Editor Note: Our guest post today is by Dr. Neil Baum, MD, and is adapted and condensed from his article titled, Doctors and Magicians: What We Can Learn from Wizards, and used with permission. One of my hobbies is magic and I have found that there are principles in performing magic that apply to […]
If anyone still harbors doubts about the momentous—and mostly positive—influence of the Internet in healthcare, you can now apply the question marks of life to other things. (Lunar landing conspiracy theories and the whereabouts of Waldo still need some careful consideration.) But the convergence of patient/consumers and healthcare delivery is complete, and the pathway to […]
The term of art—Level of Care—is familiar throughout healthcare. The words have variations in meaning depending on the context and application—the health insurance world vs. the medical provider world, for example. But generally the words relate to “the intensity of medical care being provided by the physician or health care facility.” [McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern […]
Each year, the much-anticipated list of Best Hospitals by US News & World Report is a great national springboard for local and regional hospital public relations. Here’s an example of win-win-win PR that brings the big story down to the local reader. The San Diego Union-Tribune put the media spotlight on two respected, and nearby, […]
With all the noise and ballyhoo that surrounds digital media these days, traditional media might seem like an incidental afterthought for healthcare advertisers. Facebook, Twitter and other social media tools are often the top-of-mind glamour options in a marketing mix, and broadcast/cable TV seem like media oldsters. Be careful. While Internet and online advertising is […]
Every contemporary textbook about hospital and healthcare marketing deserves a robust chapter about the art of storytelling. Nearly everything that professional communicators do involves telling a compelling story, usually with the goal of engaging an audience and inspiring an action. From a one-to-one conversation between doctor and patient, to the focused interests of a social […]
The profound influence of the Internet in American society is drawing healthcare marketing away from traditional communications channels. Online search and social media are the starting points for most patient health journeys, and they are major influences in the selection of doctors and hospitals. Nobody has proclaimed that “traditional media is dead,” and that’s unlikely […]
Recently I spotted an article about online reservations for hospitals and doctors, where patients make their own appointments via the Internet. “Some practices rave about the money and time they've saved by allowing patients to schedule visits through the Internet,” according to the American Medical News write-up. “But so far, most physicians aren't that enthusiastic.” […]
From a top-level perspective, a well-conceived marketing plan expresses four key elements. If each component of your plan does not clearly and specifically answer these questions, synergy and success are at risk. Mindful that “performance precedes accountability by a narrow margin,” confirm the following for every item on the plan: WHEN will this occur? Create […]
Marketing-savvy hospital administrators—and their tuned-in communications teams—are writing new rules for success in reaching, attracting and retaining patients. As the nation’s healthcare delivery system has become an ever-changing playing field, many of the “old rules” of marketing are less important—including more than a few that are now passé. Among the well-known influence factors that continue to […]
In this Marketing Podcast, Healthcare Success Co-Founder Lonnie Hirsch and author and speaker Neil Baum, MD discuss the patient and practitioner advantages of shared medical appointments. In this detailed conversation. Dr. Baum outlines how shared appointments are provided in his office, and the benefits that patients report when this option is available. Healthcare delivery in […]
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is not quite the mysterious term that is once was. The doctors, hospitals and health systems that operate most of the nation’s health care websites recognize the vital role of medical SEO in connecting the patient with the provider. But unlike the words and graphics of a website—the stuff anyone can […]
Not so long ago, you might have seen advances in digital sign technology as minor wizardry. But today contemporary consumers—routinely surrounded by big-screens and monitors—see anything less as "aging analog." The traditional state-of-the-art in signage consisted of a static display with Helvetica words, symbols and maybe an occasional graphic. In contrast, progressive hospitals and medical centers are turning […]
One business tip—something your health care competition may not know—is that email is a highly effective secret weapon for physician marketing. When some reports suggested otherwise, Gigaom Research told us that, among digital marketers, “Email marketing is the digital workhorse, deemed the most effective (relative to other digital tactics) for building awareness, acquisition, retention and […]
“All you have to do,” someone once told every young doctor, “is be a good provider and everything will take care of itself.” Let’s put that notion at the top of this list of promotional myths. The mistaken belief—that simply being a good doctor will bring new patients through your door—will probably make you and your […]
The near-constant atmosphere of change in healthcare is taking more than a few medical practices back to their marketing drawing board. Doctors are forming new groups, practices are consolidating, and competition is escalating. And for many, the online workhorse of physician marketing—your trusted website—needs to change dramatically to reflect a new name, a new brand…maybe […]
Although the Affordable Care Act (ACA), in its final, amended version, has been the law of the land for slightly more than five years, the industry-shaking consequence of “healthcare reform,” continue to emerge almost daily. There have probably been more significant changes in the nation’s healthcare delivery system—for providers, hospitals, employers and health insurance—between 2010 […]
From time to time, the subject of television advertising comes up in our work with healthcare providers. What follows, typically, is a little three-act cycle of “rejection,” to “reluctant testing,” to “enthusiastic surprise.” Right up front, I need to say that broadcast television advertising isn’t right for every client situation. There are production and media […]
If one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words, this video-based article offers up some useful ideas (and a little inspiration) in a bit more than 13 million word-equivalents. It’s also a legitimate business excuse to put your other work aside—call it healthcare marketing research—and become one of the 100 million Internet users who […]
The marketing and advertising idea defining a “Buyer Persona” is well known in the retail world, but it’s a relatively new—and increasingly important—concept for doctors, hospitals and healthcare providers. The nation’s healthcare delivery system is now consumer-centric and driven by informed and empowered “buyers.” Taking a page from the retail world, the consumer is thoughtfully gathering information […]
For many healthcare practices, the popular and easy-to-use social media platforms are standard marketing tools. Professionally and personally, it seems like everyone “does Facebook” or follows Twitter. In this guest post, Mickey Kennedy observes how “easy-to-use” can mean “easy-to-make-mistakes" in social media. Healthcare providers—individual practices, medical groups, hospitals and others—are critically aware that prospective patients […]
Within the healthcare industry, reputation management is not new. But when the venerable Washington Post has something to say about hospitals and health systems, people in American’s capital and throughout the nation tend to take notice. An insightful Post Health & Science section article reports on “a new and urgent effort by hospitals and health […]
[Second of Two Parts] The concluding guest post installment from Pediatric Rheumatologist Dr. Paul Rosen about the challenging, self-discovery process of creating a compelling 18-minute public presentation. Although a TED talk is one example, doctors can use similar, public forum opportunities to draw on and express their passion for the profession and the people they serve. See Part One […]
If you buy into all the stats, everyone with a smartphone, tablet, laptop and/or desktop computer is immersed in “the year of video marketing.” And that’s pretty much everyone. Marketing-smart professionals—from retail to health care providers and hospitals—recognize the potential power of the PLAY button to engage, convince and convert. Some of the often-quoted statistics […]
[First of Two Parts] Pediatric Rheumatologist Dr. Paul Rosen—a regular contributor to our blog—offers insight for doctors about creating a meaningful message in the world-famous TED format…or any public presentation. The challenge for any physician is to discover their personal passion in healthcare, and to stand and deliver a compelling 18-minute talk. “Speech is power. […]
[Article Series: An excerpt from a forthcoming book by Mark Tager, MD, and Stewart Gandolf, MBA, for private practice physicians and healthcare administrators about reaching, recruiting and retaining private pay and elective care patients. Refer to our previous article on this topic titled: How to Grow Your Private Pay and Elective Care Business.] Launching an […]
On some level, does “your boss” think the business value of social media is roughly the same as an open block party BBQ? Maybe it’s a friendly-nice-to-have, but the measurable marketing impact for hospitals and healthcare is vague at best. And when you know all mind-numbing numbers, how can social media analytics provide audience understanding and […]
[Article Series: An excerpt from a forthcoming book by Mark Tager, MD, and Stewart Gandolf, MBA, for private practice physicians and healthcare administrators about reaching, recruiting and retaining private pay and elective care patients.] The rising tide of consumerism in healthcare is challenging for both the patient and the physician. The patient is now the […]
Hospital and medical marketing professionals have long respected women—especially the American Mom— as the chief family health care decision-maker. Perhaps you recognize these numbers: Women make approximately 80 percent of the healthcare choices in the family 85 percent: choose their children’s doctors 84 percent: take the kids to appointments 79 percent: ensure family members get […]
You can probably relate to the idea that any surgical procedure is reasonable cause for a patient to be concerned. But it’s even more upsetting anytime a “revision surgery” might be needed. We encountered something like that in a marketing meeting with a medical practice that had recently completed an exceptionally pretty new website. (For […]
[Marketing Minute Video Series] Account Manager and Marketing Strategist Bernadette Wilson, MBA, and Healthcare Success CEO Stewart Gandolf talk about competition. Another Marketing Minute from Healthcare Success with tips, techniques and ideas for successful medical practice or hospital marketing and advertising. The revolution in today’s healthcare has shifted to consumerism, with many medical practices rolling-up […]
Economists and other experts will champion the positive implications of competition in business. Be it hard products or intangible services, competition in the marketplace tends to benefit both the consumer and the enterprise with purchase options, innovation, price/cost influences and other considerations. As we all know, competition in healthcare was one of the driving factors […]
Sometimes the problem in a healthcare marketing effort is in what’s NOT included. For nearly every well-intended effort—be it an advertisement, a brochure or a website—a weak or missing Call-to-Action guarantees no measurable results. It can happen (inadvertently, we hope) in the best of plans for hospitals and medical practices. A powerhouse community event, a […]
In less than a decade, healthcare in the US has changed greatly and frighteningly fast. Too fast, it seems for a multi-specialty group that was wrestling with competition and an unfamiliar business slowdown. Their story might sound painfully familiar. The business backdrop to their story is nearly universal in healthcare. Under the ubiquitous label of […]
To be fair about it, the general use of videos and visual content isn’t the secret part of this story. The big brands and the not-so-biggies are all using some form of video content to tell their story. At least one assessment reports that video is, by far, the most popular and effective content marketing […]
Sadly, we recently witnessed the sudden death of a good idea. As often happens within an office culture and politics in medical practices, a healthcare marketing idea was killed off before creativity had any chance at all. And the really tough part is that it was swept away for all the wrong reasons. In this […]
Fear. Risk. Rationalization. It’s likely that we have not heard all the reasons that doctors DO NOT advertise. Perhaps only a million or so. For one thing, the list of "not doing marketing" is nearly endless. Secondly, the doctors and healthcare professionals who we talk to most often have left that old-school thinking behind and have squared-off […]
All healthcare marketing and communications professionals are well acquainted with the basic elements of the Communications Cycle. In essence: the sender expresses a message the recipient receives and interprets the message feedback to the sender reflects understanding (or misunderstanding) While it all sounds elementary, we know from experience that the communications process is always far […]
During the past five to 10 years, competition among healthcare providers has gone from fairly benign or annoyingly disruptive to a painful upheaval. From hospitals and health systems to solo practitioners, the competitive landscape has changed—correction, continues to change—rapidly. And one of the most significant factors that many doctors find especially scary is the staggering […]
The day-to-day business of healthcare marketing—particularly for patient recruitment and clinical trials at hospitals and medical offices—hasn’t changed much…yet. But by many accounts, the much-heralded Apple Watch and the lesser-noticed ResearchKit are about to change healthcare research big time. And in the process, significantly streamline the often labor-intensive process of clinical trial marketing. Health and fitness is […]
[Series Installment] “It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.” --Jean-Luc Godard Pure creativity is seldom born from a blank piece of paper. There’s nothing new under the sun, they say, but be open to sources of inspiration. Consider, for example, that Henry Ford did not invent the automobile, Thomas Edison did […]
A successful office manager who we admire and respect once told us that there are three main components to her job. The first is to assure the delivery of a top-notch patient experience. The clinical care and treatment, of course, was mainly in the hands of the doctor. But just about everything else—staffing, administration, and […]
Marketing in any industry is a tricky endeavor. When it comes to your own practice or an independent clinic where gaining and maintaining a customer’s trust is paramount, the task is especially challenging. And when we’re talking about the marketing of content, that challenging task becomes even more difficult, due not only to the ongoing need […]
The challenges of hospital marketing can appear unwieldy and complex because…well, sometimes they are unwieldy and complex. You have multiple audiences to address, professional and patient needs to consider, worthy objectives competing for scarce resources…and a million other goals, expectations and nuances. But to simplify, take a page from the retail world. A method that […]
Are printed YP directories still relevant? Judging by the less-than-usual clutter under the desk, the Yellow Pages (and similar printed directories) have all but vanished from American communications culture. When was the last time you saw a rotary dial phone, telephone landline or even a corner phone booth? Some marketing “old-timers” (anyone over the age […]
Nobody said it would be easy to upset tradition and office culture in order to dramatically re-invent the often-frustrating system of patient appointments. Pediatric Rheumatologist Dr. Paul Rosen spells out how faster, better, easier patient access produces business, personal and clinical advantages. I was talking to a friend last week about a recent experience she had […]
On an intellectual level, many doctors acknowledge the revolutionary rise of competition in healthcare. But some individuals and medical groups underestimate the shocking reality of what active and aggressive competition means in business today. Some provider organizations find themselves rapidly losing business and needing to market as never before. A large specialty practice, for example, […]
[Marketing Minute Video Series] Healthcare Success Account Supervisor Tracy Scarborough and CEO Stewart Gandolf talk about RESULTS in marketing. Another Marketing Minute from Healthcare Success with tips, techniques and ideas for successful medical practice or hospital marketing and advertising. Hospitals, medical practices and other providers always want results from their marketing investment. But surprisingly, not […]
It seems that consumers have collectively decided about social media and health care. They’re in favor of it as an information tool and use in droves. More importantly, over 40 percent of people say that social media would affect their choice of a particular physician or hospital. If a significant group of people (i.e. prospective […]
Ask a dozen people for a definition of “brand” or “branding,” and the odds are that they will talk about a logo. Maybe it's a trick question because the word “brand” can be a noun or a verb, or in the narrow context of marketing, it can have yet another meaning. Compared to the retail and […]
