Does healthcare advertising always have to be so darn serious? Lexington Medical Center's Christmas season advertising employs a humorous twist to show they're at-the-ready for real life Clark Griswolds.
Mark your calendars. On November 30, the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development (SHSMD) will release an all-new, downloadable advisory entitled Principles and Practices for Marketing Communications in Hospitals and Health Systems. Then, on December 8 at 1 pm eastern, SHSMD Board and Healthcare Advertising Task Force members Carol Koenecke-Grant (Guthrie Healthcare System) and Larry Margolis (SPM Marketing and Communications) will present a 75-minute SHSMD U webcast on the principles and practices outlined in the advisory. Topics to be covered include:
A marketing communications checklist
Instituting a formal review process
Awards, ratings, and accreditations
Conveying price information
Use of endorsements and testimonials
Use of physicians in marketing communications
Social media
Pay to play: Blogger advertising
Responding to another organization’s unsubstantiated or misleading communication
And other ethical considerations
The webcast is free for SHSMD members and $99 for non-members. For more information check out SHSMD-U.
A new policy by the American Medical Association (AMA) aims at helping physicians to maintain a positive online presence and preserve the integrity of the patient-physician relationship.
“Using social media can help physicians create a professional presence online, express their personal views and foster relationships, but it can also create new challenges for the patient-physician relationship,” said AMA Board Member Mary Anne McCaffree, M.D. “The AMA’s new policy outlines a number of considerations physicians should weigh when building or maintaining a presence online.”
The new policy encourages physicians to:
Use privacy settings to safeguard personal information and content to the fullest extent possible on social networking sites.
Routinely monitor their own Internet presence to ensure that the personal and professional information on their own sites and content posted about them by others, is accurate and appropriate.
Maintain appropriate boundaries of the patient-physician relationship when interacting with patients online and ensure patient privacy and confidentiality is maintained.
Consider separating personal and professional content online.
Recognize that actions online and content posted can negatively affect their reputations among patients and colleagues, and may even have consequences for their medical careers.
The new policy on professionalism when using social media was adopted November 8 at the AMA’s semi-annual policy making meeting in San Diego.
There's something about Fall that always puts me in a learning state-of-mind. And, for healthcare strategy and marketing executives, it's a season rich with opportunities to advance knowledge, track trends, learn a few new tricks and network with colleagues. Just a few weeks ago, more than a thousand marketers, strategists and other healthcare professionals met up at the annual SHSMD conference in Chicago. Craving more? Here's a line-up of a few additional upcoming conferences, webinars and events.
A Point of View from Chris Bevolo
For many hospital marketers and their CEOs, market share is the ultimate measure of marketing success. In the “2010 State of the Art” survey highlighted in the last issue of Healthcare Strategy Alert, respondents listed the top area of marketing focus as “increase market share.” When asked to rate “measures of success” however, respondents listed market share third, behind awareness/preference and patient volume, a drop from its first place position in 2005. But this actually may not be a bad thing.
While market share is a critical metric, it’s what I call a relative metric, meaning its value is based on how it compares to other organizations. A competitive comparison is, of course, always treasured by leadership, but it should not be considered the ultimate measure of success. For example, increased market share in volumes for a specific service line doesn’t necessarily ensure increased revenue or margin. To measure these important financial data, using Return On Investment (ROI) would be a better choice.
There also are many variables that lie outside of marketing that can move your share up or down. The capacity of your physicians or facilities, and competitor moves are two of the biggest. The best approach is to identify as many variables as you can, work hard to control for their impact, and be transparent about how much marketing really drives any shift in market share.
Market share should be one of your top metrics, and will likely always be a hot point for leadership. But to demonstrate the true value of your marketing efforts, it’s best to employ a multifaceted approach to measuring success and keep market share in the proper perspective.
Chris Bevolo is a recognized thought-leader in healthcare marketing and branding. He is a fervent blogger and frequent keynoter on the topics of marketing, branding, innovation, the patient experience, and consumer trends. He is also is the author of two books, “A Marketer’s Guide to Measuring Results” and “A Marketer’s Guide to Brand Strategy.” Chris is owner, founder and lead strategist of the Minneapolis-based healthcare marketing agency, Interval.
Physicians still direct the vast majority of inpatient healthcare in the marketplace - as many as 80% of patients enter the doors of hospitals and facilities at the direction of physicians. The movement toward a consumer-driven market notwithstanding, many hospitals, health systems and large specialty practices have turned to physician sales or referral development programs to grow their business. Unfortunately, motivating physicians to change referral patterns is a daunting task under the best of circumstances and the lack of industry “best practices” complicates the situation even further.
In September 2010 Corporate Health Group (CHG) launched their third benchmarking study of Physician Sales and Service. The National survey will obtain new trends and craft comparisons and a gap analysis of data captured 2005, 2008 and now 2010. The survey (a mix of open and closed ended questions) is available online and respondents will get a free Executive Summary. (and who turns down 'free' these days?)
The results will provide detailed management and benchmarking data for physician sales managers and healthcare executives to benefit their programs for future success. Key insights will include:
How are others in your shoes attaining ROI successes?
What new best practice is growing net new referrals?
What are emerging trends in physician relations?
How does your program compare to national leaders in physician relations?
You can participate in the study (and get a free copy of the Executive Summary) by clicking on this link: Take the Survey.
Additionally, if you work for a large system or association, CHG can set up a unique organization code so that you receive a report showing overall trended data (2005, 2008 and 2010) compared to your organization. Get the code prior to taking the survey by contacting Laurie Slater at Corporate Health Group (lslater@corporatehealthgroup.com).
So last time I asked you: “What are you waiting for?” in terms of starting a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) program for your organization. And I’m thinking, maybe you just don’t know how to get started.
Getting started means answering three questions.
1. Who in our organization should be involved?
First, you need to sell the concept to everybody. CRM is an enterprise-wide initiative that needs buy in from the highest levels (see last post on the benefits of CRM). The team that actually selects the CRM vendor should include the following:
Marketing (to spearhead the process)
IT (to deal with the data)
Finance (to ensure all assumptions on ROI, etc. are correct)
Physician relations (if marketing to physicians is a key strategy)
2. Who should we contact?
Stay away from generic CRM companies that have a technology solution that they claim they can “adapt” to healthcare. Instead, look at CRM providers that offer:
A database specifically designed for healthcare
Built in segmentation or modeling that can quickly target the right people for specific campaigns (the ideal target is likely to need the service and be profitable)
Reports that can easily answer all your questions, from targeting to tracking ROI
Staff that are healthcare CRM experts
An easy to use tool, if you do not want the CRM provider to do everything (both options are available)
3. How do we make our decision?
There are several excellent providers, but no one provider is the best choice for everybody. Here are the key steps:
Initial presentations at your location, focusing on how their solutions can meet your needs. At the initial meeting, if you are planning on using their tool, you may ask for a demonstration. (Note: the companies may ask for a call prior to this meeting so they can get an overview of your organization, your needs, etc.)
Compile all features and put together a matrix of all features, including pricing, so you can easily make comparisons.
Check references. Do this early on, so any red flags can be raised early in the process.
Visit the finalists. Make sure you meet the person who will be your account manager. And go through a case study from beginning to end.
Make your decision. You will have a lot of information to make your decision. Trust your instincts.
Good luck. Let us know how you do.
Les Stern is president of L. Stern & Associates. He can be reached at info@lsternmktg.com.
Sophisticated customer relationship management systems for healthcare organizations have been around for almost 15 years.Yet only 15% or so of healthcare providers are using them.
Before we understand the benefits of CRM, let’s agree on what the three key components of a CRM program for healthcare organizations.
Capturing data from across the enterprise and consolidating it into a database
Analyzing the database to determine the best marketing opportunities and the best targets for those opportunities
Identifying the return on investment from those campaigns
Here are the benefits of implementing a CRM solution:
It improves the bottom line. A CRM program allows you to target your efforts on your most profitable customers (consumers or physicians) and people who “look like” your most profitable customers.For example, if you are doing a promotion for mammographies, CRM will allow you to target women who not only are most likely to need these services, but will also be more profitable customers for you.CRM also can improve your bottom line by lowering marketing expense.Since you know the best people to market to, you don’t have to spend money marketing to others.
It is quantifiable. CRM allows you to track the return on investment of your programs.By using control groups, you can measure the impact of the marketing campaign, and counter the objection that “they would have come anyway.” As one hospital marketer recently told me: “It is a great way to substantiate that marketing decisions are valid, that marketing does move the needle, and that we need to continue to market, even in bad economies.”
It enhances relationships (and your brand). Your CRM program will enable you to send the right message to the right people at the right time, thereby allowing them to take better care of their health.Programs such as these can boost customer loyalty.
It can help you achieve your mission by improving the health of your community. This may seem counterintuitive, since you may be reducing the number of people to whom you are marketing.But think about it: (1) Through targeting, you are sending your messages to the people who most need the services; and (2) Improving the bottom line will free up resources for charity care and other initiatives to help you better serve your entire community.
So how do you go about setting up your CRM program?That topic next time.
Les Stern is president of L. Stern & Associates. He can be reached at info@lsternmktg.com.
The upcoming 14th Annual Healthcare Internet Conference (November 15 - 17, 2010; Las Vegas, NV) offers a great opportunity for chief marketing officers to learn how market leaders are using the Internet, social media strategies, networked technologies, mobile media and other technologies, strategies, and solutions to connect, grow and enhance competitive performance. This is must learning for marketing executives looking to stay ahead of the curve of ever-accelerating advances and applications of new media technologies.
Conference features include:
Six general sessions to inspire and broaden your thinking about the impact of new technologies.
29 case studies from health systems recognized as leaders in the areas of technology and Web strategy.
The Eleventh Annual eHealthcare Leadership Awards Presentation, an informative session highlighting the current landscape of healthcare Internet development.
Dedicated time in the Exhibit Hall, allowing you to interact with leading consultants and vendors whose emphasis is on "Where eHealthcare and Customer Focused Marketing Meet."
Networking opportunities that connect you with your peers.
And good news for your budget - you still have a few days (until Friday, September 17) to take advantage of the early registration rate (save $100). Caesar's Palace has also announced new discounts on the room rates, now starting at $120 per night for the Roman Tower.
On a personal note - can it really be 14 years since this conference first launched? Kudos to Greystone.Net and the Forum for Healthcare Strategists for recognizing the importance of this space early on and, along with its sponsors, advancing the industry's knowledge and application of web and technology-enabled strategies and practices.
Once upon a time, I used to call my doctor’s office to make an appointment for the annual flu shot. It was always scheduled at a time more convenient for the office staff than for me (“We do shots between 10 am and 2 pm, but we’re closed from 12 to 1 for lunch.”) and even then, a 25 to 45 minute wait wasn’t unusual.
Personally, I can’t remember the last time I had a flu shot at a doctor’s office. Last year, it was done while traveling between the B & C concourses at the Charlotte Airport in North Carolina – 5 minutes, $35 and a record of the event sent to my email before I boarded the plane. My husband and I had H1N1 injections administered by a pharmacist at RiteAid on a Sunday afternoon. No appointment, no waiting.
If you haven’t yet noticed, retailers such as CVS and Walgreens are already heavy into flu shot promotion season. Here are a few lessons from the retailing of these preventive injections:
Price is front and center – you know what you’re going to pay before you walk in the door; price points seem to be hovering in the $30 range
Convenience is all about the consumer – CVS’s “Flu Shots Your Way” promotes your ability to “click, call or come by”
Loss leaders drive traffic – one retail pharmacy is giving the flu shot free when you spend $30 on a core set of brand products; could there be some co-marketing spend here as well?
Keep the paperwork minimal – at the airport kiosk, I checked ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to 5 questions and signed permission to administer
Customer service, customer service, customer service – no additional explanation needed
All of this customer experience design is there for a $30 flu shot; what might happen if we put the same effort into a $30,000 inpatient procedure?
When fellow marketer Candace Quinn, left me an urgent message to call her, I had that intuitive feeling that it wasn't going to be good news. And was shocked to learn from her that longtime colleague and friend, Thomas Tebbens had died just that morning. Tom was vice president of marketing and communications at Albert Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia. He'd been there just two short years, but was orchestrating major change initiatives when he passed away. Prior to his work at Einstein, Tom was the chief marketing executive at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx borough of New York City, and had a long, successful career in the advertising field. His obituary in the Philly Inquirer referred to Tom as a adman - I think he would've liked that.
Besides his professional contributions, which were many, Tom also was active in the community and in the arts, and treasured his family above all.
Marketers have Long Known that Price is Rarely the True Motivator for Consumers; When it Comes to Motivating Employees, the Same Principle Holds
Last Fall, I heard author Dan Pink speak on the science of motivation at TEDxNASA and was delighted to run across a You Tube posting of the talk. From his study of the scientific literature on motivation, Dan outlines the myths and perils of extrinsic motivators (such as money), and describes the three key elements of truly effective motivation: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. A key finding from the MIT study described in this piece is that, while financial rewards tend to motivate people doing 'mechanical' tasks, it has the opposite effect on workers using 'cognitive' skills.
I wonder about the implications of these findings on the healthcare industry's quest to achieve clinical, financial and market performance improvements. What are our myths? That tinkering with reimbursement models will make healthcare organizations set up and take notice? That performance bonuses will transform providers into a newly energized pep squad? Maybe. But history and science suggest 'maybe not' - especially if other core elements of motivation are lacking.
And I also wonder if organizations could get to the same end faster and with a more engaged, motivated team waiting at the finish line, if as much time was spent on powering up people and leadership skills, as is devoted to endless operational restructurings, process redesigns and rounds of right-sizings. That will require a new mindset about about people as strategy-critical assets, and a much greater understanding of what drives and sustains motivation for the nurses, physicians and thousands of others that are healthcare's front line.
As Dan puts it - people are not as endlessly manipulable and predictable as you might think.
Seth Godin's blog post "Senior Management" got me thinking about the magnitude of change required to truly bring about transformation of today's healthcare systems and the leadership 'will, ideas and means' to make that happen. How can entrenched 'old timers' make room for and embrace the new, breakthrough ideas of younger colleagues?
From his post:
Worth quoting--one of Arthur C. Clarke's lesser known three laws: "When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is probably wrong."
The paradox is that by the time you get to be senior, the decisions that matter the most are the ones that would be best made made by people who are junior...
As organizations continue to tighten their purse strings and demand accountability from their executives, marketing departments are finding themselves under increasing pressure to justify their spending, prove the effects of their marketing campaigns, and demonstrate program success…or risk losing their budgets.
To shed more light on the topic of marketing metrics, Forbes Insights, in association with MarketShare Partners, surveyed U.S. marketing executives on the topic of measurement and accountability. The Accountability Evolution looks at how these executives are managing metrics to quantify and demonstrate the impact of their marketing. The study also identifies potential gaps between marketers’ desire to employ metrics and their actual formal execution of goal-focused measurement.
According to the survey, nearly seven in ten said they used analytics to measure marketing effectiveness. Internal resources were used most frequently to measure the success of marketing programs; 86% used internal data, with 74% relying on internal teams and 52% on internally developed tools. Fifty-eight percent (58%) used third-party data and 35% turned to outside professional services. Many marketers still report that these tools do not meet their needs and the majority believe that they're not adequately communicating the value or impact of marketing initiatives to company executives.
Disabled Lay Their Bodies Down
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The disabled laid their bodies down today. They laid them down in front of
Mitch McConnell’s office in protest of the healthcare bill he drafted. The
one...
How to get patient opinions: Ask.
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Michael Greco and his mates at Patient Opinion have developed a simple and
useful way to collect opinions about medical care from patients and provide
a ...
