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Save the Date:
NESHCo Spring Symposium 2009
May 5-6
Providence, RI
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By Sean Tracey, Creative Strategist.
Sure, it sounds self-serving coming from one who trades in advertising—but don’t take it solely on my word. Check the facts1. Multiple research studies have been conducted and published by McGraw-Hill, Harvard Business Review, McKinsey, Coopers & Lybrand, American Business Media, and others (independent, non-agency firms, with no conflict of interest). These studies prove, historically, that marketers who stayed the course during economic downturns fared better in both sales and profits during a recession and for years after it was over. So, pulling back on your advertising during tough times will cost you market share and sales for your organization and its service lines. Continuing to invest in advertising in a down economy has proven to be reassuring to current customers (promoting your organization’s stability), win new customers for your brand, and even draw them away from competitors who have cut back on their advertising efforts.
Some healthcare organizations consider it blasphemy to think of their patients as “customers.” I urge my clients to do so—or at least know them as savvy consumers. People are depending more and more on your marketing efforts and their own research online and via word of mouth to weed out their choices. It’s just not like the old days any more. If you let your marketing efforts dwindle, consumers won’t know you, won’t remember you when they are in need, and and won’t understand your services and unique positioning in the marketplace. And, if consumers don’t know you, how can they trust you? By not getting the good word out, you are doing yourself damage and you might even be doing your constituents a disservice. Patients have been known to put themselves or loved ones in danger by asking ambulances to drive farther than the nearest emergency department when they have lost faith in their local hospital.
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By Mary-Beth Schoening, President of Women's New Media
According to eMarketer, search marketing spending will grow by 14.9% in 2009, to $12.3 billion. Not only is search marketing one of the few categories expected to grow in 2009, but it is at the top of the list for online advertising spending. Why? Because it is measurable and it works.
In a nutshell “organic search” describes a search that returns results based mainly on content and keyword relevancy. Search engines use complex algorithms to determine this relevancy. The results highlighted in orange are organic search results which on average deliver 64% of click throughs. Paid search, highlighted in green, refers to the search results based on which companies paid to appear high up in the search results. As you can see, 34% of the click throughs come from the paid results at the top and 4% of click throughs come from the side.
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By Brooke Tyson Hines, Tufts Medical Center, and Dan Dunlop, Jennings Healthcare (NESHCO Fall Conference 2008 keynote speakers)
By most accounts, approximately 1.7 million patients will develop a hospital-acquired infection this year. An estimated 90,000 patients will die of infection they acquire while hospitalized. Beyond the cost in human life, the average patient infection costs the hospital somewhere between $25,000 and $100,000 (estimates vary greatly). In the November/December 2006 issue of the American Journal of Medical Quality, it was estimated that the elimination of a single bloodstream infection case would pay for nearly a year’s worth of measures to stop infections within a hospital.
In January 2008, Tufts Medical Center was facing the reality its own less-than-satisfactory hand hygiene compliance rate of 71%. The obvious risks to patient safety, along with an impending visit by the Joint Commission, led Tufts to launch a comprehensive hand hygiene program in March 2008. This was not the first time that Tufts Medical Center had traveled this path, but it was with a new level of commitment and creativity. And the dedication paid off. By the end of the campaign’s first month within the medical center, Tufts’ compliance had increased to 90%. By August 2008, the compliance rate had improved to 99% with 7 units scoring a perfect 100%. During the Joint Commission’s intensive 5-day visit to Tufts in September, they did not find a single hand hygiene violation.
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By Carolyn Merriman, BFA, President, Corporate Health Group
Every marketplace has its sales and marketing nuances, but small and rural communities are truly unique. They’re the places where everyone knows everyone, where business is done with a handshake, and where trust and credibility are held in high regard.
Whether you’re already offering services in this marketplace, or are contemplating an expansion into these communities, today’s occupational health environment makes it a critical time to shore up your weaknesses, examine your objectives honestly, and be prepared.
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