scholarly journals Reflecting on “Marketing communications in health and medicine: perspectives from Willis-Knighton Health System”: understanding the big picture

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
James K. Elrod ◽  
John L. Fortenberry

Abstract Background Willis-Knighton Health System’s special supplement in BMC Health Services Research, “Marketing communications in health and medicine: perspectives from Willis-Knighton Health System,” focuses on advertising, public relations, sales promotion, and related communicative avenues, associated theory, and more. Across the supplement’s articles, insights from the institution’s experiences are presented, addressing the components of the marketing communications mix, foundational elements of communication, the patronage process, and the necessity for integrating marketing communications. Discussion As an understanding of the big picture is crucial in marketing communications, especially given that many of its components must be effected simultaneously, this particular article takes the insights provided in the supplement and presents them in an operational framework, demonstrating the marketing communications process. This framework concisely summarizes the facets profiled in the associated articles, permitting readers to see how these pieces work in concert with one another in health and medical settings, providing a basic communications structure which healthcare establishments can use to advance their patient engagement initiatives. Conclusions Health and medical providers must ensure that they possess a detailed understanding of core marketing communications facets, but as they acquire associated knowledge, they also must direct attention toward understanding the interrelationships between and among these facets, permitting a global perspective of communicative operations. This particular article summarizes insights from Willis-Knighton Health System’s special supplement in BMC Health Services Research, providing a pathway toward realizing big picture marketing communications perspectives.

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
James K. Elrod ◽  
John L. Fortenberry

Abstract Background Communications prowess is a key ingredient of productive healthcare delivery pursuits, with associated successes clearly positioning health and medical establishments for growth and prosperity. Many conveyance mechanisms are at the disposal of healthcare providers, permitting numerous opportunities for engaging current and prospective patients. For the best communicative outcomes, all must be considered when formulating marketing communications initiatives, with consideration first, of course, requiring that healthcare providers acquire an understanding of communications options and associated fundamentals. Discussion In pursuing knowledge of communications options and related guidance, healthcare providers can benefit greatly by gaining operational perspectives from peer institutions. Over many decades, through scores of deployments, Willis-Knighton Health System has acquired significant communications prowess, prompting development of this special supplement in BMC Health Services Research, entitled “Marketing communications in health and medicine: perspectives from Willis-Knighton Health System,” with this particular article supplying a brief profile of the contents included in the associated supplement. Across the pages of the collection of articles contained in the supplement, attention specifically is directed toward the components of the marketing communications mix, foundational elements of communication, the patronage process, and the necessity for integrating marketing communications. Conclusions Establishing an effective dialogue with current and prospective patients is an absolute necessity for healthcare organizations, warranting intensive efforts to master marketing communications. Given the imperative for excellence in marketing communications, it is hoped that the light shed by this supplement and its collection of articles will help healthcare providers better understand marketing communications and deploy associated initiatives successfully, affording greater patient engagement opportunities.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S15-S15
Author(s):  
Susan E Bronskill ◽  
Colleen J Maxwell ◽  
Nathalie Jette

Abstract As populations worldwide are living longer, the impact of neurodegenerative diseases on health resource utilization is expected to increase. Providing care to older adults with neurodegenerative diseases is challenging, and requires adequate supports across multiple health sectors including community, acute care and nursing home settings to allow individuals to maximize their quality of life. The Ontario Neurodegenerative Disease Research Initiative (ONDRI) is a collaborative research program that aims to improve diagnosis, treatment and management of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, Parkinson’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Vascular Cognitive Impairment. Using population-based linked health administrative and clinical databases--covering over 14 million individuals residing in the province of Ontario, Canada-- the ONDRI health services research platform will address knowledge gaps regarding the health service utilization and outcomes of older adults with neurodegenerative diseases and impacts on family and care partners. Access to over two decades of historical health administrative data on a large population of older individuals uniquely positions our collaborative to examine trajectories of health system use as well as rare neurodegenerative diseases which have been previously understudied. The health services research platform is embedded within a larger ONDRI network of biomedical researchers, provincial decision-makers and health system stakeholders. Our research findings will inform health system planning and interventions to support older adults to live independently in the community. This session will explore how health administrative databases may be used to address knowledge gaps regarding health service utilization and outcomes in older persons with neurodegenerative diseases.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 195-200
Author(s):  
Amy M. Kilbourne ◽  
Patricia L. Jones ◽  
David Atkins

AbstractTranslation of research to practice is challenging. In addition to the scientific challenges, there are additional hurdles in navigating the rapidly changing US health care system. There is a need for innovative health interventions that can be adopted in “real-world” settings. Barriers to translation involve misaligned timing of research funding and health system decision-making, lack of research questions aligned with health system and community priorities, and limited incentives in academia for health system and community-based research. We describe new programs from the US Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Programs that are building capacity for Learning Health System research. These programs help to incentivize adopting and adapting Learning Health System principles to ensure that, primarily in implementation science within academic/veterans affairs health systems, there is alignment of the research with the health system and community needs. Both HSR&D and NCATS CTSA Program encourage researchers to develop problem-focused research innovations in partnership with health systems and communities to ultimately facilitate design treatments that are feasible in “real-world” practice.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
James K. Elrod ◽  
John L. Fortenberry

Abstract Background Sales promotion—the use of incentives to encourage patronage—is a staple of marketing communications in the health services industry. Sales promotion applications commonly used by health services organizations include free samples, free trials, coupons, contests, and loyalty programs. These avenues engender goodwill, appreciation, and attentiveness; they also serve as small, but powerful promotional mechanisms by reminding recipients of healthcare institutions, compelling particular actions, encouraging repeat business, or prompting some related desirable in an effort to hasten exchange and bolster loyalty. Discussion Sales promotion offers myriad opportunities for healthcare providers to connect with audiences. While limited in their power to attract broad audiences when used in isolation, sales promotion avenues used in tandem with other marketing communications create helpful engagement synergies which amplify conveyance initiatives. This article presents an overview of sales promotion and notably shares deployment insights and experiences from Willis-Knighton Health System, permitting peer healthcare establishments to view associated pathways, reflect on their own sales promotion efforts, and potentially bolster initiatives with the perspectives supplied herein. Conclusions Sales promotion offers healthcare providers a complementary communications avenue, helping to reinforce other elements of the marketing communications mix, affording opportunities to develop better connections with patients. In formulating associated communication plans, health and medical establishments should be reminded of the benefits offered by sales promotion and especially strive to effect creative applications that build interest and attention. By doing so, opportunities to bolster patient volume and increase all-important market share abound.


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