HealthLeaders Media Marketing Weekly - March 24, 2010 | Entice Docs with Digital Communication Tactics


Entice Docs with Digital Communication Tactics Marianne Aiello, for HealthLeaders Media With all of the physician sales methods out there—from glossy recruitment books to gift baskets to real estate assistance—it's easy to forget the one that can't be thumbed-through, eaten, or lived in. But digital communications is a must-have for today's successful healthcare marketer. [Read More]
	March 24, 2010

Editor's Picks
Seven ways hospitals can handle Facebook criticism One of the reasons hospitals are leery of using Facebook as a marketing tool is the possibility of disgruntled patients posting negative feedback for all to see. But this Livingston Buzz blog post lists seven ways to deal with Facebook criticism. My favorite is No. 6: Making It a Teaching Moment. "You can't just ignore a negative comment, especially if it brings up a valid concern," Jenn Riggle writes. "By addressing the issue publicly, you show fans that you're listening and willing to engage in a two-way conversation, even if it might be uncomfortable. It also allows you to re-frame the conversation and tell your side of the story." Confronting criticism head on is key to a successful social media policy. [Read More] ZYRTEC campaign uses literal running noses What do allergies, 5-ft.-tall running noses, and soap star Alison Sweeney have in common? They're all part of the ZYRTEC Liquid Gels campaign "Race Against Your Allergies," which took place in New York City's Madison Square Park. The race's runners included six 5-ft.-tall noses representing some of allergy sufferers' worst symptoms, giving people the chance to "outrun" them this season. Sweeney suffers from indoor and outdoor allergies. ZYRTEC Liquid Gels is new and promises faster allergy relief. The campaign also features the Web site raceagainstyourallergies.com, which features an illustration of the noses (some of them mustached) and links to the ZYRTEC Web site. [Read More] Poll: Women more likely to go online first for health info than doctor Women rely heavily on the Internet for health information. In fact, 62% were twice as likely to turn to a Web site over their own mothers (32%) with health concerns or questions that are not extremely serious, according to an online survey from iVillage. Anonymous peer networking and sharing common experiences is what drives women online for health, with 82% saying they often feel uncomfortable discussing health concerns or questions with friends or family. Sixty-four percent of the women polled say they use online communities to discuss health concerns or questions that they have not discussed with anyone else, and 49% say online is the first place they would go to research a health question, nearly double the number who say they would go to the doctor first (25%), and significantly more than those who would first turn to a family member (15%) or friend with a similar issue (6%). The poll was released in conjunction with the launch of iVillage's new health site. [Read More]

Campaign Spotlight
An Internal Campaign Employees 'Believe' In While Kaiser Permanente's popular "Thrive" campaign hit the consumer market, an internal effort launched within the California-based integrated health provider. The "Practice What you Believe" campaign supports the messages of "Thrive" and Kaiser's "total health" brand positioning, but focuses on employees rather than patients. Kaiser received a silver award in the internal communications category at the 2009 HealthLeaders Media Marketing Awards for the effort. [Read More]

Calendar of Events
Webcasts March 31: Beyond ROI: Prove the Success of Your Marketing Efforts March 30: Cancer Service Line Success: Better Coordination, Better Outcomes On Demand: Marketing Oncology: Service Line Strategies for Marketers On Demand: Strategic Marketing Lessons from Other Industries: 5 Innovative Ideas That Work On Demand: Marketing Cardiology: Service Line Strategies for Marketers On Demand: Marketing to Physicians: Build Relationships to Increase Referrals
Sponsored Headlines
Harnessing effective asset management in an uncertain economy from IBM
Building a successful validation process and compliance support with IBM Maximo solutions
Managing healthcare assets and optimizing asset utilization with IBM asset management tools
Learn how Sisters of Mercy Health achieved its asset management goals in partnership with IBM
Stay Connected to Marketing Weekly
To help us ensure future delivery of HealthLeaders Media Marketing Weekly, please add our "From" address—news.editor@healthleadersmedia.com—to your address book or e-mail whitelist.

From HealthLeaders Magazine

Medical Breakthroughs That Will Change Healthcare

The devices, treatments, and procedures that will change the delivery?and the business?of healthcare. [Read More]

Qualify for a FREE Subscription

Service Line Management

Making Women's Health Work

Women's health is becoming more expansive and multidisciplinary, but there's no one-size-fits-all approach to success. [Read More]

Marketing Forum

Social Marketing Helps Translate AHRQ Research Into Practice: The federal Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research has expanded its portfolio of work to include comparative effectiveness research and health information technology. Along with traditional and new media outreach, AHRQ uses social marketing techniques to identify and address the needs of targeted audiences, including clinicians, hospitals, pharmacists, healthcare purchasers, public policy decision-makers and patients. [Read More]

Audio Feature
How Engaged Employees Can Benefit Patient Experience: Kris Baird, president of Baird Consulting, explains how having engaged employees can benefit the patient experience and ultimately improve a hospital's the bottom line. [Listen Now]