Your Million-Dollar Video Conferencing Recipe That Doesn’t Cost a Fortune

The way we do video conference calls in our office at Healthcare Success is several measures of professional quality ahead of most everyone else. We’re proud of our video conferencing setup. It conveys a million-dollar setup, but the cost is low and the benefits are high. We’re often asked how we do it…and we’re pleased to share more of the how-to details with our subscriber audience.

The core idea is to create an appearance that rivals any network television studio. We use the larger of several meeting rooms that can accommodate a meeting of a dozen or more people. Or more commonly, a video conference call has from two to four participants around our table.

Our super-size video conferencing setup…

Any healthcare corporate communications team, marketing department or PR office would be pleased to have a similar setup available. In fact, when they learn about the relatively low cost, many hospitals and providers are now on board with a similar capability.

Our main backdrop is a wall of a conference room with the company name, logo and tagline dimensionally rendered in a contrasting solid color. Mounted high on the opposite wall is the video camera—the teleconference participants see a wide angle full-room view.

The people in our office see the video-connected participants via a wall-size projection, just below the camera mount. The camera also has zoom-in, zoom-out controls for close-ups. And a detailed rundown of the software and hardware is included in our previous (part one) article: The Magic of Video Conferencing and the New Productivity Curve.

Real payback benefits of real-time video conferencing…

The business of marketing and advertising for providers depends on a person-to-person working relationship—like any service business, and especially healthcare.

Connecting visually as we do with clients has become a solid means for relationship building. Video conferencing enhances existing relationships with remote employees, vendors and other members of the service and support team.

As a further communications advantage, another office has a “green screen” wall (and no logo) that provides a chroma key photo backdrop. The solid-color behind the subject can be digitally replaced with an alternative background image. (Chroma key paint or fabric backdrop material are commonly—and inexpensively—available.)

Live, two-way, interactive audio-visual connection among two or more participants is a powerful communications tool that outdistances text or audio alone. Thus, there are a ton of payback benefits for any healthcare facility, hospital or Marcom office. In addition to the better-known applications in telehealth, some of the practical opportunities are:

• A practical aid to better staff instruction and medical training.
• Closes the time and distance gap. Video conferencing brings people together, closing any large or small distance in real time.
• Facilitates a better and immediate exchange of information.
• Provides connectivity with distant experts, consultants or authorities.
• Saves the cost of travel. A corollary to closing the distance gap is reducing or eliminating heavy travel expenses.
• Facilitates communications and/or health education with the media.
• Staff communications during emergency or disaster situations.
• Timely contributions to improve patient care.

Video conferencing is a competitive advantage…

As a further plus to the business advantages, the video conferencing capability presents a highly professional and authoritative look and feel. All or part of the videoconference can be recorded and made available for future reference.

The company and each of the participants—local and distant—are empowered with a competitive advantage that aids productivity, inspires strong relationships and enhances the online experience and reputation.

Video is widely recognized and used as a widely available digital tool. And video conferencing has matured in the healthcare industry as a first class tool for business, marketing and communications professionals.