Curiosity is good medicine- On the Marketing of Referrals May 30, 2012When patients get roughly 70% of their specialist referrals from PCPs, the folks who make the introductions can become marketing superstars. Take a look at this min-numbing piece by Missy Sullivan in SmartMoney: “In this business, it’s all about pitching … Continue reading →healthcaremarcom
- Innovation May 25, 2012What does the word "innovation" really mean? Don't look for an answer in marketing materials. Continue reading →healthcaremarcom
- The Word “Innovation” No Longer an Innovative Choice for Press Releases May 25, 2012This isn’t healthcare specific, but certainly applies – the word “innovation” joins “excited” as the most overused and meaningless found in our releases and marketing materials. Leslie Kwoh in the WSJ: “Businesses throw around the term to show they’re on … Continue reading →healthcaremarcom
- Hospital Name Change Changes Hospital Name May 16, 2012Children’s Hospital Boston announced the institution’s name will be changed to Boston Children’s Hospital. Folks have called it that for years, but the hospital will spend a pile of money to make it official. Why make this change now, … Continue reading →healthcaremarcom
- Healthcare Marketing for Real Men May 15, 2012Youth in a bottle. Sales of testosterone treatments have risen 133% in four years, reaching $1.6 billion. Does this mean we’ll soon receive spam pushing fake testosterone pills? Regardless, we’ll likely see testosterone marketing and media exceeding that for Viagra. … Continue reading →healthcaremarcom
- Can Victoria Hospital Texas Dodge the Bullet? Fat Chance. April 10, 2012On its face, the hospital’s don’t-hire-the-obese policy makes good sense – why should a health organization be represented to the public by people who appear to be unhealthy. Perhaps the answer is that those ‘unhealthy’ people look exactly like the … Continue reading →healthcaremarcom
- Marketing Ophthalmology Not As Easy As It Looks. Photo Credit: Richard Avedon April 8, 2012 healthcaremarcom
- How to Market Ophthalmology to Aging Baby Boomers April 8, 2012Nothing ground-breaking here, but sound advice. One bit of advice I particularly like: use caution in the marketing of equipment. If you lock into a single manufacturer of equipment, you could alienate physicians who have a preference. Exactly. Kathleen Roney … Continue reading →healthcaremarcom
- Minneapolis Hospital Scores with Marketing that’s “A Little Disruptive” March 26, 2012A former Target exec takes the role of chief of marketing and human resources at Park Nicollet hospital, bringing a shot of adrenaline to the institution’s brand building efforts. Jackie Crosby in the Star Tribune: “With an annual budget of … Continue reading →healthcaremarcom
- Proving the Value of Your PR Office Thru an iPhone March 15, 2012Steve Goldstein points out the uncomfortable reality that any misstep by an exec, any disgruntled employee, and every dissatisfied patient now has an international audience. If the value of your organization’s PR dept is called into question, just pull out … Continue reading →healthcaremarcom
- On the Marketing of Referrals May 30, 2012
Monthly Archives: April 2011
Positive Media Campaigns Help Minorities Put Down Cigarettes
Press release from Health Behavior News Service: “In aiming messages at minority communities, the campaign must all be respectful of language, cultural beliefs and literacy levels,” he said. “And to influence behavioral change and outcome, it’s better to focus on … Continue reading
ER Wait Times Posted on NY Billboards
It’s been done before, but…still cool. Al Sullivan in the Hudson Reporter: “With these billboards, we have reaffirmed our promise to provide our patients and the residents of Hudson County with quality care without having to wait in an emergency … Continue reading
Does Facebook Drive Medical Research?
An interesting article about the growing power of social media in affecting patient behavior, driving medical research, swaying journalists, etc. David Zax in Fast Company: “Scientists are often loathe to communicate their work; there is an inherent assumption that the … Continue reading
Maine Uses Social Marketing to Fight Childhood Obesity
Kudos to Maine for making a difference. Betsy McKay in The Wall Street Journal: “Portland says it has seen hopeful signs. Over nearly five years, a group of health-care experts and local businesses have invested about $3.7 million to promote … Continue reading
Is Your Boss Tweeting? She Should Be
Read this WSJ article by Geoffrey Fowler on the two-way nature of Facebook and Twitter. Offers ‘best practices’ from the big boys. “Many companies now have official Twitter handles and Facebook pages for their brands. But it helps set the tone … Continue reading
Once Taboo, Sex Education Discussed in Black Churches
Churches are an underutilized health education venue. Take a look at this bold program. In R&D magazine: “Sex and HIV are, historically, taboo topics in African-American churches, despite the fact that AIDS impacts African Americans in disproportionately higher numbers than other … Continue reading
Emerging Role(s) of Social Media in Health Marketing
This article offers some cool examples of new marcom efforts using social media. Worth a read. In the San Diego Source: “Merck has also launched a computer desktop reminder tool called NuvaTime that helps women set reminders for doctor’s appointments, prescription … Continue reading
Ouch! Phone Book Goofs on Hospital Numbers, Ads
The University of Rochester Medical Center got a rude surprise when local phone directories were distributed: their listings were put into a small directory riddled with errors. Tim Louis Macaluso in the Rochester City Newspaper: “Most, but not all, of the problems … Continue reading
