Where is the data to back up your ad claims?

This isn't hypothetical anymore. For better or for worse, we, as a healthcare marketing professionals, continue to use terminology in our campaigns like best doctors, centered around you, university level healthcare, world class, highest care, etc., all in an effort to differentiate us from the guy down the street. Attempting to create the brand impression that we somehow we are different, without every really saying anything. Except for making a lot of claims.

So now, a savvy healthcare consume, grabs the ad, and walks into your faculty and says, "Show me". "Show me the data that proves the claims that you are making." "Show me the patient satisfaction scores." "Show me the data that proves you provide University level healthcare." "Show me how your outcomes are different from the guy down the street."

Healthcare is entering a new phase in 2012. A phase with the actual implementation of ACOs, Medicare and private. The Supreme Court ruling on the PPACA. Budget reductions and sure to follow Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement reductions. And that is just to name a few.

This also means that as a starter to attract patients, aka the healthcare consumer, you will need more than trite slogans or messaging that make you feel good in your marketing campaigns. You are going to have to talk about outcomes whether you like it or not. And that means having the data available to prove your claims.

Besides, just because you're a Not-for-Profit, doesn't mean that you are not subject to the same Truth-in-Advertising laws and regulations under the Federal Trade Commission like everyone else. And for far too long, many NFP healthcare organizations have gotten away with it.

With the Justice Department taking a more aggressive stance by looking more closely at healthcare mergers and affiliations, your advertising becomes a focal point.

So really, it's time to clean it up. Time to stop viewing healthcare marketing as advertising and making things look pretty. Time to move marketing from the basement to the C-Suite. You're not a cottage industry anymore.

To not do so, is taking financial, brand and image risks that are avoidable.

What will be your reaction to a consumer walking in your doors and holding up that ad and saying, "Show me"?

Welcome to 2012, the year when things really change.

>>> Where is the data to back up your ad claims? >>>

Tis the Season to Leverage Healthcare Quality Awards

Healthgrades, Malcolm Baldrige, Thompson Top 100, U S World & News Report and others are making their healthcare quality rankings for various diseases known. And if the hospital or health system is willing to pony up some cash, they too can use those rankings in their marketing and PR efforts.

But beyond the obvious campaigning, what I fail to see is how health systems or hospital awardees are communicating in any meaningful way what those quality awards means to the healthcare consumer. As I have written in the past, what is the value of that information to the healthcare consumer? A nice representation of the actual award and saying are in the top 5 percent nationally in (insert disease here) leaves it kind of lacking. Especially when other hospitals you compete against are making the same claim.

Wasted Opportunity

A shame really. The campaigning I am seeing in its current form treats the healthcare consumer like they are some kind of idiot. It also reinforces what the healthcare industry has been crying about that healthcare is more complicated than a 5 star rating. An inadvertent consequence nonetheless, you are creating the simplistic 5 star rating system yourself by how you are all campaigning the quality award. Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it. It's about the value not to you, but to the healthcare consumer. Instead of talking at the consumer, grab the opportunity to make the award meaningful in the eyes of the healthcare consumer, instead of taking the easy way out and puffing out our chest to say look at me.

Leveraging the Opportunity

The networked patient is one who is hungry for information. And patients are networked today more so than at any other time in the history of healthcare. The future will only make it more so. So why not get ahead of the curve and start making your ads and marketing communications pieces more value driven and providing healthcare solutions to the consumer?

Explain what that award means to the consumer. Define the value. Show how it separates you from all the others. Communicate how it reinforces your brand and brand promise. Use the award to create trust. Define the award experience in the patients terms. Just don't throw it out there and say we are in the top 5 percent or whatever. That is not meaningful to anyone. In an age of outcomes transparency, quality accountability and consumer choice, those ads sorely fail.

Maybe the opportunity is to create that 5 star web site based on those ads? Hmm......

You can continue the conversation with me on:
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/krivich0707
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mkrivich

Michael Krivich is an internationally followed healthcare marketing blogger with over 1,000 monthly pages views reviewed in over 20 countries around the world. I am a Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives as well as a Professional Certified Marketer, American Marketing Association. You can reach me at michael@themichaeljgroup.com or 815-293-1471 for hiring as your senior marketing executive , for interim assignments in all aspects of healthcare marketing whether it be strategic or tactical market planning, rebuilding and revitalizing your existing marketing operation, integration of sales and marketing teams, media relations or service line revitalizations. Huthwaite SPIN selling trained and a Miller Heiman Strategic Selling alumni, both highly respected and successful international sales training organizations, I can lead your organization though the challenge of integrating sales and marketing.

>>> Tis the Season to Leverage Healthcare Quality Awards >>>

Integrating Brand Messages Into Your Public and Media Relations

How much more effective would your marketing campaigns be if you made a conscious effort to frame your messaging in your Media Relations (MR) and Public Relations (PR) campaigns around the main brand messages you use in your marketing campaigns?

More often than not, brand messages in healthcare PR-MR rely on the "about us" statement to carry that weight. Little if any attention is given to using public and media relations as a strategic and integrative vehicle in the overall marketing effort.

And that is a missed opportunity.

As healthcare organizations, we are expected by our audiences to advertise, write white papers, create case studies, write impactful sales materials, partner with leading market research organizations to present "groundbreaking" topical surveys and results, as well as other materials. That is a given. People see and read, they (hopefully) advance the brand, maybe generate some sales leads or in some cases bring a sense of accomplishment to internal audiences because in the end, all of these materials are "about us". Activity measurement as opposed to outcomes measurement.

Now think. What is the value of these same messages being crafted in such a way through PR-MR to your organization? The more people say they don't believe what they read and see, the more that they believe what they read and see. A positive news story online, print or electronic carries with it a measure of credibility conferred by the publication, news organization or web content carrier that the story has some measure of truth and validity. Can't buy that in advertising, direct mail or contests.

PR-MR can be summed up by the following:

Presence Builds Preference

and

Perception- Leads to Opinion- Becomes Fact

PR-MR can provide you with a continuous brand presence in the market that you cannot afford through traditional or online paid efforts. It can successfully build positive impressions, solid opinions which after a while other companies and individuals will come to believe about your organization and, this is an important and... build relationships with the media and audiences that can be leveraged to your benefit in times of crisis.

In my experience, it is not uncommon to generate on an annual basis for small healthcare organizations $1 million plus in equivalent advertising through a PR-MR program. For larger companies, an aggressively planned and consistent PR-MR program generates $10s of millions of equivalent advertising dollars. Ask your Executive Suite for that kind of money for paid advertising in this or any economy and see what happens.

If you are not integrating your brand messaging into your PR-MR efforts, your losing the opportunity of a lifetime and potentially your markets.

PS. It's just not writing press releases.

If you need assistance or would like more information, you reach me directly at 815-293-1471.

>>> Integrating Brand Messages Into Your Public and Media Relations >>>

Comparing Healthcare Service Advertising Back-to-School Physicals

Its back-to-school time again, so everyone in their brother is touting those specials for school and sports physicals in various ads or direct mail pieces. Same day, next day, comprehensive, call for an appointment or just walk in.

Multi-specialty group practices, hospital ambulatory centers, solo practitioners and retail clinics are all offering the same essential service.

What caught my attention were three ads in the local paper from three different channels for these services in the market. It raised the question is anyone paying attention to their advertising message and how it compares to what can be viewed as competitors?

The multi-specialty ad - same day but you had to call for an appointment and gave no price but mentioned pediatricians implying a doctor will see you. The hospital ad - call first for a next day appointment, take advantage of our discounts, offer ends soon and gave a price. The retail clinic ad - same day, just stop by and gave a lower price. Thankfully, three very different choices for a consumer to make an initial decision to explore a purchase based on need.

Observations

The Group Practice:

If I am already a patient of the multi-specially group and have physician, I will probably call them and have insurance pay for it except for my co-pay. If I am uninsured or don’t have a doctor, I won’t go there because I won’t be able to afford the cost of care or they may not be part of my plan. The group practice will get existing patients which could have been reached more economically, personally and less mass marketing focused.

One-half page ad, lots of small copy in a gray scale box in a generally dark black and white ad with imagery of two kids doing cartwheels in yard. The imagery kind of works, but the gray scale, dark ad with too much copy makes it difficult to view. A total of 88 words. Consumers move right on buy.

The Hospital Owned Clinic:

What is convenient about calling for an appointment for the next day, seeing a price and being told there are discounts all in the same body copy? Is that the right price quoted or will it be cheaper because of discounts? Not clear- one or the other, give the lowest price or take the discount statement out, it only confuses people. Teeny tiny small print- payment due at time of service, immunizations not included.

I can see lots of copy in an ad with 124 words, three headlines and some bolded words, 4 column inches across top to bottom on the page, full color. Note to designers bolding words in copy is like shouting at someone. Not a good thing.

And contrary to what the CEO thinks, you are not differentiating yourself from anybody else because you bolded a couple of words.

How’s this for imagery, a nurse examining a kid with gloves on, holding an instrument to examine ears while looking at the camera and not the patient, photo-shopped into an in-ground outdoor pool setting. What is wrong with that picture?

Too confusing, too may messages, too much information for a really simple topic. Neither affordable nor convenient.

The Retail Clinic:
Price first, $30 think us. Smart, affordable choice. Right now and all year long. Just stop by for convenient…. A total of 56 words to get a clean, clear actionable message out. And setting up the opportunity for future service if not now then later we are always here. The ad is three column inches across, in a three color format, top to bottom on the page.

The ad speaks for itself.

Lessons learned……
Keep the doctors and CEOs out of the ad design and development.
Focus your message for a simple service.
Be aware of your target audiences needs and provide a solution.
Understand the price point.
Stop messaging that it is all about us and not about you.
Be a provider of solutions.

Think about the future and what a good customer experience from a simple service can bring to you.

Because when it comes down to a simple service that almost anyone can do, it becomes a commodity and is purchased on convenience and price.

>>> Comparing Healthcare Service Advertising Back-to-School Physicals >>>

Strategy vs Tactical Marketing

Stewart vs. Cramer

First this message. If you did not see the Jon Stewart's interview of Mad Money Jim Cramer from CNBC on Comedy Central Daily Show, you really need to see what everyone is talking about. I actually felt sorry for Cramer, but hey, CNBC needs to get its act together and figure out what their responsibility is in financial reporting. Yea for the little guy! Thanks Jon.

http://blog.indecisionforever.com/2009/03/13/jon-stewart-and-jim-cramer-the-extended-daily-show-interview/

Now back to the regularly scheduled program........

Hospital Advertising, my favorite subject

Seeing an increase in hospital advertising. Once again, it’s not clear what people are attempting to accomplish. That's because the strategic essence of marketing is missing.

Look, anybody can create an ad.

Anybody can hear the CEO, run out, spend some money and throw it up against the wall to see what sticks. How is your advertising supporting the business objectives? What is your brand message? Is a billboard on a busy expressway where people zip along at 65 miles an hour really that memorable? How about a call to action? What does your brand stand for and how is that supported by advertising? Do you even know what your brand is?

Please stop insulting consumers with promises of "World Class Healthcare". Unless you are Mayo, The Cleveland Clinic, John Hopkins etc, you don't have a world class healthcare offering.

Maybe you have missed the headlines and stories, but the US has the most expensive healthcare in the world, with some pretty dismal outcomes. There is nothing about a community hospital that is world-class. Unless you have people coming from around the world for care; not a believable message for me. And that goes for a lot of consumers too.

Really now. No awards like The Top 100 Hospitals, US News and World Reports ranking, Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award or even a JD Powers Patient Satisfaction award, how can you say with a straight face that your healthcare is world-class?

With that kind of marketing coming from agencies and marketing departments, this is what makes it so difficult to get people to understand the true nature of marketing. It is all about the marketing strategy. And there is a great gaping hole lacking some serious marketing strategy.

Figure out the right strategy first, then the rest comes easy.

>>> Strategy vs Tactical Marketing >>>

It's about the Physician

Who has patients.....doctors or hospitals?

Somewhere along the way to the informed healthcare consumer and all that hospital advertising about how good they are, the newest piece of technology and the latest greatest renovation as well as how much we care about you as a person (or your spirit, whatever that means), we have may have forgotten about the role of the doctor.... and that is not a good thing.....

Hospitals and health systems talk about "their patients". Healthcare organizations troll for consumers and employers through a variety of marketing techniques. Some have even entered into agreements with insurance companies under capitation arrangements for "covered lives" where they are paid a certain dollar amount per month per life to provide complete care. (After learning that it's not as easy as it sounds and losing millions of dollars, most hospitals and health systems have exited the insurance business. Good move.)

Physician referral programs, RN staffed call centers, community health and wellness programs, service lines in cardiology, neurology, orthopaedics and others, quarterly magazines and newsletter mailings, advertisements and public relations aimed at creating that awareness, usually center around the hospital, clinic or health system. Sometimes, just sometimes, it does center around the primary care doctor, specialist or physician group. Those hospitals and systems that do center their efforts around the doc get it.

Its about the physician......

A contrary view no doubt. But think about this for a minute. When to go to the clinic or hospital and you need a test what do you need? A doctors order. You can't walk into the Emergency Room at any healthcare facility and just go... "My shoulder hurts, give me an MRI". You need a doctors order. Want an aspirin to treat a headache in a healthcare setting, you need a doctors order. Want an antibiotic for an infection filled at your local pharmacy (unless you live in Mexico), you need a doctors order. If the hospital wants to bill for inpatient or outpatient services, managed care aside, they need the doc to put the patient in the bed or send them to the outpatient clinic. No order, no physician involvement, no bill. No bill, no revenue. It all starts and ends with the physician.

But to hear healthcare providers tell it, I belong to them. I don't belong to anyone, but have a relationship with my physician whom I trust and will go where she directs me. It does still happen to be that way for most people. Informed consumers exist and lots of available data is there for all of us to see, but the exception to the rule is the consumer who at the end of the day, will disagree about where their personal physician will send them for care.

What can hospitals learn from this....

Its about a partnership. That partnership is a three way- you, me and my doc. Stop spending so much time figuring out joint ventures, employment options and all the rest. Yes, I do admit some of it needs to be done, any organization worth its salt will look at service enhancements. That is the natural evolution of a business. But focus on the doc. Each year dozens of seminars, books and articles appear about improving medical staff relations, partnering with physicians, strategies for working together and on and on and on. Maybe its about time we learned from that and began to practice it more.

It means putting egos aside and listening. Doesn't mean you are going to do everything the physician wants, but if you listen very closely you might find some simple ways to help the physician practice medicine more efficiently, improve their satisfaction and at the end of the day increase admissions and procedures.

Want a sure fire way to improve admissions, focus some of your improvement efforts on making it easier for the physician to practice medicine in your institution. When the nurse pages the attending physician, make sure they are there when the doctor calls back. If a physicians wants a faxed copy of their ER report, send it. If the doctors office calls Admissions, have caller ID available so the admission representative can ID the doc and respond appropriately. And improve your patient satisfaction. Patients complain to their doctor about your service and care. Docs don't want to hear it. Physicians will send their patient to those facilities where it is easier to practice medicine, where they have their needs meet and their patients are satisfied.

Don't believe me. Take a look at market share data of any provider over time. Seeing only a one or two point market share swing among competing facilities? Guess what, it is not through any great marketing, its about the docs moving patients around to different facilities.

The healthcare organization that can improve physician satisfaction and make it easier for them to practice medicine in the halls of the hospital will gain admissions and outpatient business, which in turn will generate revenue, which, well you get the idea.

I admit it is not so simple with competing medical staff, the movement of services and procedures to different settings and other providers raiding medical staffs. But at the end of the day, if you can understand that it is about the doc, you will be better, the physician will be happier and patients will hold you in a new light.

Not that much different from billing the 1960s is it?

>>> It's about the Physician >>>