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Health Observances:
2005 Health Observances Calendar Highlights.
June:
Fireworks Safety Month
National Scleroderma Awareness Month
July:
International Group B Strep Awareness Month
National Therapeutic Recreation Week
Vericom clients have full access to our Health Observances Calendar.
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Visit the client section of the Vericom web site for our NEW and IMPROVED SoundIdeas submission process. |
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| A Sound Service Line Strategy Holds Great Possibilities |
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We all remember the failed attempts at marketing service lines back in the late '80's. Without internalizing the service line strategy, marketing programs supporting service lines were doomed to failure. In this new era of informed consumers and
a renewed focus on specialties, service lines now offer endless possibilities.
I hope you enjoy reading about it in this issue
of HealthLink.
Robert J. Loeb, President & CEO
Vericom Corporation |
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| One More Time...Are Service Lines the Answer? |
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As American hospitals face unrelenting financial pressures, a timely question that begs a thoughtful response is, once again, "Are service lines the answer?"
When the model was first offered in the late '80's, the answer was an unqualified, "apparently not." After about five years of attempting the model, most hospitals abandoned the idea as ineffective or irrelevant.
But the consumer has matured, the market has changed, and the service-line model may now provide the best means of navigating these turbulent waters.
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| Case Study: Akron General Medical Center drives business for core and specialty service lines with SoundCare |
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A 537-bed not-for-profit teaching hospital, Akron General Medical Center serves more than one million consumers throughout Northeastern Ohio. Akron General's core business comes from its regional referral centers in cardiology and vascular, cancer, women's health, and orthopedic and rehab care.
By educating and informing callers on hold and in queue with Vericom's SoundCare, Akron General is not only able to increase its customer base
for these core services, but it can also cost-effectively drive business
for its numerous specialty care centers including critical care, stroke, sleep disorders, and diabetes, among others.
The specialty care centers at Akron General are just as important as the centers of excellence. However, justifying the return on investment for these services, given a limited marketing budget, is difficult. Marketing dollars tend to be prioritized and distributed among the core service lines. Fortunately, limited funds do not hamper Akron General's ability to cost-effectively support and promote their specialty centers month after month with SoundCare.
"When costly marketing materials such as print or television cannot be dedicated to our smaller, less profitable services, SoundCare is always available," says Mary Brackle, Director of Marketing for Akron General. "SoundCare gives our specialty care services a marketing vehicle they wouldn't have otherwise. These departments are very happy with the exposure and the results SoundCare yields."
For example, SoundCare promoted Akron General's Level I Trauma Center during National Trauma Month in May. These SoundCare messages were successful in educating callers about the trauma center and what it offers the community, as well as raising the level of consciousness about injury prevention.
Additionally, during a recent construction project, SoundCare was able
to provide call-to-action messages to better guide callers through the construction, facilitating a seamless transition for patients and visitors. "SoundCare enabled us to convey the communication necessary to ensure continuity during this large changeover," says Joe Jerek, PR and Media Relations Manager. "Furthermore, our departments truly appreciate our ability to routinely support and recognize their efforts through SoundCare."
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| Read the complete Akron General Medical Center Case Study |
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| Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |
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How can SoundCare drive service line revenue for my facility?
SoundCare is a time-tested and proven source of service line revenue. Promoting your high-profile service lines to callers on hold and in queue exposes them to millions
of additional consumers each year. Often times callers contact our clients about one issue, and end up inquiring about a service line they heard about from a SoundCare program.
SoundCare can also promote screenings and educational events that lead to referrals for your top service lines. You can also announce the addition of a physician, equipment, or a new wing that supports a particular service line.
Don't forget about your smaller, less profitable service lines either. While your core services often get the lion's share of the marketing budget, your smaller lines always have a voice with SoundCare. SoundCare is an effective, flexible, and inexpensive way to get the word out about all of your service lines.
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