Marketing methods, techniques, and modes of delivery go in and out of style—sometimes so fast that it's hard to keep up. I only recently learned that starbursts in direct mail are out. One of our marketing folks actually used the word "passé" when I suggested we use a starburst in one of our own direct mail efforts. Whoops. But there are plenty of ideas that aren't outdated. Here are five that are "in" (for the moment, at least):
1. Outdoor: Back in
Billboards and other outdoor methods were on their way out, but now they're back in again, thanks to some new and emerging technologies. In fact, outdoor ads are one of the industry's true bright spots, Richard Schaps, CEO of Van Wagner Communications said in a recent interview.
This is the dark horse in my personal in list. It makes you wonder whether phone book ads are the next media poised to explode.
2. Hey, [insert name here]: You're in
I'm currently enamored with personalization, which is definitely "in" at the moment. I like getting direct mail pieces with my name incorporated in the message or design and I often post them on a bulletin board in my office that displays standout ads. (I took down all the ones with a starburst on them).
At some point, however, personalization will drop off the hot list. No matter how well you do it, your message won't stand out if every other piece that hits your customers' desk is personalized, too.
3. ROI: In the money
Proving a return on investment for your marketing has been and always will be in. But it's especially hot in a cool economic climate. If you want to keep your staff and your budget, you'd better make sure marketing is listed in the ledger as a source of profit, not an expense.
4. Segmentation: In the zone
Targeted efforts are in for the same reason that tracking and personalization are hot. In tight financial times, you can't afford to fling your message at a wide audience and hope that the right people catch it.
Meanwhile, inadequate customer data is the key obstacle facing marketing executives, according to a CMO council study. About half of the chief marketing officers in the survey said they have "fair" to "poor" knowledge of their customers.
5. Web 2.0: So in it's out
Thanks to HCAHPS, soliciting patient feedback is way, way in. And thanks to social media and Web 2.0 (a nickname I'm hoping will soon be out), the conversation is starting to go both ways. It's not just about collecting data. It's not just about talking to or even listening to your customers. It's about building relationships with them.
To that end, I'll admit that I had a hidden agenda when I chose the five items on my in list. I was hoping some of you would disagree with me . . . and tell me so.
What do you think is in? What's decidedly out? Leave a comment by clicking the link at the bottom of the page or e-mail me, and I'll share the responses in an upcoming column.
Many healthcare marketers are wondering how the recently-implemented Stark "Phase III" fraud and abuse regulations tangibly affect their ability to market to and for physician practices. Hospital marketers want to know, for example, how much they can spend to advertise physicians' services, who can or cannot appear in an ad, what the ad can say, who needs to be invited to hospital-sponsored programs where a medical staff physician speaks on a healthcare subject, and how the regulations affect the call center's activities.
These are all legitimate concerns, as failure to meet the Stark III regulations, even unknowingly, can result in potential loss of Medicare and Medicaid funds.
The Stark rules were initially instituted to prevent physicians from referring Medicare and Medicaid patients to certain health services from which they would stand to benefit financially because of a personal ownership or similar financial interest. Hospitals are prevented from attracting physician referrals through conveyances such as gifts, financial arrangements that are less than fair market value, and other like practices designed to encourage channeling of patients to their facility. Unless they meet certain exemptions, hospitals must not favor or even give the appearance of promoting the channeling of patients to physicians or designated health services in their marketing of physicians. Figure 1 describes various marketing activities and scenarios and how they might be judged according to the regulations.
(Note: The marketing of physicians' services is very fluid. What's in vogue today may be verboten tomorrow. Marketers are advised to consult professional counsel for specific legal, ethical, or clinical questions relating to the Stark regulations.)
See Figure 1, the Stark law's impact on hospital's marketing of non-employed physicians.
One approach to physician marketing
Midwest Health System (not its real name) owns a multi-specialty group that accounts for approximately 30% of hospital admissions and 40% of revenue. It also has a strong relationship with a large independent multi-disciplinary group practice from which it receives 60% of its admissions. There are also independent physicians (solos and small groups) on staff who account for the remainder of admissions.
As might be expected, all three groups of physicians felt that they should receive marketing support from the health system, and the marketing department was concerned that the non-employed physicians might perceive favoritism in the system's advertising.
The burning question: How to keep everybody productive, cooperative, and focused on customer satisfaction as opposed to questioning whether one physician is getting more than another.
The answer was to focus on the bigger picture such as what could be done to enhance relationships between the entire medical staff and hospitals, ways to enhance patient care relations and processes, and ways to enhance clinical programs and services to sustain quality of patient care. By taking this approach, the marketing director was able to find common ground for marketing all four physician groups without running afoul of the Stark regulations. Some of the tactics that were identified included:
Developing a formal physician/medical staff marketing issues action plan
Assigning managerial "go to" persons to each member of the medical staff to assure effective two-way communications and defuse rumors caused by inconsistent or no communication on issues of concern to physicians
Developing a physician leadership track
Sponsoring a speaker from a non-competitive market who could talk on issues such as reimbursement and customer service
Advertising from a "we're all in this together" approach, so that the employed physicians were not given any preference over the non-employed physicians.
As a result of implementing the above tactics, communications improved among all four groups. The health system also began to see a salutary effect on patient satisfaction scores.
A strategic framework
Within the context of the Stark regulations, marketers have three approaches to evaluate physician marketing opportunities. One is to take no chances and eliminate physician marketing altogether. A second is to let your general counsel review everything before going forward with anything.
Clearly, these first two options are not very realistic or advisable.
A third approach is to develop a strategic framework to evaluate all opportunities for hospital and physician relationship-building. Think in terms of physician relationship management, not in terms of what is OK or not OK under the Stark provisions. It's important to first understand the business proposition: Does this activity have mutual value to both parties? Then conduct the smell test: Could this activity be interpreted as an effort to favor or prefer specific physician practices over others in order to encourage an increase in patient referrals?
Figure 2 presents a decision algorithm for evaluating physician marketing opportunities.
Summary
The new Stark regulations require healthcare marketers to screen activities against a potential violation. However, this should not be what drives the decision-making process for determining whether to undertake an activity. Physician marketing efforts should be strategically sound for both parties, then evaluated for compliance.
Patrick T. Buckley is president and CEO of PB Healthcare Business Solutions LLC. He may be reached at 262-408-5549 or at www.pbhealthbiz.com.
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The patients at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, MN, really take ownership of their medical conditions—and that's how the hospital's marketers like it. "My breast cancer. My doctors. My Fairview," reads the ad for the hospital's breast cancer care program. The seven other patient-testimonial ads have similar taglines relating to different service lines.
The 390-bed hospital decided to use patient testimonials when they launched the "Taking Exceptional Care of Patients" campaign in January because research showed that local consumers identify with real patients' stories. Intense competition in Fairview Southdale's market also contributed to the need for a strong campaign.
"The campaign is an outgrowth of an effort that spans operations, process improvement, physician alignment, and a system-wide effort to better focus efforts on areas of clinical excellence," says Kristin Smith, the director of marketing and public relations for the Fairview Southwest Care System. "Specific to Fairview Southdale Hospital, we are in a highly competitive geography, with key competitors within a 5–10 mile radius. To maintain or grow inpatient and outpatient market share, we must continue to have a presence in the marketplace."
To make their presence felt, the hospital advertised on the Internet, radio, buses, billboards, and in newspapers. The seven patients are each featured in seperate ads, and speak for the hospital's heart attack, peripheral artery disease, knee replacement surgery, weight loss, stroke, breast cancer, and lung cancer services.
The campaign is running in the hospital's primary and secondary service areas, including the city's 13-county metro area. Now, more than four months out, Smith says the campaign has received a great deal of positive feedback.
"Brand monitoring research reveals key indicators improved as well, particularly in the areas of unaided awareness improved and consumers choosing our hospital for life-threatening concerns," she says. "Web traffic improved dramatically during the campaign's run, as did attendance at on-site health education programs featuring physicians in strategic growth areas."
These results are good news, especially considering that Smith says the hospital had aimed to spread the word about their cardiovascular, oncology, orthopedic, emergency, and other multispecialty services. By creating a campaign in which patients take ownership of their healthcare, Fairview Southdale's marketers have also shaped a hospital that is taking ownership in its market.
Marianne Aiello is an editorial assistant with HealthLeaders Media. She may be reached at maiello@healthleadersmedia.com.
Elizabeth Pellegrin, chief marketing officer at Charleston Area Medical Center in West Virginia, discusses new media, including new methods of advertising, marketing, public relations, and talks about how to measure their effectiveness. In the past 20 years, she says, "The pace of the creative process has quickened, the pace of communication is at light speed, and there are new mediums to communicate over every day."
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Today's diverse consumers are looking for more than just talk. They are savvy and skeptical, and they are tired of spin. They want companies that are an authentic part of their niche community with long-term commitment.