Junto ("june-toe") is sponsored by Franklin Street, a branding and full service advertising agency specializing in health and wellness. We call the blog Junto in homage to Benjamin Franklin, who created the first "Junto" brainstorming group, which established the first American public hospital.
During the recent Wisconsin Healthcare PR and Marketing Society (WHPRMS) webinar, “Inspiration Interception: Brand Lessons from the Super Bowl,” we discussed three “truths” from the country’s splashiest ad season that can be applied to healthcare marketing.
1. Be real time
Strive for advertising that takes into account the moment we’re in (job loss, real estate decline, rising gas prices), and how people’s lives are being impacted – in order to create branding that is relevant and impactful.
2. Know your audience
Even by just using sweat equity, you can learn more about your audience – their lives, values, aspirations, and struggles – and create campaigns that connect with them on a deep level. Try informal groups, hanging out in the waiting room, even going to a competitor’s ER and sitting/observing.
3. Connect a bigger truth
We’re in the business of life and death, and our branding should reflect that. We should strive to connect our hospitals with a larger story, which is ultimately more meaningful to our audience.
One participant asked which would be the most important “truth,” given the reality of limited marketing budgets.
That’s tough. Each one could resonate more strongly than another, given your specific market influences, audiences and conditions.
All things being equal, Real Time might seem to have the edge – as we discussed. There’s a reason Chrysler’s “Halftime in America” spot remains one of the most memorable and discussed as from this year’s big game.
But maybe the real answer isn’t just one answer. The GE “Stories: Healthcare” spot shows the Bigger Truth of connecting to something more important than the feature of an imaging machine – but it also blends in a Real Time idea (that in a tough economy, seeing that your good work matters can be powerful.)
The idea of Maturialism also underpins our second “truth”: know your audience and talk up to them.
We also reviewed three different brainstorming exercises, such as This or That, Picture Comparison, and finding Linear and Non-Linear parallels. Chrysler chose to do a unique length (two minutes), subject and timing (halftime).
Steward Healthcare in Massachusetts launched a brand campaign with a regional buy during the 2011 Super Bowl and they plan a similar buy during this year’s Summer Olympics.
Some say we’re experiencing an “era of disruption” in healthcare. How can we challenge our thinking or challenge the way we’ve been doing things? What might you do next to push your hospital’s brands forward?
If you need a little more inspiration, look for lessons from these leading brands.
Imagine that you have a terrible cough. Your nose is runny, you’re running a mild fever, and your throat feels a little constricted. What do you do? Call your mother? Contact a medical professional? Drop by your local clinic? If you’re anything like the average American adult, the first thing you would do is go online to research symptoms.
Although the Internet has long been the go-to source for health and wellness information, most hospitals are notably absent in the online arena, often treating the web as an afterthought to traditional media. Here are seven key statistics that suggest that a smart web presence is more important than ever for every hospital and health system:
This spring, members of our Franklin Street team will be presenting a discussion on marketing healthcare to men at the Virginia and the New England healthcare marketing conferences.
It’s a fun presentation with lots of examples of great healthcare and non-healthcare marketing to men.
But it does beg the question: why would you want to market healthcare to guys?
After all, women make most of the healthcare decisions in the household, right?
It’s true: women have and still make most of the healthcare decisions. Women are more engaged with healthcare in general than men. But there are four key trends that are creating more male engagement with healthcare brands. If you’re a health system or provider seeking to grow volume and share, pay note.
Trend 1: The Great Recession Has Created Millions of “Dad Moms.”
With the Great Recession, about one in five men are unemployed. As a consequence, men are sharing more of the household responsibilities – including managing the family’s healthcare needs. Proctor & Gamble and other big brands have recognized this shift and have capitalized on it – check out P&G’s sponsored ManoftheHouse.com, a resource for dads to brush up on their ironing and cooking skills. According to Nielsen, one-third of primary shoppers in the household are men, up from 14% two decades ago.
Trend 2: Changes in Masculinity Have Created More Male Interest in Formerly Foreign Topics – Like Healthcare.
Leo Burnett Chicago published a study earlier this year on consumer trends, and one of their key findings is that traditional masculine roles are in the decline, which means men are more comfortable engaging in activities once alien to them. (Can you imagine Clint Eastwood folding laundry? Maybe not. But you could see Ross from Friends starching shirts.)
According to The New York Times, dads are spending 22 hours a week on childcare-related activities, double what it was 30 years ago. Given these changes, it begs the question: what are healthcare brands doing to reach and engage “dad moms”?
Trend 3: Age and the Internet are Fundamentally Transforming How Men Engage Healthcare Brands.
As men age, their inhibitions in discussing healthcare decline. In fact, according to researcher Reyn Kinzey (Kinzey & Day Research), by the time men are in their early 60′s, there is little difference between the sexes in their openness to discussing their healthcare situation.
In a related set of research, The Pew Internet Study finds that as men age, their engagement with health information on-line matches women. In the coveted 55-64 age cohort, 75% of all men who use the Internet do health searches, the same percentage as women.)
Trend 4: Men are High Healthcare Consumers.
Technically, this isn’t a trend, as it’s been the case since the dawn of modern medicine. Men are simply more likely to get sick, injured or die earlier than females. Consider these facts:
Men represent 50% of the work force, yet account for 94% of all on-the-job fatalities.
Worldwide, men have a life expectancy of 64.52 years, as compared to a life expectancy of 68.76 years for women.
Being a male increases the risk of heart disease by 17%.
Between 70% and 89% of sudden cardiac events occur in men.
33% of men ages 20+ are obese.
Given the fact men are high healthcare consumers, it makes sense to market to them. But the question becomes, how? What are the right messages and strategies to connect with guys? More on that later in blog posts to come…
Do you see men dealing with healthcare more in your own life? Do you agree this shift is taking place?
Beyond the standard capabilities, case studies, examples of strategic approach, bios, client list and creative process, what do you really need to know about a potential marketing partner? Just like in dating, checking profile statistics is important first step, but you’ll want to dig deeper before a second date or the possibility of forming a valuable relationship. Asking these seven questions could make the decision easier:
1. What is the future of healthcare marketing?
Sounds esoteric, but it’s important to know if the firm has a perspective on best practices across the country, not just in your backyard, including benchmarks for expected return on investment for campaigns. More than that, they should be on the pulse of consumer trends that can help keep you ahead of the competition. Be sure the agency’s answers show they understand all aspects of marketing, not just advertising. And watch for jargon. To paraphrase Einstein, if they really get it, they can explain it simply.
2. What are five recent creative ideas that aren’t ads?
Another good way to find out how the agency thinks, according to Edward Boches. Did they seek and recommend the most effective strategies for the challenge? Or did they take a safer, easier or self-serving route? How are they addressing trends and applying best practices? Look beyond the most clever or creative tactics. If they didn’t hit goals, does it matter how great the idea was?
3. What size client would we be?
Naturally, you want your hospital to be considered special and worth attention from the firm’s A Team. Determine if a small, medium-sized or large agency will best fit your needs. Inc. cited Horn Group and Kelton Research that found 66% prefer agencies with less than 50 people because there are “fewer hoops to jump through, more consistency in account teams and more intimate partnership, regardless of budget.” Generally you want to be in the top third of an agency’s client base. Too large and the firm may not have the staff or resources to help you effectively. Too small and you may be ignored or handed off to junior staff. Ask if the firm limits its client base to guarantee high levels of attention and service. An agency’s rapid growth could mean a shift in your level of importance.
4. What do you look for in your team?
Who doesn’t want incredibly talented people on the job? But if you’ve got to work together when stakes are high, budgets are under fire, deadlines are looming and you need to share honest feedback, chemistry is critical. Beyond talent, check if the agency looks for similar qualities in its people as you do for your team. Are they proactive? Curious? Good listeners? Strategic thinkers? Passionate about continuous improvement? Buttoned up or showy? Bold? Team oriented? Collaborative? Knowledgeable about what drives revenue and decision-makers in hospital markets? (You don’t want them playing catch up.) According to Inc., “the more knowledge the agency’s people possess, the more creative they can be. That means a powerful agency asks questions, listens to answers, engages in tireless research, and never stops learning.”
5. Who (really) will be on my team?
Like the previous questions, how important is it have to have the full attention of agency leadership and seasoned staff? Ask how much access you’ll have and be clear what you expect. Try to meet or talk to the people who will actually be handling each part of your business. If possible, visit their office. See for yourself their culture, work in progress for other hospitals, and enthusiasm for creating health and wellness marketing that works.
6. Describe my brand.
A great way to find out if the firm has done its homework. With limited access to your hospital’s vision or operations at this stage, no answer will be perfect, but did they notice unifying messages or previous marketing efforts? Did they offer insight into your positioning or competitive situation? What – and how – they discuss these points may reveal if they’re good researchers, independent thinkers and truly interested in your situation.
7. How have your clients grown? Inc. notes the best firms grow based on the growth of current clients and their ever-increasing marketing investments – a better benchmark than growth from lots of new clients. A similar question: What’s your longest-running campaign? It may not be among the first examples the firm mentioned or the sexiest creative, but chances are it’s very successful. Find out why.
Other Considerations:
Does the location of the firm matter? (Should key audiences in your market choose the most convenient hospital?) You can work together on expectations for personal attention. Ask how often an out-of-market firm works with local vendors to maintain those relationships or cost efficiencies.
What do you think? What are other questions you should ask your next agency?
We’re not talking gift shops or Starbucks. Lake Health‘s West Medical Center in Ohio recently became the first in the country to feature an entire wellness-focused retail store inside the hospital.
We spoke with Gary Robinson, Vice President for Government and Community Affairs, on the venture that could influence how organizations nationwide work to keep patients healthy and out of the hospital.
But healthcare reform didn’t drive the idea.
Necessity was the mother of invention. Actually, a mother’s necessity.
Gary explains:
Our CEO, Cynthia Moore-Hardy, was frustrated looking for items her sick mother needed. She stumbled across a store in Cleveland called Max-Wellness. She found everything she needed for her mom – plus a few things she hadn’t thought about. She asked an associate if she could talk to the store’s CEO, who responded within hours.
It was Michael Feuer, the founder of office supply superstore OfficeMax. The store was one of four new prototypes focused on the wellness industry. Wide, bright aisles held more than 7,000 health and wellness products including vitamins, blood pressure monitors, skin care products, sleep aids, orthopedic braces, exercise devices and mobility equipment.
The two met and brainstormed about Lake Health and a flagship “mini” store concept that’s designed to be within hospitals and rehabilitation centers.
Ideally, patients and their families can purchase whatever they need before they go home, so everyone’s full attention can be on furthering recovery after discharge.
The hospital consulted with physicians, nurses, employees and patients to help Max-Wellness teams tailor inventory at West Medical Center. The store debuted last July.
We hoped it would increase patient satisfaction, but we didn’t anticipate the other benefits. Employees and physicians love it, too – so much that they’ve been driving sales the first six months. They’re always emailing ideas for more wellness products and healthy snacks to carry. We expect caregivers will transition this year to the bulk of sales. It’s been really well received.
So far, Lake Health has only marketed its Max-Wellness through public relations and internal communications.
Our staff continues to work with patients pre-discharge to discuss what they will need and help them get it.
We’re still in the development phase, so Max-Wellness teams continue to listen and meet with our departments to adjust the product mix for our patients’ recovery needs and general wellness. We looking to add new mom products soon.
Another unique aspect: Lake Health is a minority owner in their pilot store.
We don’t see it as a money-maker. It’s part of our mission to care for patients and their families. Everyone involved in the project knew it was right for us and our community.
Based on the store’s success at Lake Health, Max-Wellness could expand to other hospitals throughout the country.
Other hospital administrators have requested tours of the pilot mini-store to see if it is a good fit for their facilities.
Lake Health also may test other Max-Wellness concepts like health product vending machines at urgent care or physical therapy locations. The system includes a second acute care hospital and 13 other health sites in Lake County.
How would a retail partnership work in your community? How do you engage patients in their recovery and promote overall health? Do you think Lake Health’s store is a game-changer for health reform?
In 2008, Holy Cross Hospital opened the nation’s first geriatric emergency department. The new design, featuring handrails along every corridor, larger clocks, and pressure sensitive beds that can be set for those patients who tend to wander, caters to an ever-increasing population of elderly E.R. frequenters.
“When you talk about marketing hospitals, there’s a saying that kind of everybody knows, which is, ‘The emergency room is your hospital’s front door,’” said Dr. Bill Thomas, a geriatrician who helped open the first senior emergency room in the country. “Among the most vocal users of that front door, and the people who sometimes have the strongest opinions of that front door, are elders.”
MSNBC notes that the trend continues to snowball as hospitals across the US see the flourishing results of these specialty ERs. Emergency Medicine chairman Dr. Mark Rosenberg of St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, NJ says his center saw a 15% rise in patients last year. Rosenburg started a 14-bed Senior Emergency Center just over two years ago and plans to open a larger one this autumn.
Of course, not all health systems are quite prepared to adopt this new program; however, many are changing protocols and increasing awareness to cope with a flux in elder care. How is your hospital preparing to serve the growing population of seniors?
Should your hospital consider creating a specialty ER for seniors? Consider these questions as you make your plans:
Is your hospital located near retirement communities or 55+ independent living communities?
Is your hospital service area a destination for retirees?
Wal-Mart is addressing the difficulty of navigating its super centers by cutting store sizes and wider checkout lanes to make it easier for wheelchairs. How easy is it to navigate your ER? (Both driving to and once inside?)
Are you considering the addition of freestanding ERs? This new trend is perfect for senior citizens as convenient location is critical for senior-friendly design.
Your smart phone can do amazing things: video chat with friends, check the latest scores for your favorite Indian cricket team, or play Scrabble with your co-worker. But your smart phone more than fun and games. The latest additions to the smartphone app market may just end up saving your life.
According Fast Co., mobile health technology is currently a $2 billion of the $273 billion medical-device industry. And that number is skyrocketing. Experts believe the number will continue to grow as smart phones get smarter and patients take their health into their own hands.
Up next? The FDA plans to release a rigorous set of guidelines for mobile health applications later this year. A more formalized process will make entering the market easier and energize the mHealth market.
What does this mean for your healthcare organization? It’s time to pay attention to mHealth.
Keep an eye out for great new apps and products that may help cut costs–a new app and accessory for eye exams is literally .3% the cost of its predecessor.
Think ahead – mobile health portals may soon allow patients who track their health via apps to plug into your EMR. Imagine that data shared seamlessly with your medical staff.
Try them out yourself. After all, you deserve to be happy and healthy, too. Check out our favorite apps for staying fit and healthy.
Get your own app–from ER wait times to tips and calendars for pregnant moms. The possibilities are endless.
If it isn’t already, make your site mobile friendly. While this isn’t an app, it is mHealth. If your website isn’t compatible with prevalent mobile technology, you are missing a golden opportunity. 1 in 7 searches are now mobile and that number is even higher for local searches.
Have more ideas for mHealth? Know an mHealth guru? Need more inspiration? We love sharing our thoughts and talking with other experts in health and wellness. Give us a shout.
One of our favorite things to do is to shed light on healthcare topics and share powerful information with our readers. This time we’d like share with you an article from Catherine Boyle, Chief Operating Officer at Northfield Ministries, to touch on a subject few know about in detail but 24 million suffer from: eating disorders.
“If one illness killed more young women than all other illnesses combined, there would be just cause for alarm. Outraged groups would form, fighting to save lives. Prominent leaders would organize creative fundraisers for research. Scientists would tirelessly study until test-tube miracles resulted.
There is such an illness, hidden in plain sight, striking down predominantly women on the cusp of adulthood. This illness is eating disorders.
Some recent statistics reveal the devastating impact of eating disorders on our society: 24 million people in the United States have an eating disorder. For 86% of these people, the eating disorder started before age 20. Up to 30% of college-aged women are eating disordered. Though eating disorders are typically thought of as young woman’s struggle, reality is that eating disorders know no age, gender or ethnic boundaries.
Once emotional, physical and spiritual condition, eating disorders typically take years to develop and years to recover from; If you recover. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate for all other mental illnesses combined, and are the number one cause of death for women aged 15 – 24.
The cost of lives lost to the eating disorder beast is incalculable, but the cost of treatment is readily available, and unfortunately it isn’t cheap: one-week hospital stays average over $11,000 for an eating disorder patient, but each hospital stay also has significant costs for insurance companies, as well as the local, state and federal government (for Medicaid and indigent patients). More importantly, hospital stays do not resolve the eating disorder, but are merely a band-aid to keep women alive, only to return to the same behaviors and environment that resulted in hospitalization. A vicious cycle of frequent hospitalizations often results, which means unstable and poor health for the patient, and consequentially, difficulties with employment and growing financial burdens.
Specialized treatment options are available but given the significant death rate and medical complications associated with eating disorder, most options are prohibitively expensive, often in the range of $2000/day and up. Virtually all of the costs of specialized treatment are borne by individuals.
So, where is the outrage, the research, the funding? Almost non-existent. Eating disorders are significantly underfunded compared to other illnesses with similar rates of occurrence. Though eating disorders have been in our national vocabulary since the death of Karen Carpenter 30 years ago, the complexity and painful nature of the issues that make up eating disorders have resulted in a lack of significant financial and other tangible support.
Against formidable odds, one brave mom is on the forefront in the battle to rescue this generation from eating disorder. Motivated by the multitude of young women who came to her through her church and the community, all seeking help with their eating disorders, Gwen Seiler. She dreamed of a place where women could break free from their eating disorders without bankrupting their families. In 2006, Northfield Ministries was born.
Northfield Ministries is a Richmond-based Christian non-profit working with women struggling with eating disorders, depression and self-harm. Northfield currently provides mentoring services and helps women and their families find care providers appropriate to their specific needs. The benefits from Northfield’s work are obvious: women are connected to the right resources for healing; they are mentored with Christian principles; they learn their worth and purpose. Wonderful byproducts include reduced spiritual, emotional and financial burdens on families, and ultimately lower costs to insurance companies and to society.
In early 2012, Northfield is opening a 12-bed residential treatment facility 30 minutes west of Midlothian, VA for women who need to work through the issues underlying their eating disorders in a focused way. Located on 49 acres of Virginia farmland, Northfield’s Cumberland Home offers a beautiful, safe, serene location where women can separate from environmental triggers and begin to rebuild the identity and purpose God desires for their lives.
Northfield Ministries believes that healing from eating disorder is possible. We’ve seen it over and over. But we can’t help everyone who comes to us without support. If ever there was a cause that needed help, eating disorder is that cause.
Maybe this is why you are reading this article. Be the voice for those who have lost theirs. Support Northfield Ministries. The life you help may be the life of someone you love.”
Statistical source: Commonwealth of Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care, Healthy Living/Health Services Subcommittee ‘Study of Eating Disorders in the Commonwealth’, September 19, 2011.
