »

More Than a Tournament: How UNC Health Elevates Brand and Community Through Championship Golf

The UNC Health Championship golf tournament isn’t just about perfect swings and scenic fairways — it’s a game changer for health care across North Carolina. Discover how UNC Health’s omnichannel marketing campaign achieved and surpassed its goals through strategic thinking, innovative media tactics, and impactful creative executions.

The Changing Role of Chief Marketing Officers

// By Marcia Simon, APR // How do chief marketing officers (CMOs) defend the fundamental value of health care marketing amid budget constraints, workforce shortages, and increasing use of artificial intelligence? Head marketers from UCSF Health and Baptist Health South Florida share their thoughts on how their role is shifting to meet the needs of their organizations.

The Art of Healing: Enhancing Patient Experience and Clinical Outcomes with Sight, Sound, Touch, and Emotion

// By Susan Dubuque // The application of art and music in healing dates back thousands of years. Today, these timeless practices are finding new life in modern health care. Read the full article to explore how expressive therapies are used to shape patient experiences and enhance clinical care at leading health systems.

22 Percent Boost in External Hires: How Nebraska Medicine Redefined Its Recruitment Strategy

In January 2023, Nebraska Medicine faced a significant staffing shortfall. Leadership recognized the need for immediate and long-term strategies to address recruitment and retention challenges. Discover how Nebraska Medicine reframed its employer brand to ensure the stable workforce needed to deliver excellent care and help the organization grow and thrive.

Advertising Showcase: UNC Health Championship Campaign Drives Impact

// By Susan Dubuque // The UNC Health Championship golf tournament isn’t just about perfect swings and scenic fairways — it’s a game changer for health care across North Carolina. Discover how UNC Health’s omnichannel marketing campaign achieved and surpassed its goals through strategic thinking, innovative media tactics, and impactful creative executions.

How Nebraska Medicine Transformed Staffing Challenges and Supported Strategic Growth

// By Susan Dubuque // In January 2023, Nebraska Medicine faced a significant staffing shortfall. Leadership recognized the need for immediate and long-term strategies to address recruitment and retention challenges. Discover how Nebraska Medicine reframed its employer brand to ensure the stable workforce needed to deliver excellent care and help the organization grow and thrive.

5 Leadership Habits to Boost Your Career and Unlock Your Health Care Marketing Potential

Whether you’re new to health care marketing or a seasoned professional seeking fresh inspiration, now is the time to take charge of your career trajectory. Small, strategic changes can significantly impact your professional journey. Here, you’ll discover practices of top early-career performers and set your roadmap to jump-start or reboot your career.

Shaping the Future: Leadership Habits to Boost Your Career

// By Susan Dubuque // Whether you’re new to health care marketing or a seasoned professional seeking fresh inspiration, now is the time to take charge of your career trajectory. Small, strategic changes can significantly impact your professional journey. Here, you’ll discover practices of top early-career performers and set your roadmap to jump-start or reboot your career.