As patients assume more active roles in healthcare
decisions, hospital executives should make branding a top priority, according
to the new issue of healthcare marketing report Protocol from Smith &
Jones. With an active brand strategy, hospitals can align physicians and staff
with the hospital's mission and identity, as well as make communications
consistent.
"Until recently, it wasn't necessary to advertise
healthcare services," Smith & Jones President and CEO Mark Shipley
said today in a statement. "Hospitals are now forced to brand and market
their services to retain even their local consumers' care spending."
Meanwhile, patients are choosing health insurers based on
brand reputation, reported The Financial. That should signal a warning to
hospitals that they need to strengthen their brands to attract patients in today's
competitive healthcare environment.
"More than ever before, consumers are paying increased
attention to their healthcare options and selecting products and services they
prefer to consume. As a result, positive brand recognition has become and will increasingly
be critically important," Debra Richman, senior vice president of
healthcare business development & strategy at Harris Interactive, said in
the article.
To develop a strong brand, hospital executives must gauge
the brand from the patient's point of view to figure out what they like or
dislike about the brand, according to a March blog post from
StrategicPlanningMD. It also noted that a great hospital brand appeals to
emotions with a powerful experience that goes beyond quality metrics and connects
to patients.
Some of those strategies can be seen in Washington state,
where EvergreenHealthcare has rebranded itself as EvergreenHealth to better
emphasize its highly personalized care and dedication to patients and the
community, the hospital district announced earlier this month.
Source: fiercehealthcare
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