Now and then, something really unpleasant happens at a hospital, medical center or even at a medical practice, and “bad news” abounds. Unflattering headlines and stories flow, and negative hospital public impressions and perceptions have administrators reaching for the extra large bottles of Pepto-Bismol. What if something like this hit the fan in your facility? […]
Right up front we need to say that there aren't any absolute "guarantees" about results in hospital advertising, or healthcare marketing for that matter. At best, you can use proven strategies and tactics, draw on professional experience and take other practical safeguards to minimize risk. But guarantees? Steer clear of anyone who offers you that […]
We need to devote a few lines in recognition of the volunteer efforts of healthcare providers, medical industry corporations and hospitals everywhere that do good things for their community. In the world of doctor and physician marketing and advertising, our post today is about the new mobile medical clinic of the Puget Sound Christian Clinic […]
Many hospital marketing, advertising and public relations programs actively reach into the community. Here are two hospital programs that we spotted in the field recently. Although they are two totally different approaches to community relations, they both promote good health and demonstrate civic pride and involvement.
At its unveiling in April 2010, Apple predicted that the use of the iPad by medical professionals would change the face of healthcare, ultimately providing multiple ways to promote hospital marketing and public relations. The latest count by Apple shows over 25 million tablets have been sold (first 14 months); more than 15 million iPad 2's […]
From a hospital wedding to rockin’ oncologists to disco-beat CPR, here’s a quick roundup of noteworthy medical marketing and PR ideas that promote a healthy message of awareness. First, the “nobody wants to miss the wedding” department… Pediatric neurosurgeon Taryn Bragg wanted to share her wedding with friends, family and patients at American Family Children’s […]
This headline really grabbed us: Rude Surgeons Hurt Patients, Increase Costs. It’s about a study with internal hospital and medical practice PR implications that can’t be good. (Let’s hope this doesn’t sound familiar to you. “Those [surgeons] who berate their staffs are practicing 'bad medicine,' experts say,” according to the item in this month’s issue of […]
We’ll call this one the tale of the “dead rat ambassador.” It's currently at the top of the list of real-life “horror stories,” in the category of negative hospital public relations and really bad patient experience. (We have photos, so we know it’s true, but who could make up this kind of stuff?) On the […]
A fundamental guide for hospital, provider and healthcare organization news releases and media relations. The process of "getting ink" —when your news release or story idea finally appears in the media—has always been a challenge. Often it's more of an art than a science, enlivened by a generous splash of good luck. (For simplicity in […]
The 20 most important tips for working with news media; friendly or otherwise. A one-on-one interview or an elaborate news conference requires preparation and confidence when working with the news media. Although there can be no assurances about the media will do, here are the 20 most important tips for before, during and after a […]
We first spotted a “SuperColon” ™ article in a small town community newspaper. Who wouldn’t want to “take a stroll through a giant colon: an inflatable pink tunnel, lined with healthy tissue, abnormal growths, protruding polyps, and informative facts.” One of the world’s largest, most elaborate models of the human body is definitely attention getting. […]
It is a daily challenge for most hospitals, medical practices and healthcare public relations professionals to get to and through the "gatekeepers" in the media in order to tell their story to the public. The problem is that prospective topics or story ideas that are important to PR professionals (and their employers) must also be […]
Sometimes we think that Stewart Gandolf has way too much fun over at his blog, Gandolf’s Marketing Magic. I submit as evidence, and for your consideration, Stewart’s recent post that begins with the story about how a customer complaint became a YouTube music-and-video saga (in three parts) titled United Breaks Guitars. As a quick disclosure, […]
From time to time everyone in healthcare marketing and public relations will write a news release…and then hope that it navigates the tricky course from your desk to the eyes and mind of the intended reader. Individual practices may do this occasionally while big hospitals and other healthcare organizations may do it daily. The secrets […]
For some time now, we have championed the benefits of video content as a powerful, and often underutilized, tool in healthcare marketing. No pun intended, but here are two cutting-edge video examples of surgery—direct and graphic from the OR. Viewer Discretion Advised. These video examples of actual surgery include graphic content. Online video broadcasts (and […]
by Steve Smith, Healthcare Success Senior Consultant Recently, I told you about the negative impact of five cents worth of coffee. That story was really about how a missed opportunity can be costly. Today, I am pleased to tell you about the opposite, about how a few cents worth of product and labor can make […]
Perhaps you’ve followed the Taco Bell ("Of Course We Use Real Beef") PR brouhaha, or you recall the PR catastrophe for BP regarding last year’s gulf oil spill. Admittedly these are big business issues at the tip of the PR disaster sword. The media has a field day, and it’s a spectator sport for the […]
How to succeed at public speaking, enhance your reputation and produce new revenue Successful public speaking can be easier than you think. Natural anxiety aside, speaking is a useful and effective marketing tool for a meaningful connection with professional peers and prospective patients in the community. Attracting new patients and professional referrals is more about […]
Here’s a civic-minded idea that a hospital, urgent care center and many other healthcare organizations can organize and produce for the benefit of the community…and capture a bit of publicity and public relations in the process. It also illustrates the fact that your budget doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting if you recruit […]
Here’s a useful technique that publicity savvy professionals, hospitals and healthcare organizations are using to grab a bit of the national news halo. Here’s how it works… When you can link developments in your specialty or professional field to timely news headlines—especially national news—call the news media and offer a local angle or spin that’s […]
This item is about a dentist, but it's a local television PR example that could be used by any profession, hospital or healthcare entity. It’s known as the City of Brotherly Love, and the CBS television station in Philadelphia runs a regular segment in the news with the same name. It’s an ongoing feature that […]
The following article by Healthcare Success Co-Founder (and pet owner) Stewart Gandolf was featured as a guest post on the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) blog, brandBUZZ. AAHA is a companion animal veterinary organization serving approximately 6,000 practice teams in the US and Canada. If the holiday season is slow around your shop – and […]
Mistakenly, we thought the eleventh month was November. But an idea born over a few beers in Melbourne, Australia in 2003 has designated this as MOVEMBER in the interest of men’s health. It’s now an international healthcare PR effort for cancer awareness, and something hospitals and healthcare public relations efforts might want to support. If […]
Last week The Orange County Register carried a great feature article about a Newport Beach family physician’s remarkable second career as a musician. It's titled From Doc Star to Rock Star…Really, and you couldn’t ask for a better example of healthcare public relations – a compelling and well-written PR splash discovered just beyond the doctor’s […]
A Chicago medical spa and wellness center that emphasizes integrative health sponsored a one-day retreat earlier this month titled: Fertility Boot Camp: Whip your EGGS into Shape! It’s an idea that may be of interest for reproductive endocrinology marketing. The objective, according to the Tiffani Kim Institute, was for women to learn “how to nurture […]
You may be able to fund your marketing plan without spending another dime, simply by slashing waste Good intentions and charitable good deeds are not the same as effective marketing. Giving is good and marketing is business-keep those objectives separate to discover savings that produce results. It was a case of mistaken identity. The catch-all […]
Since we don’t have a Dancing With the Stars heading, let’s give this creative music video a home in the healthcare public relations & PR category. It’s about hand washing in hospitals, clinics, and similar healthcare locations, with an entertaining and educational message for your internal audiences; physicians, nurses, technicians, etc. The title and description […]
Here’s a worthwhile idea that we can all get behind. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released its National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy. It’s aimed at making health information and services easier to understand and use. The plan calls for improving the jargon-filled language, dense writing, and complex explanations that […]
New mothers may not be getting the breastfeeding support they need. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that that less than half of the nation’s moms are breastfeeding enough, and they’re calling on healthcare professionals and others to do more in the way of education and support. It opens the door for […]
Health Surveillance Underway -- A Heads-up for Medical Group Marketing, Family Practices, General Practices, and Hospitals. Here’s a brief news note for healthcare professionals that’s worth repeating. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is watching for potential short-term health effects that may be related to the offshore oil spill near four Gulf Coast […]
Stewart Gandolf is out on the road again, but he wanted to share this quick insight about healthcare publicity. And since he’s a founding partner of Healthcare Success (i.e. “the boss”), here goes. So Stewart says: “Most doctors tell me getting publicity in the local press is impossible.” I reply: “Oh.” (I’m hanging on every […]
