Hospital Marketing Journal

What Women Want (in their Healthcare) Part 3

2009-10-27T16:07:05-06:00

by Ashley Sollars

Ten Adams Blog Manager

BUYING TRENDS

Stages of Life

Throughout a woman’s life, she has different healthcare needs and marketing professionals should identify these needs and target the demographic that is most pertinent. Some service lines are very specific to one age group such as geriatrics and OB but others span across a lifetime such as psych and gynecological services. As stated before, women’s services as a whole should include a strong base of primary care providers – but all women’s care services should also fall within the envelop of wellness and lifestyle solutions. Always focus on the positive: prevention, wellness initiatives, screenings, and a healthy way of life.

Emotional Trends

According to Vicki Lucus, Ph.D., president of Strategic Healthcare Initiatives, 85% of women base their decisions on emotional factors. Focus on the Family conducted a study on why abused women stay with their abusers instead of simply leaving them. Twelve reasons – all emotional – were listed why women do not leave. No where in Focus on the Family’s study did they conclude that women stay to avoid worse physical harm if they left. Ms. Lucus goes on to explain that women perceive almost all interactions within an emotional context and have a higher retention rate with an emotional link. In general, women will reformulate it into an emotional context. Your advertising should appeal to the emotional side of women and their needs and your staff should build positive experiences with their female patients to ensure their return.

At Least One Women’s-Centered Center of Excellence

It has been documented that if your hospital has at least one Center of Excellence in Women’s Services, the entire program will be considered superior. By the same token, if your hospital’s women’s program’s reputation is damaged, it will take decades to become a leader again. If your hospital is fortunate enough to sport a Center of Excellence in women’s services, capitalize on it. If not, focus on obtaining this title and highlighting strengths within your women’s departments.

Recap

Define the key niches within the female demographic
Benefit from case studies and examples of marketing strategies to women that work
Educate and involve your consumers to gain loyalty
Differentiate your facility from the competition

What Women Want (in their Healthcare) Part 2

2009-10-23T16:49:00-05:00

by Ashley Sollars

Ten Adams Blog Manager

NEEDS

Knowledge

My mother used to be so nosey about everything and it would really drive me crazy, but as I grew older I found out (through my own experiences with my family) that she wanted to know all the details because she was so used to taking care of everything and everybody; it became necessary to stay on top of the particulars. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that women make three-quarters of health care decisions for their families and are more likely to be the caregivers when a family member falls ill. Blame it on our nosiness or the pressures of maternal instinct, but a when a girl is old enough to stop seeing her pediatrician, she will take it upon herself to make use of all the resources she can get hold of to stay abreast her own health. With the popularity of the internet and social media sites, obtaining information about your health and health care is a piece of cake. My mom relied on the Doctor’s Book of Home Remedies, and her trusty Webster’s Medical Encyclopedia to barely keep up with the doctors that were treating us. Now, she hops on WebMD, the Mayo Clinic, Google Health, eMedicine, or Wikipedia which provide her with more information than she has ever had access to before including: an illness overview, cause, symptoms, what happens to you, what increases your risk, when to call a doctor, exams and tests, treatment and overview, prevention, home treatment, medications, surgery, other treatments, other places to get help, related information and references. Then, she continues her care after she leaves the doctor’s office by joining social sites that cater to those with a particular condition, finding recipes for food that addresses particular issues, and she can even check up on a healthcare provider. Women empower themselves by being knowledgeable about what is happening to themselves or their family. Women also tend to gather information about health and wellness which makes her feel less vulnerable to poor outcomes. By exchanging information with her, a physician not only empowers her and gives the perception of respect, but can also quash inconsistencies and untruths that lurk on the World Wide Web.

Specialized Care

Just as children are not miniature adults, women are not small-boned men with less hair. Women think differently, act differently and have very different health care needs. In the New York Times, Nancy Folbre writes, “Even health reform is a woman’s issue. Women need more health care than men because of the combined demands of pregnancy and family planning. The typical American woman who wants to have two children will spend about five years being pregnant, recovering from pregnancy or trying to get pregnant, and about 30 years trying to avoid unintended pregnancies.” Many tend to think of women’s health care as the OB/GYN department, but in order to operate a successful woman’s sector, it must be supported by a strong base of primary care providers and incorporate a network of multiple specialists. Many diseases and conditions primarily affect women such as certain cancers, immune diseases and cardiovascular issues and therefore specialized care is necessary. Take inventory of your programs. Growth in women’s initiatives may come in expanding a certain service line to include a specialized women’s department or in developing tactics to mold part of a program to cater to women’s needs.

Honesty, Trust and Safety

Have you ever heard that saying, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?” When you break a woman’s trust – especially by not telling her the whole truth – she might forgive but will never forget. According to docstoc, women who have been cheated on by a spouse are more hurt by the emotional relationship their partners formed than the physical relationship. Women build their relationships around these three factors and when the other party abuses any of them, the association is rendered wounded. Also, each one of these factors relies on the other. If a patient feels her physician is not being honest with her, she will feel that she or her children's safety is being violated and her trust goes right out the window. What does that mean for the marketing department? Consistent, clear messaging that reassures her of your compassionate and thorough care and a deep understanding with physicians and staff about women’s needs.

Next up: Female Consumer Buying Trends in the healthcare arena. Check back for more information about What a Woman Wants (in her Healthcare).

What Women Want (in their Healthcare) Part 1

2009-10-21T17:03:36-05:00

By Ashley Sollars

Ten Adams Blog Manager

Though the film What Women Want, starring Mel Gibson, carried a romantic comedic theme, it brought up a point that all marketing professionals – especially those in the healthcare industry – should strive diligently to incorporate into their marketing structure: women run the free world. Arguably the most complex creatures on earth, the female population is responsible for 80% of all consumer spending and healthcare decision-making in the U.S. (Gallop). In the movie, Mel Gibson is blessed with the ability to hear women’s thoughts – a great gift in today’s world. Instead of using this gift to further his clients’ strategic initiatives, he steals his new female boss’ ideas and claims them as his own. Though we don’t have the ability to hear the secret thoughts of female consumers, we know a great deal about their (or our) healthcare wants, needs and buying trends.

WANTS

A Relationship

When dealing with matters as intimate as one’s body and health, having a relationship with her healthcare is crucial for any woman. She wants to be able to speak freely and know that she matters to her healthcare team.

Respect No adult wants to be talked down to or patronized especially when you feel poorly. As in any relationship, she wants to feel like her physician and his or her staff listens to her and is on her level. And if you fail to meet her standard of respect, it is likely she will find someone who does.

Communication If you do not adequately communicate with your female patients, they will have no problem communicating with their friends and family members about your hospital’s lack in communication skills. According to Dr. Vicki Lucus, the number one reason that women change health care providers is poor communication. Dr. Lucus goes on to explain that if women are satisfied with their services, they will tell 3-5 people but if they are dissatisfied, they will tell ten times that number. Be on the positive end of that statistic if at all possible.

One-Stop Shopping The integration of services is very important to women. Dr. Lucus explains, “A virtual women’s center is one that is developed based upon an integrated planning process, integrated structure, standardization of branding, marketing and customer service, and the development of tactics to promote seamless integration within the service line.” Many hospitals are beginning to integrate various products and services into their repertoire of offerings to women such as spa treatments, prosthetics, aesthetics, cancer specialty items as well as female-focused service lines such as Women’s Heart, Oncology and OB/GYN just to name a few

Next up:

Needs – What the female consumer needs in her healthcare provider. Check back for more information about What Women Want (in their Healthcare).

Free iPhone Apps every Marketing Professional Should Have

2009-10-13T10:16:13-05:00

by Ashley Sollars

Ten Adams Blog Manager

When I purchased my first iPhone a few weeks ago, my first priority was not business. And, as long as we are being honest here, I have spent the first couple of weeks downloading social media apps, games and other non-business related apps that I never knew existed but can’t live without. (Everyone needs the Wisconsin Cheese Cupid app, right?) When I sat down to write this blog, my goal was simple: What free apps can I find that would make my life as a marketing professional easier and more efficient? See my list below and feel free to chime in on any apps that are designed for the busy marketing practitioner.

iClick Powerpoint Remote Go to your next PowerPoint presentation in style with i-Clickr PowerPoint Remote for iPhone/iPod Touch. Complete control of your PowerPoint presentation including animations. View your slides AND slide notes directly on your iPhone/iPod Touch during your presentation. Navigate through your slides with finger swipes and taps. Grab your audience's attention with realtime annotations. Help you track your presentation time with onboard clock. Set presentation alarm so that your iPhone/iPod Touch will alert you with a silent buzz before your time runs out. Work with both Windows and Mac Office (see below for the Office versions supported).

MobileMe iDisk With MobileMe iDisk, it’s easy to store, access, and share files online. You have plenty of storage space — even large files are no problem. Just add the files you need to your iDisk, and whatever you upload will be there for you to download using a web browser on any computer or using the iDisk App for iPhone or iPod touch.

USA Today The latest news stories, scores, weather and photos you've come to expect from USA TODAY are now available for your iPhone and iPod touch. Staying informed on the go has never been this quick, easy or enjoyable.

Drop Box Dropbox works with its web service that lets you keep files in multiple computers in sync as well as make it available via a web interface. Dropbox iPhone app lets you access those files on your iPhone now!

Instapaper Free Simply install the Instapaper app and download your unread articles when you have WiFi, EDGE, or 3G coverage, then you can read them anytime: on the train, on the bus, on line at the bank, or in space (you never know).

Personal Assistant Ten essential life management application in one app: credit card control, bank account status, investment portfolio, cell minute tracker, frequent flyer miles, travel itineraries, shopping management, bill management, Netflix queue, and alerts.

Lockbox Lockbox is a password & secret information storage native 3rd party app for the iPhone. You can add, edit, remove, and view your password list. It stores passwords for websites (or any system), credit card info, or any secret information you need to keep ready at hand, encrypted on your iPhone. Lockbox stores your passwords by encrypting them via AES128.

Avis Reservation App If you're always on the move, just grab your iPhone and make an Avis reservation any time, anywhere. No need to access a computer or call an agent. Now iPhone puts car rental reservations at your fingertips! With the Avis Reservation Application, all iPhone and iPod Touch users can reserve vehicles at airport locations in the U.S. and Canada. Besides creating a reservation, users can instantly access reduced rates and other benefits, just by providing an Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number, Wizard number, and/or coupon code.

AAA Roadside AAA’s legendary roadside assistance is available easily through the iPhone App Store. Your current location and specific information about your vehicle’s trouble is automatically sent to AAA for rapid response. Avoid waiting on the phone and receive confirmation that the information sent to the AAA roadside problem-solving technician is correct.

The iPhone is an Internet and multimedia enabled smartphone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Because its minimal hardware interface lacks a physical keyboard, the multi-touch screen renders a virtual keyboard when necessary. The iPhone functions as a camera phone (also including text messaging and visual voicemail), a portable media player (equivalent to a video iPod), and an Internet client (with email, web browsing, and Wi-Fi connectivity). -wikipedia

The Art and Discipline of Effective Brand Management

2009-09-30T13:07:21-05:00

by Scott D. Mosley, Vice President of Strategy and Client Services

An organization’s Brand is among its most valuable assets. As such, smart organizations understand the importance of building, nurturing and leveraging a strong brand, just as they do other assets, making it a central strategic priority.

The terms brand and branding is thrown around a lot these days, usually with a very limited knowledge of what the process of brand development is really about. The process is simultaneously both an art and a discipline which, like most disciplined artful pursuits, takes practice to master.

When we talk about branding and brand management, we are really talking about a process with several central facets. It involves defining the brand essence; what the brand stands for. It involves definition of the brand personality; the brand’s character and imagery. It involves development of brand architecture; the central tool in defining the scope and depth of the brand’s extension across the enterprise it represents. And, it involves brand positioning; differentiating and giving relevance to the brand.

The accompanying diagram reflects Ten Adams’ perspective on the scope of effective brand management. At the center of the process is the all-important essence of the brand. This is usually a product of sole-searching, looking deep within the organization for that handful of distinguishing characteristics which truly define its culture and the points of distinction which make it what it is. Defining a brand’s essence is not an afternoon’s task. It is more typically an interactive, group process of evolution and refinement that takes place over an extended period of time.

Effective brand management usually starts with a retrospective process of discovery and analysis; Ten Adams refers to it as iMap360; focused on drawing a vivid picture of the brand’s current state of development. Unless the brand’s been well-managed, this process will almost always uncover what I call “brand creep,” the outgrowth of well-intentioned leaders within the organization who view their program, product or services as the center of the organizational universe and overlay the brand accordingly. The result is undisciplined brand extension and a multi-centered organizational universe.

Down the left-hand side of the diagram are internal disciplines which serve to anchor the brand and avoid brand creep. It is vital to formally document the parameters within which an organization’s brand will be developed and that those parameters be purposefully endorsed by the organization’s executive leadership, including the CEO. It has been my practice of seeking agreement from the organization’s executive team that no changes will be made to the organization’s brand architecture without each change being reviewed with and approved by that group, reflecting the value and importance of the discipline.

Down the right-hand side of the diagram are external aspects of brand expression. It is the unifying aspects of a well-managed brand architecture that allows an organization to effectively position itself as an enterprise showcase its promise and creatively tell its story.

At the bottom of the diagram is the intersection of the internal disciplines and external expressions, joined through internal communications. Building ownership of the brand and its essence on the part of staff and stakeholders is a vital step toward fulfillment of the brand promise extended to the marketplace through its marketing program.

It is through the practice of discipline brand management and the artful portray of a brand’s essence, reflected in the actions of an engaged workforce, that organizations effectively live their brand.

Senator Ted Kennedy - Healthcare's Great Advocate

2009-08-26T16:39:16-05:00

We would like to take the opportunity to formally pay our respects to Senator Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy. Senator Kennedy did so much to improve healthcare during his time in politics. He worked tirelessly as an advocate to better patient care. Sen. Kennedy was responsible for pushing the War on Cancer in 1971, the Ryan White AIDS Care Act in 1990, the Mental Health Parity Act in 1996 and 2008, Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in 1997, the Medicare prescription drug law in 2003, and the Massachusetts health reform act in 2006 all through Congress. Sitting on the forefront of crumbling healthcare reform, it is hard to imagine that one person could have done so much to better policy.

Sen. Kennedy is an inspiration to anyone who has devoted his or her life to healthcare. In 1994, Sen. Kennedy said with great passion, "What we have in the United States is not so much a health-care system as a disease-care system." His words were not meant to point fingers or accuse but to bring light to the fact that though we enjoy so many luxuries in our healthcare that so many other countries do not, we still focus on treating disease instead of preventing it.

Though Sen. Kennedy may no longer be with us, he will remain an inspiration to anyone who may not be directly involved with patient care but can make a difference in the care of patients. He was a great speaker, a great American and a great advocate for those who needed him most – the sick.

The fact SCHIP passed at all during the turbulent Clinton years—in Newt Gingrich’s Congress, no less—was a testament to Kennedy’s negotiating skills. Millions of uninsured kids suddenly could get health care—check-ups, vaccinations, hearing tests, and antibiotics for strep throat. Millions more children need the same care, but the law (and its extension passed earlier this year) still leaves medically needy children uninsured—an issue that has been lost in the political thicket. Kids’ health is still at the mercy of state budget shortfalls—as we have seen in California, where thousands of children have been cut from the SCHIP rolls during the state’s latest fiscal crisis.

Senior citizens who complain about Medicare in the town hall meetings would do well to remember that Kennedy was instrumental in passing the law giving them the prescription drug benefit that now helps pay for their medicines. Before the law passed, they were the only large group of Americans who had no assistance paying for their drugs. (Employed people usually had drug benefits from their employers that kept their costs relatively low.) Though the law is far from perfect—it prohibits the government from negotiating cheaper prices from drug companies, and people with large drug expenses must shoulder those costs when they reach the limits in the so-called donut hole—no senior would want to be without it.

And then there’s Massachusetts, where Kennedy helped engineer the compromise that brought health insurance coverage to most of the state’s residents. As we have pointed out in our series Health Reform Lessons from Massachusetts, not everyone in the state is pleased. Mistakes have hurt the safety net hospitals, tax penalties have hurt uninsured residents, and, most important, the lack of serious cost control coupled with run-away medical costs threaten the law’s long-term viability. In the end, Massachusetts may not be a model for the rest of the country. But there’s no denying that, in the meantime, thousands of people who needed medical care have received it over the past few years. –Trudy Lieberman, Columbia Journalism Review

Honesty, Sincerety and Authenticity – Key Ingredients for every hospital CEO’s “Bad News” Speeches

2009-08-20T16:29:36-05:00

When tough times are knocking at a hospital’s doors, it’s likely that leaders will want to reassure their staff with supportive and empowering words. But, a CEO or other health care leader must be attentive to the fact that there is a fine line between ignoring important and sometimes grim details that employees and members of the community need to know and offering up totally negative speech – even if it is completely factual. Here are eight things to consider when delivering “bad news.”

Don’t try to sugarcoat the situation.
Employees are always two steps ahead of the leadership team and people know when a speaker is blowing smoke. Example: when President Clinton uttered the words: “It depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is. If "is" means is and never has been, that is not, that is one thing. If it means there is none that was a completely true statement.” The nation stopped, scratched their heads, tried to comprehend that tangled web, and then knew he was lying. There was no longer a question about it.

Consider your employees’ feelings and reactions.
If someone is about to lose their job, stress will inevitably and immediately enter into their life. Be prepared for a negative fallout.

Build a good relationship BEFORE you have to deliver bad news.
Last night, Brad Pitt was a guest on the on Real Time with Bill Maher . Bill made the observation that Pitt could kill a nun on top of a pile of dead puppies and people would say, “Oh, that Brad. He’s just so darn cute.” Though a graphic image – at best – his point was that bad blows aren’t quite as painful when they are delivered by a well liked, well respected and well trusted individual.

Tell the truth and tell it fast.
If you are a parent, you can appreciate this. When I ask my daughter, “Who ate all the brownies” and she him-haws around with excuses and blames, I tend to get even madder. “I did,” will work nicely and the punishment will be much less severe than if you give me time to digest the excuses. Rip off the Band-aid.

Convince your employees that both you and they are part of the comeback.

People will automatically blame poor leadership as the reasoning behind any failure. It is important to plant the seed of solutions immediately following the announcement of a difficult situation. Also, let your employees in on what they can do to help. If a situation can be remedied and your employees feel sincerity on their leader’s part, chances are a great deal of them will follow suit. When Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office on March 4, 1933, the nation was deeply troubled. Roosevelt had campaigned for the presidency promising a "new deal for the American people." The 'new deal' term became the motto for the sweeping economic and political changes would enact to address the national economic emergency. In his inaugural speech, President Roosevelt first tried to calm the fear gripping Americans, then outlined some of the "lines of attack" to be immediately taken in the days and weeks ahead. The rest is history.

Use storytelling and metaphors.
What would a good sports story be if the main character didn’t become the underdog and face hardships and challenges only to come out on top? Who hasn’t cried at Rudy? That is what I thought… NO ONE! When people are thinking about their jobs, they aren’t as concerned with entertaining the public but by using a riveting “Phoenix rising from the ashes” story to rally your troops, you focus on a positive outcome instead of the present situation.

Do not use PowerPoint slides
When Microsoft came out with PP, it was a giant leap for business professionals everywhere. No longer is your entire audience high from magic marker fumes. PP can be a great resource but when you are speaking on behalf of a sensitive subject, it is best to leave the PP out of it and speak directly to your audience and use undeviating eye contact.

Be realistic and optimistic.
No one wants to hear a doom-and-gloom story, but as adults your employees know when their leadership is going overboard with promises. In Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous speech I Have a Dream, Dr. King eloquently elucidates the plight of the average African American in 1963. Though a grim time, Dr. King rallies his fellow man, not by insulting his audience’s intelligence by sweetening the truth or by assuring them that in 2008 an African American man would become president of the United States, but instead he very wisely chose these words: “I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.”

Brand Identification Begins at an Early Age

2009-08-13T12:20:01-05:00

Click HERE to watch a clip from the Today Show about how Brand-Savvy Tweens (Between child and teen) are.

Parents watch while a group of tweens participates in a focus group testing their knowledge of brands. Marketing expert Martin Lindstrom discusses the parents’ reactions.

Though children and teens may not be your target audience, it's interesting that young people can identify brands so easily. It is also important to remember that these children will be the decision-makers sooner than you think. According to a Gallup poll, only 30% of people choose a hospital because of family influence where 63% base their choice of hospital on medical expertise. Over 2/3 of the amount of consumers choose their health care provider independently from their family's preferences.

Public Relations Pros Rate Among Highest on the Moral Development Scale

2009-08-13T10:58:47-05:00

How much of your decision-making process is rooted in a moral foundation and does your career choice have anything to do with it? According to a new study, conducted by two of the Page Center's Johnson Legacy Scholars, Renita Coleman and Lee Wilkins, "The Moral Development of Public Relations Practitioners: A Comparison with Other Professions and Influences on Higher Quality Ethical Reasoning" PR practitioners rate among the highest morally developed professionals. The study, which appeared in the July 2009 Journal of Public Relations Research, cites seminarians and philosophers as the highest ranking the moral development scale. After that come medical students, practicing physicians, journalists, dental students, nurses and then public relations pros.

According to the Bulldog Reporter, “last on the moral development scale are junior high school students, one notch below prison inmates.” The study found that individuals with a higher age and education level tend to rate higher on the scale. This begs the question, do we choose the professions we do based on our standard of ethics or are the codes of conduct drilled deep into the brain during attendance at institutions of higher education?

Why did you choose to enter into marketing and public relations in the health care arena? Did you feel a calling or did the opportunity present itself at the right time? Sometimes we need to step back and recall the reasons why we chose our profession in the first place and build strength of character from both our personal attributes and our learned codes of conduct.

Preserving Your Brand - A New Wave of Health Care Reporting

2009-08-11T14:27:48-05:00

The role of the media in a democratic society is to act as a watchdog, holding corporate America accountable and providing accurate and useful information to the general public. No other sector of the media takes these ideals more seriously than those who monitor and report on issues of health care.

Because of the recent decline in newspaper journalism and reduction of staff in remaining newsrooms, there are fewer knowledgeable health care reporters and more “aces” who are pressured to generate compelling headlines. The risk of journalistic zealousness putting your brand in jeopardy is at an all-time high.

So, how does your organization preserve its integrity in such a sticky climate?

As your organization’s communications gatekeeper it is imperative to stay vigilant in both the local and social media arena. A falsity, stretch of the truth or even vague headline can not only sway public opinion but with the onset of social media and blogging, one incorrect detail can be transferred to a plethora of opinion-based forums disseminating brand busting half-truths throughout your consumer base. Keep on top of all discussion pertaining to your hospital or healthcare organization. Utilize your search engine’s alert system. Google Alerts offers a free service to anyone with a Gmail account – promptly sending an email when user-decided key words or phrases are posted anywhere on the web.

If you do come across an error, it’s best to rectify it immediately before it morphs into a whole new can of worms by bloggers, social networkers and others who aren’t bound by journalistic standards. It is also important to put together a system of dealing with errors before one comes to light. By thinking ahead and staying organized you may avoid future disasters and time-consuming endeavors.

In past healthcare reporting, seasoned journalists relied on key opinion leaders and experts whom they trusted. According to the Association of Health Care Journalists, writers must “recognize that most stories involve a degree of nuance and complexity that no single source could provide. Journalists have a responsibility to present diverse viewpoints in context. To reflect only one perspective of only one source is not wise. Most one-source stories lack depth and meaning.”

Because you may not have rapport or any prior experience with a particular journalist, providing him or her with non-biased experts that support their views with science-based justification not personal assumptions will boost your credibility and surface facts.

It is also important to build rapport with the freelance and inexperienced journalists. By building trust, you will in turn become a source when a crisis hits. They will turn to you for accurate and complete information about your organization – giving you the opportunity to supply a positive slant on an ugly situation.

By encouraging journalists, bloggers and the community to dig up correct information and unbiased or even both of the opposing sources, you will guard your corporate and community image. Help journalists to understand that they have a duty to their readers to quantify their findings – to report on fact and not inflate subject matter.

Retail Medicine

2009-07-31T15:21:06-05:00

Why are malls so successful, especially around Christmastime? Because though they may be a pain to navigate if you have one specific item to purchase, they are a blessing if you need several items and/or have only a vague idea of what you want. Malls provide an assortment of variety and that saves you both time and money instead of having to drive around town searching for what you need. The same idea goes for giant superstores that carry everything from diapers to digital cameras to dill weed.

Hospitals have caught on to the notion of providing convenience to clientele through retail within the hospital itself. And, in recent tight economic times, hospitals are faced with the challenge of increasing revenue because the wells of health plan and government reimbursements are drying up.

Though any woman would tell you “retail medicine” is the undeniable feeling of bliss she experiences when engaged in a no-holds-bar spending spree, the phrase “retail medicine” actually refers to the health care related products and services provided by hospitals that are not covered by insurance.

In the Milwaukee Business Journal, Gary Paquin, executive vice president of The Paquin Group – a health care retail consultant firm – explains, “The average hospital makes $500,000 annually from retail such as gift and coffee shops, but has the potential of $5 million to $15 million annually with the extended retail medicine. The return on investment is higher in retail than in reimbursed health care, with 15 percent to 20 percent returns in retail, compared with 2 percent to 3 percent return in reimbursed health care.”

Because of those staggering numbers several hospitals are catching on. But forget the “cards and balloons” gift shops, hospitals around the world are diving into a hodgepodge of retail opportunities. Here is a list of some of the services and specialty stores that hospitals are either implementing or renting space out to.

Retail Services in Health Care Settings

-catering services

-event hall rental

-dining

-retail clinics

-optical stores

-contact lenses stores

-dental and orthodontic services

-hearing services

-pharmacy and supplement needs

-healthy food markets

-newborn photography services and photo purchasing options

-prosthetics services

-massage, acupuncture, chiropractic and aromatherapy services

-exotic flower shops

-fitness clubs

-art and dance studios

-specialty coffee shops such as Starbucks

-specialty cancer shops (wigs, scarves, prosthetics, etc.)

-new mom shops

-gift certificates

-specialty cosmetics

-cosmetic surgery centers

-health library and book stores

-classes (smoking cessation, weight-loss, fitness, etc.)

Positive Effects of Retail in Hospitals

-Increased revenue

-Increase patient satisfaction

-Convenience for patients and visitors (especially elderly patients who have limited transportation)

-Enhancement of patient loyalty

-Ability to control the administering of trusted products and services from trusted sources to patients

-Ability to educate consumers on products benefits and safe usage of products

-Boost your brand

-Engage patients in wellness-related services

So what does the future hold for hospital retail? Though it is unlikely hospitals will depend on Christmas shoppers to provide a bulk of the year’s revenue or that teens will start loitering with their friends in hospital parking lots on Friday nights, health care retail is expected to grow. So, what should we be asking as you put together a hospital retail strategy? The main thing marketing departments should focus on is razor-sharp concentration on the consumer. Every detail about how stores are designed, to convenient placement within the hospital, right down to the employees’ knowledge about the product or service adds value to your consumers.

For more information on retail in healthcare visit these links:

Paquin Health Care Company:

www.paquinhealthcare.com

See how one healthy restaurant chain is taking over the hospital cafeterias:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2007/11/18/2093972.htm

Find out what services are being offered in Wal-Mart’s retail clinics:

http://www.walmart.com/clinics?fromPageCatId=5431

Redlands Community Hospital offers their stores’ products online:

http://redlandshospitalstore.com/

Round table Discussions:

http://hospitalbusinessdevelopment.blogspot.com/2007/10/i-recently-attended-roundtable.html

Beyond the Gift Shop: Boost Revenue, Your Brand, and Patient Satisfaction with Strategic Hospital Retail (Ache Management Series) (Paperback) by Mindy Thompson-Banko:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1567933041

Marketing 101: What They Don't Teach You in College

2009-07-21T11:54:47-05:00

In college, you learned the basics of marketing – how to write a press release, how to compose a marketing plan; you may have even learned a bit about logistics or consumer behavior or … internet marketing… but when you were thrust into your first marketing job, you learned what they teach you in school hardly prepares you for the real world.

You discovered that all the concrete things you learned was only a tiny fraction of the real-world practices and procedures you would face every day. You also found out that the most important aspect of marketing – the human element – is something you began learning about on your first day of work and will continue to learn about until you retire from marketing.

The human element, especially in healthcare marketing, is something you must consider – although you hardly ever think to consider it. Make sense? No?! Okay, pretend you are a woman who is about to give birth to her first child. Would you rather give birth to your newborn in a cold, uninviting room or in a warm, appealing birthing center? Duh… your job is to make sure the mother knows that your rooms are a warm and inviting place to be when she engages in the worst pain of her life.

How do you convey that message to expecting mothers and their families? Should you throw a campaign together that consists of a couple of radio and TV spots – maybe a billboard and a microsite… She’ll get the point, right?

Well, maybe she will or maybe for undisclosed reasons, she will go to the hospital on the other side of town. The question is: how do we convince Mama that your hospital is the best place for her to bring her child into the world? (We realize this is the universal question of all marketing departments everywhere but we’d like to walk you down that fine line of what is expected of you as a healthcare marketer and what is effective.)

The Proof is in the Pudding

Many marketers have the luxury of convincing their audience of a product’s worth. In your case, however, the service is the product, and the service is only as good as the customer experience. Would you choose a hospital that has a reputation of cantankerous, and down-right mean nurses even if they were a little closer to home or had flat screen TVs in every room? No? Of course we are exaggerating the factors but one poor customer service experience can have a severe impact. Due to fluctuating personalities and personal issues, some things are unforeseeable but there are also many ways you can improve the customer service experience – and it all begins with your staff. Teach your staff to meet the consumer’s needs before they have them. By instilling character values and holding your staff to a consistent level of excellence you have laid the foundation for honest and precise marketing.

Walk Softly but Carry a Big Stick

Consumers don’t sit around waiting for your next direct mailer or radio commercial to come on. In fact, consumers find most of these advertising pieces to be clutter. In our attempt to market everything, the consumer loses sight of the most important aspects of your hospital in all the “noise.” Marketing is too valuable to waste on mediocrity. Using precious marketing dollars on the run-of-the-mill healthcare is unjustifiable and if you attempt to fluff up the ordinary, the consumer catch on and it will leave a bad taste in their mouth.

Thread the External and the Internal

In 2007, Ten Adams began a new department called Workforce Development. This department fleshes out the issues and problems our clients are having and addresses them in a positive way. The number one thing we have learned since we implemented this department is that it takes a combination of internal marketing, external marketing and implementing policy and procedural changes among staff. And, though academia will teach you that as a marketing practitioner that it takes lots of ads and press releases to be successful, you and I know better. It takes knowing and understanding the human element; it takes investing time in your staff and in your consumer. It takes getting patients in the door with an brilliant marketing message and then providing them with the most compassionate and exceptional care from the time they walk in until the time they go home.

Wake Up – It’s Web 3.0

2009-07-15T16:50:14-05:00

Web 2.0 was the current “hot topic” in healthcare marketing conferences and forums throughout this past year. Everyone wanted to know what it was and what they could get out of it. And the stragglers? Well, they were left behind to eat 2.0’s proverbial dust.

Ahh, you can finally Tweet that your hospital’s Facebook page is up and running, and with feet propped on your desk you finally slip away into that well-deserved rest. That’s when the nightmare hits – now that you’ve mastered Web 2.0, Web 3.0 rears its ugly head! You bolt awake only to see Web 3.0 splashed across your computer screen…

What does it all mean? Is Al Gore slowly sucking the life from all marketing departments, everywhere? We see him now, devilishly wringing his hands and giggling in delight as he invents MORE AND MORE INTERNET! Before you crawl under your desk, relax, we see great potential in Web 3.0 and what it will do for those who are seeking out information about healthcare. Of course it will require healthcare marketers and advertisers to go beyond their current scope of thinking, but let’s face it – aren’t you getting pretty good at that?

The first real question you may be asking is, “What are Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0?”

Web 1.0 is a retronym which refers to the state of the World Wide Web, and any website design style used before the advent of the Web 2.0 phenomenon.* (Amazon, Google)

Web 2.0 refers to what is perceived as a second generation of web development and web design. It is characterized as facilitating communication, information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design and collaboration on the World Wide Web. It has led to the development and evolution of web-based communities, hosted services, and web applications. Examples include social-networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, mashups and folksonomies.* (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube)

The Semantic Web, or Web 3.0, comprises a set of design principles, collaborative working groups, and a variety of enabling technologies. Some elements of the semantic web are expressed as prospective future possibilities that are yet to be implemented or realized.*

In 1999, Darcy DiNucci cited a more interactive internet that would allow users to contribute to sites in her article “Fragmented Future.” She writes, “The Web we know now, which loads into a browser window in essentially static screenfuls, is only an embryo of the Web to come. The first glimmerings of Web 2.0 are beginning to appear, and we are just starting to see how that embryo might develop. The Web will be understood not as screenfuls of text and graphics but as a transport mechanism, the ether through which interactivity happens.”

Web 2.0 is distinguished by its focus on social interactions; Web 3.0 will focus on making the Internet easier to navigate. According to Victor Alvarez, “Web 3.0 will move us from present-day ‘clunkier’ searching to richer URL structure with a greater depth of information and improved search results.”

Earlier this year, Microsoft launched its first attempt at a streamlined search engine – Bing. Perhaps you have noticed the commercials on TV that feature two people engaged in conversation when one person starts spouting off random associations to a question posed by the other person. Bing eliminates the “popularity search” and organizes results into logical categories. The claim is that Bing is “the cure for search overload” and is alleging that it will help reduce irrelevant and random search results.

Alvarez goes on to explain that, “Web 3.0 will impact the way that healthcare companies market themselves online and the amount of time companies put into their Web site. As Web 3.0 gains ground with users, healthcare companies will have to increase their efforts to keep their Web sites relevant. Since the Semantic Web will incorporate logic and syntax, page designers and copywriters will have to make sure that any and all information users need is incorporated into the Web site so that it will show up in search results. Web 3.0 will mean that healthcare marketers and advertisers will be required to think of new ways to build levels of information into Web sites and will force sites to create connectivity in the information so that search engines stream relevant sites to users.”

Because Web 3.0 is still in the infant stages, it will be imperative for healthcare marketers and public relations professionals to stay abreast of the web phenomenon as it grows and becomes more defined. The best first step to take is to experiment with ways to offer gateways of accessibility to users who are seeking precise and detailed information because now, the Web is on their terms, not ours. And you don’t want to be left in 3.0’s proverbial dust.

*Wikipedia

Patients Taking Health into their Own Hands: Online PHRs

2009-07-14T13:39:50-05:00

This epic painting by Norman Rockwell encapsulates the doctor/patient relationship prior to the Seventies. Unless you experienced a life-threatening illness or injury, from the time you were born until you took your last breath, you had the pleasure of “dealing with” one healthcare provider – your family doctor.

Having one general practice physician may have prevented you from the receiving the expertise of specialists but keeping your medical records straight was far less complicated. Now, if you can’t sleep well, you see a sleep specialist, a neurologist – maybe even a psychiatrist to find out what keeps popping up from your past in your dreams. Got acne? Dermatologist, then plastic surgeon, then another trip to the psychiatrist who convinces you that it was your mom’s fault that no one invited you to prom. Break your toe? That adds up to one ER physician, one orthopedic surgeon, and one physical therapist. These may be extremes but Americans do see a barrage of health specialists and unless they have access to a patient care representative, patients are forced recall their own medical background every time they enter an exam room.

Ever consider what could happen to a patient experiencing a heart attack who happened to take a Viagra earlier in the day? One nitroglycerin later and boom – Sayonara… Who wants to take that chance? Not any healthcare provider or patient we know.

It is this surge in patients having to take their healthcare into their own hands that prompted two of the internet supergiants to craft online Personal Health Records or PHRs. Google (Google Health) and Microsoft (HealthVault) have each dug deep into their creative genius’ to give patients a secure place to store their medical histories and each are looking for large retail pharmacy chains, pharmacy benefit managers, laboratory and diagnostic companies, hospitals, medical clinics and health centers, medical groups, doctor offices, health insurance companies, electronic medical record application companies, personal health record application companies, disease management companies, medical device companies, retail clinics and wellness application companies to partner with.

According to Google Health, “Google is looking for strategic partners who can help our users get access to their medical records and prescription history and do a better job of managing their health needs.”

So where do hospitals, the Meccas of healthcare, fit into this equation of patients, information and the web? Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School became a Google Health partner in May of 2008. BIDMC has an innovative patient portal called PatientSite that enables patients to access their medical records online, securely email their doctors, make appointments, renew medications, and request referrals. Working with Google Health, BIDMC has extended its support for personal health records by linking PatientSite to Google Health.

“We believe that patients should be the stewards of their own data,” says John Halamka, MD, BIDMC’s chief information officer. “BIDMC’s PatientSite is wonderful if all care is delivered at BIDMC. However, many patients have primary care doctors, specialists, labs, pharmacies, and non-traditional providers at multiple institutions.”

“Our vision is that BIDMC patients will be able to electronically upload their diagnosis lists, medication lists and allergy lists into a Google Health account and share that information with health care providers who currently don’t have access to PatientSite. The end result will be when patients leave the BIDMC area or see a provider outside the area they can have all their medical data located in one safe place,” adds Halamka.

Halamka is also a member of the Google Health Advisory Council, a group of 23 experts who have been advising Google for the past year. Halamka specifically advised the Google Health team on standards for healthcare information exchange and has given feedback on the privacy and security of patient records to ensure they are protected.

What does this mean for Marketing Departments – especially with the glimpse of mandatory EMRs on the horizon? Involving your hospital with state-of-the-art PHRs allows your hospital to position itself within the industry.

Builds Top-Of-Mind Awareness Among Users
Creates New Business Opportunities
Keeps Doctors Up-To-Date
Eliminates Paperwork
Eliminates Wasteful Spending
Backs Up Medical Records
Increases Safety and Efficiency in the Healthcare Setting
Helps Doctors and Other Caregivers Deliver Quality Care
Gives your Patients a Hands-On Approach to their Healthcare

Are you ready to take the next steps in learning more about PHR Applications? In early 2009, the user experience research firm User Centric conducted an independent comparative usability study of two existing online personal health record applications, Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault. Click here for more information about the usability, utility, security and overall perceptions of each of these online applications.

Better Healthcare Might Have Averted Vietnam

2009-07-09T14:36:31-05:00

Ever heard the phrase, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it?” Read this interesting short from dailykos.com and find out why you should think twice about adequate health insurance for all.

VIP Healthcare - Not Always Black or White

2009-07-09T14:05:33-05:00

Though you may never have the always pleasant experience of treating a world-famous entertainer at your hospital, it is entirely possible Whoopi Goldberg could be trucking her way through your town and cause an accident at a red light. (Whoopi doesn't fly, so this is an entirely possible scenario.) What happens when Whoopi enters your ER? Does she call the shots about what medication is administered and what procedures are performed? As her healthcare provider, it would be in everyone's best interest to not give in to whatever Whoopi demands. But, what happens when Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Brittney Spears and other super celebs demand unnecessary and even dangerous "healthcare?" As a marketing director in Nowheresville, North Dakota, you may be thinking, "This isn't something that falls into my plate," but every healthcare provider is faced with influential members of local society that roll out a whole different set of standards. Take a look at this article by CBS News Health about how poor celebrity care may provide lessons to everyone.

What's Your Challenge?

2009-06-30T12:50:12-05:00

As a CEO or Marketing Director, you know better than anyone how critical marketing is to the success of any health care organization. It’s the synergy of good programs, delivered by outstanding staff, backed by effective marketing that truly defines your hospital’s brand and helps build profitable market share. Sounds good in theory, but how do you make it happen?

Ten Adams has been utilizing this blog to shed a bit of light on issues that hospital marketing departments face every day. Now, it's your turn to share! Let the experts of Ten Adams help you with some of the challenges you are facing. Simply leave a comment on this blog or email us at asollars@tenadams.com and we will address the subjects you want to know more about!

Greening Your Hospital

2009-06-10T16:05:44-05:00

Greening Your Hospital

View more OpenOffice presentations from Krickett8.

Mergers and Acquisitions - Positive Solutions

2009-06-02T14:08:51-05:00

We tend to think of mergers and acquisitions as the big bad wolf - here to blow the house down and eat the inhabitants. Healthcare organizations, however, are finding mergers to be a positive situation for both hospitals and the patients.

Supporting mom and pop stores, dives and local eateries is something that Americans are beginning to acknowledge and embrace but when it comes to health care, patients can't afford to trust high-end care to the unequipped. And, in the current economic state, small hospitals and clinics can't afford to make the improvements on their own.

More and more outlying hospitals are turning to big systems to offer "the hope of safe harbor from whatever financial storms are on the horizon, provide doctors in places where physicians are in short supply and allow easier access to capital. The chains in return, get footholds in new areas, where they can build market share and increase the number of patients they serve."*

Though some patients may be severed from physicians they have longstanding relationships with, top-notch physicians that are affiliated with the larger systems will become available to patients in outlying areas. "For a physician who might be less inclined to settle in a small community, a connection to a larger system may be a plus," explains Carmela Coyle, president of the Maryland Hospital Association.

Dr. Darren Chapman, general surgeon at Trover Health Systems in Madisonville, KY, will be operating his practice part-time in a recently acquired clinic 45 minutes from the main hospital. "For me, it’s a win/win situation – I’m looking for patients, and Muhlenburgh County needs the support of another good general surgeon."

Trover Health System has a long history of operating community-based medical clinics, currently operating eight satellite primary care clinics in locations surrounding Trover’s main campus and Regional Medical Center, in Madisonville, Kentucky. This network of family care clinics is specifically focused on meeting the primary care needs of local communities, however access to specialty care can also be provided for community residents by specialty physicians traveling to the clinics or through referral to specialty care clinics and Regional Medical Center in Madisonville, where more than 50 medical specialties and sub-specialties are represented.

In 2007, the American Hospital Association reported that 56 percent of the nearly 5,000 hospital in the United States are part of a hospital system.

Mergers and acquisitions can prove financially smart for both parties involved. The smaller hospitals will have access to funds for building and expansion projects and up-to-date technology and will also be able to piggyback on the network for some services and take advantage of the cost cuts on bulk supplies. The larger hospitals will expand to a whole new market. Michael J. Curran, executive vice president and CFO of MedStar explains, "As the largest health care system in the [Maryland] region, we don't need to grow just for growth's sake. Instead, we want to focus on opportunities that promote strategic growth."

As a Marketing Director, the two biggest issues you will deal with when faced with a merger is informing the general public about the services offered at the smaller hospital and clinics (especially if they are new) and getting past the big bad wolf syndrome because unfortunately mergers often times mean job loss in the local hospitals.

For further reading on successful hospital mergers and acquisitions, see below:

Nonprofit Management and Leadership

Volume 1 Issue 4, Pages 357 - 369

Predicting Successful Hospital Mergers and Acquisitions: A Financial and Marketing Analytical Tool
by William Winston (Author), Robert L Goldman (Author), David P Angrisani (Author)

What Every Hospital Needs to Know about Social Media

2009-05-27T16:45:10-05:00

I posed the question to my husband just last night, "Why is having a MySpace considered to be low-class and unadult but everyone - even major corporations - have jumped on the Facebook bandwagon? Was I surprised my mother-in-law and her mother (my daughter's great grandmother) is on FB? A little... Was I baffled that the country's top hospitals "facebook?" Um, YES! ("Facebook" is a noun as well as a verb, in case you were unaware.) Now, I have come to accept that the former "college-only" site is as common as a cold.

If you feel that it is still a passing fad or classify Facebookers (yes, the word to describe a person who utlizes Facebook) as a stereotype of vagrants, daters and hoodlums, maybe it is time to take a closer look at what our favorite social media is doing in the world of business.

On May 10, 2009, the Target corporation kicked off Bullseye Gives - its first-ever Facebook campaign. Target invited users to visit their FB page and help Target decide on how to divvy up $3 million among ten charities. After tallying 291,300 votes, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital with a total of 77,427 votes (26.6%) came in first and received $797,123.

According to Target, "during the two-week campaign, Bullseye Gives generated incredible results and voter resonse, including:
-- Target Facebook Page added 97,091 new fans
-- During the campaign, the Target Facebook Page increased daily views by 4,800%* -- Target Facebook Page experienced a 3,000% surge in wall posts, with more than 3,000 personal stories shared throughout the campaign*
-- More than 167,000 fans on Facebook voted for the charity of their choice

Now, if you think FB is still a waste of time, consider this: according to ebennett.org, over 275 hospitals around the country are using social media including: the Mayo Clinic, Riley Children's Hospital and Johns Hopkins. In fact, out of 277 hospitals who use social media, 135 have YouTube Channels, 101 have Facebook pages, 201 have Twitter accounts and 25 have blogs.

Hospitals are seen as outsiders to the online social conversation because of the typical boundaries and limitations healthcare organizations place on themselves. People want to communicate with hospitals and want these organizations as part of the conversation.

It is key to an organization’s success to become involved in this conversation and to develop relationships with current and future patients.

Social Media For Hospitals

View more Microsoft Word documents from Paul Mcivor.

Interactive Patient Care

2009-05-27T12:11:18-05:00

Take charge of your own health care! As a patient, you have heard this phrase a hundred times and with the internet as a vast resource for medical knowledge, taking charge of your own health care is easier and more accessible now than it has ever been. As a patient in the hospital, you are at the mercy of the staff, your friends and family and (uhh) the hospital's chosen cable provider for countless hours of Judge Judy. As a hospital administrator, you look for ways to improve quality, service and cost performance outcomes.

One NY-based cable vendor, Optimum Lightpath, has partnered with GetWellNetwork® Inc., Bethesda, MD, to offer an Interactive Patient Care System in the New York City metropolitan hospitals. The GetWellNetwork® and its competitors like TIGRNET™ offers patients a variety of features that are not only entertaining but also educate them on their illness and recovery. By using a wireless keyboard, touch screen or hand-held device, patients can use the in-room television to access internet, e-mail, movies, educational videos, menus and meal ordering capabilities and a medications database.

According to GetWellNetwork®, "We are passionate about developing innovative solutions that empower patients. In fact, patients are at the core of everything we do. Our software platform features Patient Pathways™ that enable your hospital to rapidly achieve an interactive patient care environment. One in which patients can learn about their condition, collaborate with their caregivers, secure helpful services, and enjoy entertainment resources – all from their hospital bed."

Will allowing patients to take charge of their hospital stay improve quality, service and cost performance outcomes in American healthcare? A group of prominent healthcare leaders, clinicians, researchers and policy makers announced the launch of the Institute for Interactive Patient Care (IIPC).

The IIPC will be comprised of two principal functions:

To conduct research that will establish the efficacy of patient engagement on advancing hospital quality, safety, service and financial outcomes, as well as patient outcomes; and
To utilize these findings to establish and promote patient engagement policy, standards and requirements for healthcare providers.

“We are excited to support such important work and believe that engaging patients in the care process will result in improved outcomes and reduced costs. The group of thought leaders joining the Institute is remarkable, symbolizing the importance of patient engagement in the healthcare transformation formula,” said Michael O'Neil, Jr., founder and chief executive officer of GetWellNetwork, Inc.

To learn more about GetWellNetwork® and the products they provide, visit www.getwellnetwork.com.

To learn more about TIGRNET™ and the services they provide, visit www.telehealth.com.

Cut Backs Now or Job Cuts Later

2009-05-22T11:32:09-05:00

Newton Medical Center in Newton, KS, has not had to lay off a single employee in 10 years. With astronomical amounts of Americans out of work, this small statistic seems like a beacon of light on a dark night. How is Newton Med accomplishing this feat? In 2008, the hospital saved $2,000,000 simply by utilizing cost-cutting suggestions by employees.

Many times, hospitals leave the task of trimming the fat up to administration and purchasing departments but Newton Med discovered that employees would rather make small cuts in the present than deal with layoffs in the future.

The problem is that purchasers and administration aren't always privy to the small details in a hospital - details that employees handle every day. According to Newton Medical's Registered Dietician, Rhonda Horsch, "I think that everybody knew that we all had to pull together and give up a little something. We added up how much free hot chocolate was going out every month, and every year, and that came up to about $10,000 a year - which we were surprised at."

How much "hot chocolate" is your hospital serving? We encourage your hospital to reassess your bottom line through your employees eyes. Not only will it make their ideas and input more valuable, it could mean the difference between being able to stay fully staffed or having to cut some jobs.

Click Here for more information about this subject

Do I Feel A Draft?

2009-05-12T17:07:28-05:00

As children we are forced to bear it all to the world. Of course, it's cute when you are an infant. Beyond puberty, the only time you'll be caught dead with your bum swaying in the breeze is when you are forced to wear a hospital gown.

Though the material is usually softer than a newborn bunny (probably because it has been worn and washed 30 times) everyone knows what lies beyond that thin layer of fabric - especially when they have to help you to the bathroom (reason #324 to honor nurses).

According to Lucette Lagnado, "Medical historians believe the current gown evolved from nightshirts patients wore in hospitals int he 1800s that were slit open in the back. Variations of the current style have been in use since at least the 1920s."

Of course, nobody enjoys wearing these skivvies but changing the concept of the garment is difficult because of its functionality and price.

Patient gowns are now a $76 million market, according to Premier Inc., an alliance of hospitals that negotiates to buy supplies and works with hospitals on quality improvement. Gowns can be purchased for $2-$3 each and washed several times. And, try designing a garment that allows doctors to get to the parts they need in an emergency.

That is exactly what a group of students at the College of Textiles has been doing for the last two-and-a-half years.

"We thought that it would be a much easier problem to tackle," says Professor Traci Lamar, who has been guiding the students through this arduous task. "It is as if the patient is an object - can't we develop a more respectful garment?"

The students were given a $236,110 grant to work on not only designing a new gown but also production and marketing of the piece.

This is not the first effort to design new hospital digs. Nearly ten years ago, Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, NJ, hired designer Nicole Miller to redesign their gowns. The final cost of the gowns are about double the price of an original hospital gown but the hospital says the colorful garb is worth the extra money.

At the Maine Medical Center in Portland, administrators noticed a decline in Muslim patients missing their scheduled appointments. The root of the problem: Muslim patients were so distressed about the free-wheeling gown, their medical problems were second to their modesty. A new sarong-style gown was outfitted immediately.

The question remains - will outfitting a less assuming hospital gown boost a hospital's bottom line? Ask yourself, "would you choose one hospital over another because of a more comfortable stay? Though we couldn't find research supporting whether updating hospital apparel raised revenue or not it might be worth looking in to.

So where are hospital gowns headed? V-neck lines, iPod pockets and tapered seams? I'd say watch next season's runways for the future of fashion - hospital gowns.

How do you save 17.4 BILLION dollars? Hire a coach!

2009-05-11T16:57:49-05:00

My grandmother was literally hit by a Mack truck fifteen years ago. When she left the hospital, the barrage of medications were a little too much for her to handle. Disoriented and disengaged from her several-month stay at the hospital, her medication regimens were not correctly followed and she landed right back in the hospital. It was only determined at that time, someone needed to reacclimate her to life on her own.

According to modernhealthcare.com, "Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) has introduced legislation that seeks to reduce hospital readmission rates by improving the follow-up care patients receive after leaving the hospital. The Medicare Care Transitions Act of 2009 would save billions of dollars each year by incorporating a model that Colorado has used to reduce readmission rates and improve care."

In other words, "Care Coaches" will help patients make the transition from hospital life, to life on the outside. These coaches will help patients manage their condition and medications, provide follow-up care and become a standard when patients must either return to the hospital or change treatment centers.

Modernhealthcare.com goes on to state, " 'The goal is to improve patient quality and cost-effectiveness of care for Medicare beneficiaries and ease the burden on providers to reduce hospital readmission rates,' according to a summary of the bill."

“ 'Across the country, too many seniors are being readmitted to a hospital within a month even though it could often be preventable,' according to the statement. A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that unplanned rehospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries are expensive and frequent, accounting for $17.4 billion of $102.6 billion Medicare paid to hospitals in 2004. Bennet’s legislation has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee."

McClinics - You want fries with that?

2009-05-11T16:33:45-05:00

Haircuts, banking and now - health care - in super markets like Wal-Mart and chain pharmacies like CVS; hospitals are finding that there are benefits to branching out.

Around the country, hospitals are now affiliated with more than 25 Wal-Mart clinics including: the Christus Medical Group, in Texas; the Aurora Health System, in Wisconsin, Coxhealth in Missouri and even the Mayo Clinic has opened one Express Care clinic at a supermarket in Rochester, Minn and a second one across town at a local mall.

"We think of ourselves as a new model of care; we meet our patients at least halfway," explains Dr. David Herman, a Mayo executive who supervises the two retail clinics. "Maybe our primary-care practices in general are not as convenient and transparent as our patients want them to be."

Currently, the typical supermarket clinic is staffed by physicians assistants and nurse practicioners, like Planned Parenthood clinics and are supervised by physicians. The minimal overhead allow the clinics to operate a lower cost than primary care physicans and emergency rooms -a typical physical is about $30. These lower costs are especially attractive to the uninsured and unemployed.

From a marketing perspective, it isn't the profits that hospitals will seek from these clinics but the relationships they build with potential clients.

"[They are] exactly the customers that hospitals want - women of child-bearing age. The hospitals want to deliver the babies," explains Margaret Lewis, a policy expert at the California Health Care Foundation.

According to Dr. Brian Nester, senior vice president at the lehigh Valley Health Network, "The economics in the health system are broken." Even President Obama and Congress have warned of a shortage of primary - care physicians. These clinics will be filling a need - unplugging emergency room waiting rooms and extending general health care hours to the public.

So, what does that mean for consumers? You can get a gallon of milk, your car tuned-up, a new 'do, cash your check, have dinner, and get checked out for that rash all in one place - for under a hundred bucks. You can make a night of it.

National Nurses Week 2009 Nurses: Building a Healthy America

2009-05-08T15:15:45-05:00

Being a patient in a hospital or doctor's office usually isn't a "fun" experience. You usually aren't there because you feel great and want to share it. Those that bear the brunt of your disdain are usually the nurses. Long hours, unpleasant tasks and a endless amounts of sick people boils the job of nursing down to two factors - passion and compassion.

"Often described as an art and a science, nursing is a profession that embraces dedicated people with varied interests, strengths and passions because of the many opportunities the profession offers. As nurses, we work in emergency rooms, school based clinics, and homeless shelters, to name a few. We have many roles – from staff nurse to educator to nurse practitioner and nurse researcher – and serve all of them with passion for the profession and with a strong commitment to patient safety.

Background
National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of
modern nursing."

Read more about National Nurses Week and send an ecard here.

FDA, FTC Warn Public of Fraudulent 2009 H1N1 Influenza Products Offending web sites and illegal activity targeted for action

2009-05-08T14:50:00-05:00

administered by the FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission are alerting the public to be wary of Internet sites and other promotions for products that claim to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat or cure the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. The agencies are also advising operators of offending web sites that they must take prompt action to correct and/or remove promotions of these fraudulent products or face enforcement action.

“Consumers who purchase products to treat the novel 2009 H1N1 virus that are not approved, cleared or authorized by the FDA for the treatment or prevention of influenza risk their health and the health of their families,” said Michael Chappell, acting FDA Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs. “In conjunction with the Federal Trade Commission, the FDA has developed an aggressive strategy to identify, investigate, and take regulatory or criminal action against individuals or businesses that wrongfully promote purported 2009 H1N1 influenza products in an attempt to take advantage of the current flu public health emergency.”

Products that are offered for sale to the public with claims to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat, or cure infections caused by the H1N1 influenza virus that have not been proven to be safe and effective for these uses must be carefully evaluated. Many of these deceptive products are being sold over the Internet via illegitimate web sites. The operators of these web sites take advantage of the public’s concerns about H1N1 influenza and their desire to protect themselves and their families. These fraudulent products come in all varieties and could include dietary supplements or other food products, or products purporting to be drugs, devices or vaccines. Such fraudulent products will not prevent the transmission of the virus or offer effective treatments against infections caused by the H1N1 influenza virus.

“The last thing any consumer needs right now is to be conned by someone selling fraudulent flu remedies,” said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. “The FTC will act swiftly against companies that resort to deceptive advertising.”

Consumers are urged to contact their health care providers or legitimate medical supply services if they have questions or concerns about medical products or personal protective equipment. Consumers are also urged to visit the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web sites for more information about this emergency, and to determine which products the FDA has approved, cleared or authorized for use to diagnose, treat, prevent, mitigate or cure infections caused by H1N1 influenza virus.

Consumers should also visit FDA's web site for tips about how to protect themselves when buying medicines online: http://www.fda.gov/buyonlineguide/

The two antiviral drugs approved by the FDA for treatment and prophylaxis of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus are Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) and Relenza (zanamivir). Tamiflu and Relenza, in addition to their approved labeling, have Emergency Use Authorizations that describe specific authorized uses during this public health emergency.

For more information about FDA-approved antiviral drugs for influenza, see http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/antivirals/influenza/default.htm.

For more information on CDC recommendations regarding use of antiviral drugs against the current novel 2009 H1N1 influenza strain, see http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/?s_cid=swineFlu_outbreak_001.

For more information about personal protective equipment see http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/ppe/.

At present, there are no licensed vaccines approved for this new H1N1 influenza virus.

Consumers are urged to report any suspected fraudulent products or criminal activity relating to FDA regulated products associated with H1N1 Flu Virus (Swine Flu), including the names of web sites that may be offering these products for sale, to the FDA by visiting: http://www.fda.gov/oci/flucontact.html

Ten Adams Wins 13 Aster Awards

2009-05-08T09:18:02-05:00

Ten Adams nationally recognized in 2009 Aster Awards Program for excellence in medical marketing

Honored for advertising excellence in the 2009 Aster Awards, Ten Adams received 9 GOLD, 1 SILVER and 3 BRONZE recognitions in this year’s competition.

The Aster Awards, one of the largest competitions of its kind, is hosted by Marketing Healthcare Today and Creative Images, Inc. This elite national program recognizes outstanding healthcare professionals for excellence in their advertising/marketing efforts.

The 2009 Aster Awards consisted of approximately 3,000 entries from across America. Participant’s entries competed against similar-sized organizations in their category. Entries must score at least in the top 85% to receive an award. Judging criteria includes creativity, layout and design, functionality, message effectiveness, production quality and overall appeal.

“Ten Adams is among the top in the nation for healthcare advertising expertise… specifically scoring in the top five percent. It was an honor to have Ten Adams participate in the 2009 Aster Awards,” said Melinda R. Lucas, Aster Awards Program Coordinator. “They exceeded the judges’ expectations.”

Entries in the Aster Awards were judged by a diverse panel of healthcare marketing experts. All winners are posted on the Aster Awards’ website (www.AsterAwards.com), as well as published in Marketing Healthcare Today, a national healthcare marketing magazine.

Ten Adams Welcomes New Account Executive - Deborah Wilkinson

2009-05-07T16:37:19-05:00

For over 15 years, Deborah has been involved in the design and implementation of research for her clients, assisted in the development of strategy, the creation of marketing communications plans and the management of marketing plan implementation. In addition, she has developed media recommendations, overseen print production and coordinated special events. Deborah is an integral part of the Ten Adams team tackling marketing and positioning for existing clients while also serving as liaison between the client and Ten Adams.

Deborah has spent a number of years working directly with patients, physicians and nurses in private practices and outpatient services. This experience gives her an understanding of the internal issues healthcare systems deal with day to day such as workforce development, corporate culture as well as physician recruitment.

Prior to joining the Ten Adam’s team Deborah worked as an Account Executive/New Business Development Manager at a Healthcare focused Advertising and Marketing firm in Southern Indiana. To reach Deborah please email her at DWilkinson@TenAdams.com or give her a call at (812) 253-6324.

Hospitals: Never Have a Never Event

2009-05-07T16:00:19-05:00

We've all heard the horror stories: a middle-aged woman goes in for a routine knee replacement and passes away on the table because of a slight negligence of the staff. Hospitals consider catastrophes a normal part of the process but every once in a while something happens that is unthinkable and totally unforeseeable. The problem is, it is almost always preventable.
Not only are these events often tragic, they're expensive. In a large teaching hospital, errors in healthcare have been conservatively estimated to cost more than $5 million per year, and preventable healthcare-related errors cost the U.S. economy up to $29 billion each year. According to the 2008 Hospital Professional Liability/Physician Liability Benchmark Analysis -- a new study by insurance giant Aon Corporation in conjunction with the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management -- hospital never events accounted for one out of every six closed claims, and four categories of hospital-acquired conditions accounted for 12.2% of total medical professional liability costs.
Often times, "preventable" doesn't fall on the surgeon or hospital administration but an employee whose job is seemingly unappreciated. By learning to engage your staff and make them feel valued mishaps can be prevented. Read more about this at the Gallup Management Journal by clicking here.