Welcome to the debut issue of NESHCo's enewsletter. We'll bring you useful articles on technology, trends, the workplace and more. We welcome your feedback at kwoodsum@neshco.org.

Happy New Year!

by Kim Laramy, Social Marketing Strategist, Ethos Marketing and Design

Healthcare marketing is often about influencing purchase or destination decisions to increase volume for an organization. There are times, though, when the desired outcome is more about behavior change. In those cases, healthcare marketers can apply their traditional marketing knowledge in the relatively new paradigm of “social marketing.”

Even marketing professionals often misunderstand social marketing. It is primarily a social or behavior change strategy that involves defining barriers to a behavior in order to effect change. It is a discipline that takes into account the simple fact that most people operate out of motivated self-interest – “what’s in it for me” – and so is successful when it activates or motivates people. Social marketing is finely targeted to reach those who have a reason to care and are ready for change. And social marketing works best when it is an integrated, comprehensive and strategic approach to behavior change.

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Historically, price has been the forgotten “P” of health care marketing – and a relatively minimal aspect of overall provider management. With the exception of bulk managed care negotiations (e.g. – per diem rates) and retail prices for a few totally elective services (such as laser eye surgery), price has played a very minimal role in the provider marketing mix. As a result, the industry has very little experience with the pro-active use of price as a marketing and business development strategy.

In recent years a number of factors have caused the beginnings of a change in the view of price as a key part of the overall marketing mix.

By Ben Dillon, Geonetric

Increasingly, health consumers visit hospital Web sites before visiting the hospital, making your Web site one of your most important relationship-building tools. If your site does not meet their needs, you risk losing them as potential patients.

Consider the visitor who searches your site for cancer, not oncology, and cannot find what they need, or the potential donor who clicks through your site only to learn that she cannot donate online. Sites that make it difficult for visitors to accomplish their tasks leave them with an impression of your organization that likely does not reflect the image you wish to portray.

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By Cliff Hakim, Rethinking Work

Work can be a source of greater happiness, if you become adapt at opening and closing doors.

There are some doors you’ll want to close because you feel the room has grown too stifling and there’s not point being there. And there are doors you’ll want to open to set your spirit free and welcome new colleagues and experiences.