Patient Experience Marketing

Healthcare Marketing: Is Social Media Really Social?

Social media is no substitute for real interaction and relationship.

So there are now almost 600 million people who have joined Facebook.  That’s just about everybody isn’t it?  It’s the way we connect, network, create and maintain relationships.  And brands are trying to get into the social media mix and create meaningful relationships with consumers.  Healthcare marketers are slowly entering the fray and experimenting with ways to interact with their constituencies and their community.  Everyone is telling us this is the way marketing is done these days.  I have drunk the Kool-Aid and have strongly suggested the same thing.  And I’m not backing down from that belief.

But sometimes in our rush to adopt and to gain a competitive advantage, our thinking becomes a little skewed.   Social media is an aid.  It’s a vehicle.  It’s a tool.  But it is not a real relationship. Especially when we are dealing with service brands.

Pete Blackshaw in an Ad Age article referred to social media as “a relationship vitamin and sweetener and not a destination.  It should deepen brands, not defuse or soften them”.  He goes on to argue “volume doesn’t always translate into intimacy, speed doesn’t guarantee meaningful connections, retweets don’t necessarily confer respect and friending doesn’t always signal friendliness”.

The point is, social media is no substitute for real, meaningful relationships.  The kind that happens between people, personally.  Sure, social media can affirm and support those real relationships but it cannot take the place of what happens human to human in real life and real connections.  Brands are defined and brands become social with human things like customer service, caring, helping, smiling, being there and maybe just a soft physical touch. These kinds of things can ultimately only be delivered in personal ways. Human ways.  And not from places on the internet.  Sure social sites can support and confirm such activity, but not take its place.

We can be “social” all day long on the internet but unless we are truly social as we interact personally, human-to-human, it’s not real or sustainable.  Listening, authenticity, transparency and responsiveness have to begin in person. Although we use these words often when discussing social media, we are fooling ourselves if we think these uniquely human things can really happen on social networking sites.  Brands are made (and broken) at points of real human contact and only sweetened by social media.

We talk a lot about relationship building and conversational marketing.  That’s well and good.  But they begin with real personal contact.  Blackshaw references the fact that we are so “social” these days we all walk with our heads down and eyes fixed on our smart phones as we try to create and maintain relationships.  Wouldn’t it be more social to lift our eyes and see people instead of screens?  To use a smile or a word to communicate?  A handshake or a touch to connect?

Let’s don’t get confused and think we can make a service brand real by capitalizing on every social media site available.  The effort instead should go into people caring for and about people.  Personally.

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Hospital Marketing: Can Advertising Transform Your Hospital’s Brand?

Advertising has effectively transformed many brands.  It can be done.  But it’s much more difficult for advertising to transform a service brand.

I read a blog recently by Chris Bevolo about advertising and it’s ability to change a brand.  There are many excellent examples of advertising changing and transforming old brands.  The most vivid current example is Old Spice cologne.  Old Spice was my father’s brand. (For some it was your grandfather’s brand.) And it stayed my father’s brand.  It did not resonate with a new generation of smelly males.  There were other more hip, cooler brands that took the market.  Old Spice became irrelevant.

But today Old Spice is making resurgence.  Did it change its formula or alter the smell to fit a new generation?  No. It’s the same fragrance my father wore.  But the brand has been transformed.  How?  Advertising!  The Old Spice Guy has made an old stale brand hip and relevant again.  The TV spots and videos featuring Isaiah Mustafa as “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” have become a marketing phenomenon.  The spots just received the Film Grand Prix Award at the International Advertising Festival at Cannes.  And the videos have become the No.1 all-time most-viewed sponsored channel on YouTube with over 94 million views.  And its market share has grown over 8% in a flat product category since the advertising campaign broke.

So yes, advertising can obviously transform a brand.  But Bevolo went on to make the very valid point that it’s much easier for advertising to change a product brand than a service brand. The product sits on the shelf and a consumer decides to buy it or not based on advertising, promotion, price and a few other various factors.  But the product does not interact with the consumer other than through advertising and promotion.  A service brand is different.  A service brand interfaces with a consumer in a very active manner.  There are many more factors at work than simply advertising and marketing.

Consumers’ attitudes toward service brands are determined by their engagement and interaction with the brand. You cannot simply advertise and expect the brand to be different.  With service brands, the brand is defined by each customer contact, with each customer experience.  If the hospital is not clean, if the staff has a bad attitude, if the food and service are poor, no amount of advertising will change the brand perception.

A service line brand is transformed from the inside out. It is defined every day. Advertising can be very powerful.  But for service brands it can only be effective if it is consistent with the consumers’ brand experience. The brand promise must be delivered clearly and consistently.  If it is, then advertising can take a transformed brand and effectively reposition it in the mind of the consumer.


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Hospital Marketing: Customer Satisfaction Scores Decline in Healthcare and Energy

Hospital customer satisfaction levels declined in the past year, joining the energy sector as the only two industries whose scores declined.  And this in spite of a strong emphasis on patient satisfaction by hospital CEOs.

Times have been tough in this economy.  For almost everyone.  And it’s true for hospitals as well.  It has led to implementation of various cost saving initiatives in most hospitals.  And in some, it has necessitated layoffs.  It appears the result has also caused a decline in patient satisfaction.  According to American Consumer Satisfaction Index, which measures consumer satisfaction for ten economic sectors, hospitals’ satisfaction scores fell 5 % over the past year. Only the energy sector joined hospitals with a decline.  It’s clear why there was a decline in the energy sector but both surprising and troubling there was a decline with hospitals.

The results were reported by Philip Betbeze in HealthLeaders Media.  Overall hospital satisfaction dropped 5% with inpatient satisfaction recording the largest decrease.  This is especially interesting when more and more hospital leaders are stating they are placing a stronger emphasis on patient satisfaction.

In fact, Betbeze reports that in the 2010 HelathLeaders Media Industry Survey, many leaders are making patient satisfaction their number priority.  Over 38% selected patient satisfaction as their top priority and it was near the top in most of the other surveys.

Hopefully, this increased emphasis on patient satisfaction will turn the tide and lead to significant increases in future surveys. It needs to.  Declining patient satisfaction will lead to trouble in many other ways and will certainly negatively impact our hospitals’ brands.  When that happens there are long-term effects.

Sure there is great pressure in hospitals to cut costs in the face of a struggling economy, decreased reimbursements and an uncertain industry environment.  But as Betbeze correctly states, “investments in patient satisfaction require more commitment than cash. In fact, relative to other investments hospitals have to make, such as high-tech imaging systems, new patient towers, and new operating suites, patient satisfaction improvement is instead based on clean rooms and hallways, better, hotter food, better service, and more eye contact, among other, seemingly simple fixes. Those things improve with culture”

It is certainly disheartening to see satisfaction scores decrease while management makes it a top priority. Hopefully it means there is not just lip service to the problem but the results just haven’t been fully manifested and thus not appearing in the survey results yet.  It is certainly a necessity to stop the decline and improve satisfaction scores.  So much depends on it.  There are many things in healthcare that management cannot control but a patient-centered culture and a commitment to patient satisfaction is one that can be impacted.  It must be!

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Healthcare Marketing: It’s the Real Relationships that Really Matter

It’s not so much about building relationships with brands; it’s about using brands to build relationships.

All the talk these days is about relationships.  Relationships are king. It’s the coin of the realm.  Everything is all about building relationships.  But the interesting thing is that relationships are often discussed in the context of technology, social media, Web 2.0, apps, metrics, analytics, demo-psycho-socio-geographics, social networking, blogs and a thousand other buzz words.  But when I step back it’s all so odd.  All of those terms are so very impersonal.

We talk about building a relationship with a brand, a product, a service.  Yes I do it too.  Everyday.  But have we forgotten that real relationships are human? Can I truly have a relationship with my toothpaste, my jeans, my iPod, my microwaveable food, my gym, my computer, my car ?  Well yes I can have a relationship with all of those things, in a sense.  But not a real relationship.

Real relationships are human. It’s the touch of someone you love.  It’s holding a child or grandchild close and squeezing hard. It’s enjoying a family trip.  It’s working together with coworkers to achieve a common goal.  It’s striving together with others for something noble and right. It’s being with friends talking and laughing and just hanging out.  It’s crying with someone you care about who’s hurting.  It’s shedding tears when someone dear is no longer here.  It’s sharing life with someone.  It’s always a uniquely human experience.

This is not to discount all the wonderful new technologies, techniques, methods and knowledge that help us communicate.  But none of these can be a substitute for real relationships.  And we must not forget it.  We are so busy talking about and “building“ relationship in so many artificial ways but sometimes we forget that relationships are human. They involve the body, mind and soul.  They include the heart and emotions, which cannot be explained or adequately described.

Doesn’t it make more sense to instead of trying to build relationships using a brand or product, or service, or institution; we talk about how those things can help build true relationships…with other humans?  Isn’t that what it’s all about?

Relationships are indeed king.  But real relationships are about human relationships.  We don’t need to get lost in faux relationships but rather use technology and communication tools to communicate how our brand or service or product can help create and build and sustain and improve real relationships.  The kind that is human.  The kind that can’t be reduced to analytics and research.  The kind that really matter. The kind that makes life truly worth living.


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Hospital Marketing: It’s all about the Patient

The emphasis on patient experience has not only improved patient care but it is also improving the health of healthcare organizations.

The past few years has seen an emphasis by hospitals on patient experience. There has been a concerted effort to improve patient satisfaction.  And it appears to be working.   According to a report from Press Ganey,  patient satisfaction has been improving since 2003 with 85% of those surveyed in 2008 reported they were satisfied with the care they received.

The report also shows that hospitals are reaping the benefits of improved customer satisfaction.  Some of the findings are:

1. There is a direct correlation between highly satisfied caregivers and satisfied patients.  And that in return helps in recruitment and retention of doctors and staff.

2. Hospitals that deliver superior customer satisfaction are more likely to be recommended by patients thus increasing their market share, and this of course contributes to the hospital’s bottom line.

3. Staff buy-in to improved patient satisfaction leads to a more positive work environment, which contributes to better patient care.

4. Satisfied customers are less likely to file malpractice lawsuits.

But there is room for improvement.  Glenna Shaw, in an article in Healthcare Leaders Media, cites five areas from the study where hospitals need improvement. In order of priority, they are:

1. Response to concerns and complaints during the patient’s stay.

2.  Degree to which hospital staff addressed the patient’s emotional needs

3.  Staff effort to include the patient in decisions about his or her treatment.

4.  How well the nurses kept the patient informed.

5. How promptly staff responded to the call button.

The survey also noted that service recovery was a key component to patient satisfaction.  One of the key factors is how the hospital responds when things go wrong or when a patient’s needs are not met.

We have known it all along in every other business category.  Now we are beginning to realize that it’s also true for healthcare.  It’s just common sense.  It IS all about the customer…patient!


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Hospital Marketing: The Future of our Brand is Determined by Random Contacts with the Patient

The brands that top the charts in customer experience are also winning the loyalty battle.

Forrester Research recently released its list of top brands for customer service.  Surveying over 4600 U.S. consumers about their customer experiences, Barnes and Noble topped the list.  Others making the top five were Marriott Hotels, Hampton Inn, Amazon and Holiday Inn Express.  At the bottom of the list were Charter Communications, United Healthcare and Citigroup. (A complete list can be seen here).

It’s always interesting to see how consumers rate businesses in regard to their customer service experiences.  And to examine what businesses do to improve their customer service.  It’s also interesting to see the correlation between customer service and other brand attributes.

One thing we know is there is a strong correlation between customer experience and brand loyalty.  Those companies that deliver superior customer service also build strong brand loyalty.  The brand image and perception are largely determined at the point it interacts with the customer.  Brand loyalty is determined at the point of customer contact.

As hospital marketers, this is invaluable information. We often put our emphasis on technology, convenience, services and a host of other things.  But how much emphasis are we putting on that point of customer contact?  What is happening when our brand interacts with the patient and the patient’s family?  Brand loyalty is being determined at those random points of contact.  The future of our brand is determined during these interactions.

This is undoubtedly the most difficult thing to control.  There are so many within our organization that have contact with the patient and each one of them can make or break the experience.  It’s very difficult to control all of these contacts.  But it is imperative that we create a culture, an environment, where there is consistent attention and a strong emphasis on positive customer service. Yes technology, convenience, services and a host of other things are important, but in a consumer-directed economy, customer service is at the top.  The customer experience will determine how our brand is viewed and if there is any brand loyalty.

Barnes and Noble and the other companies at the top of the list make great effort to create a customer-friendly atmosphere and attempt to deliver the highest level of customer service.  They make it their corporate culture.  The future of our own brand largely depends on how well we create that culture within our organizations.


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Healthcare Marketing: Testimonial Ads Under Scrutiny by FTC

bubble speak

Many hospitals use testimonial advertising, and rightfully so.  They can be very compelling and very effective. But more care must be given to the type of testimonial used.

The Federal Trade Commission has changed the rules regarding use of endorsements and testimonial advertising. Since 1980, advertisers could use testimonials which describe “unusual” results as long as “results not typical” was disclosed. Now the FTC says testimonial ads must clearly disclose typical results of consumers using the product or service

One area of particular concern for hospitals is using testimonials for weight loss services. “Typical results” can be very difficult to determine due to many patient variables. Other ads where patient testimonials reflect a result that is better than the typical patient would be unacceptable unless the typical results are clearly disclosed.

And the guidelines are not only for traditional advertising, but includes social media, the internet, and television/ radio talk shows.

Traditionally bloggers must disclose if they are compensated by an advertiser. And celebrity testimonials must disclose if they are being compensated for their endorsement.

Testimonial advertising can still be very effective for hospitals but should be used with care when a patient talks about results and outcomes. The results and outcomes cannot be better than the typical patient without proper and clear disclosure.


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Marketing Your Hospital: Posting Prices and Quality Data on Your Website

Stethoscope with Money

Posting prices and outcomes on hospital website is a gutsy move yet one that has been beneficial for one hospital system –  to both the patient and the hospital.

Geisinger Healthcare System in Pennsylvania posts their prices and outcomes on their website so patients can compare outcomes on different procedures as well as  costs to other hospitals in the state and nationwide.

The hospital website links to a U.S Government site that allows comparisons of hospitals on several fronts including:

1.    Hospital Process of Care

2.    Hospital Outcome of Care

3.    Survey of patient’s hospital experience

4.    Medicare payment to hospital

5.    Number of Medicare patients treated

While most hospitals post some of these numbers, few actually post the “Outcomes of Care” and likely with reason. The comparisons are a great tool for the consumer when deciding on a healthcare provider. In addition, it’s an excellent way to promote and improve the hospital’s performance. This transparency is admirable and Geisinger obviously values performance results.

 

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Hospital Marketing: Healing is Both Science and Art

Art can speed a patient’s healing process    Palette.

Hospitals spend millions on the latest technology to help heal patients. Great emphasis is placed on best practices to improve outcomes, and rightfully so. Hospitals should provide the best technology possible and strictly allow best practice guidelines to help patients get well as soon as possible.

But recent research shows that the right art on hospital walls can speed up the healing process. Upali Nanda, who has a doctorate in architecture with a specialization in healthcare systems states, “Scientific studies show that art can aid in the recovery of patients, shorten hospital staffs, and help manage pain.” 

Nanda conducted a study at Houston’s St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital using two types of art. They compared images, which had been proven to calm patients, including green landscapes, water scenes, architecture, and emotionally expressive pictures of people. In the second group, abstract art was used. The results showed that art depicting familiar, calming scenes were effective helping patients, but abstract art was not nearly as effective.

Nanda says, “One theory is that abstract art allows patients to project their own anxieties onto the image, and thus pictures that clearly portray pleasant images are more soothing.”

Based on these findings, hospitals should take great care in using art on the hospital wall and in hospital rooms.  And they should take care determining the type of art displayed. . Rather than modern or abstract art, realistic, familiar and appealing art scenes should be used because they help the healing process.

Healing is a science, but now we know it is also art.


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Marketing Your Hospital: One Texas Hospital Holding the Line on Healthcare Costs

Healthcare Costs Texas non-profit Scott & White Hospital is  a success story on changing the focus on  outcomes, patient satisfaction and cost  efficiency.

 

The Scott & White Healthcare System based in Temple, Texas is holding the line on healthcare costs through collaboration and cooperation.  This amazing program has different incentives than the “fee for service” type of compensation. 

Some of the things they are doing worthy of study are:

1.    Scott & White Doctors are employed by the hospital and do not feel pressure to use multi-million dollar machines because they don’t own any.

2.     Doctors are on salary but are paid bonuses linked to patients being “happy and healthy” and not on how many office visits and procedures the patients generate.

3.    Hospital interiors are  “more Hampton Inn than Hilton.”

4.     Frontline doctors at their 31 primary care outpatient clinics work closely with specialists at the main campus —sharing test results and scans in computer assisted huddles.  This sometimes saves an unnecessary appointment with the specialist.

5.     State of the art electronic records are shared throughout the system-something a physician in private practice couldn’t run.

6.    The administrator must be a doctor and the 800+ doctor system uses a strong peer review system to stop overuse and improve fiscal discipline.

7.    Self-improvement is encouraged with doctors getting 15 paid days off for educational activity and service to the group.

8.    Patient surveys and outcomes records are used to evaluate performance.

While this system has some shortcomings, it is certainly doing a lot of things very well and patient outcomes paired with the cost savings in healthcare should be a model for all to study.

 

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