Marketing Research with a Focus on Patient Experiences

Earlier today I had the pleasure of describing some of the leading research techniques to the NACCDO/PAN marketing group, this year hosted  by UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.  Our discussion was focused on ways to elicit feedback from patients, families and referring physicians to guide understanding, delivery, and monitoring of the patient experience. Below is [...]

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My Job is to Save Your Ass, Not to Kiss It

At a recent presentation, an attendee provided an enlightening example of the frequent disconnect between clinical and service excellence.  She shared the story of a nursing unit in her hospital (which shall remain nameless) whose nursing staff had put the following on the unit station wall: “Our job is to save your ass, not to [...]

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Marketing Execs Among Lowest Paid

Those responsible for revenue generation are among the lowest paid healthcare system executives, according to a study by Sullivan, Cotter and Associates, published in Modern Healthcare (http://www.modernhealthcare.com) and available for purchase here (http://bit.ly/9ErrlE).  Among marketing executive types (the study references Communications, Marketing, Fund Development, Managed Care, Business Development, but not Physician Relations), the marketing category [...]

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Optimal Healing Environments

One thing I have learned through interviewing patients is that sometimes the “little things” make the biggest difference. Bonuses like receiving valet parking vouchers for their first appointment or listening to a volunteer play a musical instrument in the waiting room add significant value for patients. This is especially true given that most patients can’t [...]

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Creative Cross-Functional Solutions

I recently attended the Health Forum and American Hospital Association Leadership Summit in San Diego. One theme that I noticed was hospitals improving efficiency by using creative cross-functional solutions. A few specific ideas that I found particularly interesting and inspiring: To better support employees, SSM Healthcare – St. Louis developed a HR Consultant role. Instead [...]

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Authentic Patient Stories Selling False Hope

This according Natasha Singer from the New York Times (see article). We’ve interviewed thousands of cancer patients about their functional and emotional needs using a technique we call experience mapping. Based on those findings, most patients seek the support only available at our leading cancer centers because they do not have access to the scope [...]

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Insights from University of Michigan Health System Experience Mapping Study

During a presentation at the Fourteenth National Forum on Customer Based Marketing Strategies held earlier in 2009 in Las Vegas, John McKeever, president of Gelb Consulting Group and Jim Macksood, associate director of brand strategy and communication at the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS), shared their insights about an experience mapping study conducted at [...]

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Health Reform Provides Opportunities for Marketers

I presented our insights and prescriptions regarding marketing in the era of health reform at the AAMC annual conference Saturday.  Much to my excitement, Gelb’s benchmarking study, with responses from over 60 of the nation’s academic medical centers, was of great interest to participants.  My co-presenter, John Cragin, provided meaningful insights regarding the changes in universal health [...]

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All About Expectations

Health care is often compared to hospitality, so I paid particular attention to my recent hotel stay at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia.

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All About Expectations

Health care is often compared to hospitality, so I paid particular attention to my recent hotel stay at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia.

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