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: September 2011
Battered TN Hospital Engages PR Help … and Gets Flak
I feel for Ms. Johnson…when your institution is losing 1.5 million a month, “‘positive stories’ promoted in a timely manner,” ain’t gonna do squat. Chris Carroll in the Times Free Press. “Haley Johnson is Hutcheson’s marketing director and media contact. … Continue reading
Texting Consumers Yet? What are You Waiting For?
A great piece from Sara Jackson in Fierce Mobile Health News regarding implementation of mHealth: “Recent studies have shown consumers are excited to receive health messages by text, “but most [healthcare] organizations aren’t using them,” Petrock says. One example of a successful campaign: … Continue reading
Study Shows Fewer Hospitals Distribute Free Formula Samples
MeadJohnson’s statement (see below) in response to the study offers a splendid example of how to insult the intelligence of your consumers. Kathleen Doheny in HealthDay: “MeadJohnson, makers of Infamil, said in a statement Wednesday that restricting formula handouts hinders valuable communication between … Continue reading
On Marketing Your Maternity Ward as a Day Spa
This makes sense and it works, but still seems weird. Could pediatrics be turned into a theme park? Alicia Caramienco in Fierce Healthcare: “As reduced reimbursements and growing ranks of uninsured patients threaten the financial viability of healthcare institutions across … Continue reading
Mobile Shows Great Potential for Healthcare Marketers
Yes, stating the obvious, but… the article provides a handy demographic profile of mobile phone users who have used their phone for health-related activity. In eMarketer: “Mobile is giving consumers the control to help them better manage chronic diseases,” said … Continue reading
Cigna’s Reaches for Individual Consumers Through $25 Million in Ads
The future begins now. Insurers prepare for expanding sales to individuals. Anna Wilde Mathews in the Wall Street Journal: “The Cigna marketing push, which is built around the slogan “Go You,” will be one of the most high-profile examples so far of … Continue reading
