IN THIS ISSUE:Building EmployeeMorale and yourBrand Simultaneously

pg.5 St. Vincent’s Healthcare Employees Who Went “Above. Beyond. Because.”pg.7 Five Questions for a Healthcare Marketing Leader

pg.8 How Baptist Health Turned Nurses into Heroes

What Employees Really Want

pg.10 First-Aid for Employee Recruitment and Retention

PULSESolutions and Insights for Healthcare Marketers

02Mar/Apr 2013

A Publication of Brown Parker & DeMarinis Advertising

Welcome to the second issue of PULSE magazine. I hope you’re having a great year so far, despiteour industry’s forecast having been rather cloudy.

After all, the economy’s struggling. Cuts have to be made, both at work and at home. The new healthcare laws have left many scratching their heads, not knowing how they will be affected. The weight of these factors can be felt throughout your organization, but nowhere more so than in the hearts and minds of the people working around you.

As marketers, we have the ability to help counteract this uncertainty.

Imagine a marketing campaign that acts as a movement. One that perpetuates a greater sense of purpose and vision for your associates, and gradually creates thousands of brand ambassadors to champion your organization’s mission from the inside out. This may sound like a tall order, but it’s very possible, and we’re going to show you how to pull it off.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?Email them to: pulseeditor@bpdadvertising.com.

We’ll publish them with our response in the next issue.

By Brown Parker & DeMarinis Advertising

EditorsGayle Toth

Ward ParkerVince DeMarinis

Jason Brown

Art DirectorJames Coates

WritersMatt Dority

John Huggins

Brown Parker & DeMarinis Advertising is a full-service healthcare marketing agency.

We are 10 years strong, working with clients to create campaigns that invigorate

brands and move the needle.

To view more samples of our workand download our suite of marketing

white papers, please visit:www.bpdadvertising.com/PULSE.

Or call Jason Brown, President, at 561.276.7701 (x206) or toll-free at 1.888.5BPD.CAN (1.888.527.3226).

Brown Parker & DeMarinis Advertising makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy,

completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this publication, and expressly disclaims liability for errors

and omissions in the contents of this publication.All intellectual information herein is the property of

Brown Parker & DeMarinis Advertising and our clients.

This issue of PULSE is dedicated to showing examples of how to boost employee morale while simultaneously building your brand in the public eye. The cost of giving back to your employees is minimal compared to other expenses. But the exponential return on your investment is something you can see, hear, and feel.

All of us at BPD hope you enjoythis issue of PULSE. By visitingwww.bpdadvertising.com/PULSE,you can see more examples of ourwork in the digital issue, includingthe TV spots we discuss further inthe magazine.

If you’re interested in any of our work, or would like to discuss how we can create a plan for your organization, please don’t hesitate to call us at 561.276.7701 (x219).

Sincerely,

Gayle TothGroup Account ManagerBrown Parker & DeMarinis Advertising

02 PULSE

WELCOME

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Turn your employees into “associates.” You may have seen this trend in other industries when you, for example, encounter a placard telling you to “Speak to a sales associate.” All internal pieces could henceforth refer to employees as “associates,” and in the process, grant them a title with more class and stature. It may seem inconsequential, but the connotation of the words matter. An “employee” sounds like a faceless cog, while an “associate” sounds like an important member of the business, which is exactly what every member of your team should be.

Let your employees associates knowwhen they’re great. When they achieve greatness, let everyone know! It is hard to argue with the motivating power of a financial bonus for good behavior or work ethic, but that ultimately lies in the hands of the CEO and CFO. We are communicators, and it is our job to reward people’s exemplary behavior by praise, recognition, and conveyance of how valuable he or she is to teammates, patients, and the organization. Sometimes those things pay off more

than money. And while you can’t always create an entire advertising campaign to honor people as demonstrated in this issue of PULSE, you can still do so through email, internal signage, and other media.

Now inspire them to be great. At some point in their lives, your employees woke up and decided they wanted to put other people ahead of themselves. Whenthey joined your organization, they made a commitment to this notion. Every day they touch hundreds of people, bringing comfort, health, and sometimes even the gift of life. No matter what the position, their job is important.By communicating how significant each and every personis in the organization, you can reinvigorate their spiritand work ethic.

Bottom Line: Don’t think of your employees as working for your company. Think of them as working towards an ideal. As the marketing director of a healthcare organization, you can have an immense impact on their progress.

What employeesreally wantBy: John Huggins, Senior CopywriterBrown Parker & DeMarinis Advertising

According to Daniel Pink, author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, people are not motivated by money. The three elements of true motivation are autonomy, mastery and purpose. We all have a deep human need to direct our own lives while learning new things and pushing ourselves to do those things better.

Your employees want a chance to fulfill a calling they had when they first went into healthcare. They want to be able to answer that calling and get the recognition for such a tremendous accomplishment.

As heathcare marketers, how do we do that?

03PULSE

The current uncertainty in the healthcare industry can equate to everything from financial pressures to lower pay and more hours for hospital associates. This same uncertainty can muddle the internal vision of an organization, leaving employees feeling disconnected and with a deteriorating sense of purpose. Left

unchecked, these factors can contribute to a marked decline in employee morale.

From a human resources perspective, studies have linked such issues as absenteeism, retention and recruitment, staff turnover, increased staff accidents and health risks to low morale.

There is also a direct correlation between employee satisfaction and patient experience. Patients can really feel the difference between an associate who has a genuine, compassionate desire to help others and one who is just there to collect a paycheck. Employees’ interactions with patients often leave lasting impressions. And with up-to-the-moment feedback streaming from news, publications, and sites like Angie’s List and Healthgrades.com, this resulting

patient experience can directly affect the bottom line of an organization.

Employees influence every aspect of a business. While they might not run the organization, they are the ones who keep it running. What does the morale of your employees say about your organization,

and how, as a marketing professional, can you improve it?

How Happy Employees canInspire your Entire Organization

04 PULSE

You may find this hard to believe, but the doctors and nurses at St. Vincent’s HealthCare in Jacksonville, FL actually like going to work. They enjoy caring for patients so much that some will actually sacrifice a day off if it means better care for their patients. It sounds crazy. But, that’s just who they are. It’s their calling.They go above and beyond, just because.

And, that’s how we came up with their new tagline: Above. Beyond. Because.When that level of dedication was threatened by uncertainty in the healthcare industry, financial burdens (i.e. lower pay, longer hours) and a lack of a clear vision, we had to take action. Our job as healthcare marketers was to build their brand while showing their employees the appreciation they deserved.

We created a campaign that felt more like a movement. It was led by St. Vincent’s associates who had gone to such lengths of service that they had risen to a level of sainthood in the eyes of their patients. The patients shared their individual experiences with us, and we wove these stories into TV commercials that featured the employees as actual “saints.” Each one turned the typical testimonial into gorgeous narratives in which associates went above and beyond to do something uniquely generous and caring for a patient. These “saints” were also featured on billboards covering Jacksonville’s busiest highways.

Morale Building that Goes Above and Beyond

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Two years later, this campaign is stronger than ever. It’s fueled by actual patient stories that spread through word-of-mouth, social media and good old-fashioned letter writing. We simply take the best ones and bring them to life. After all, this campaign’s main objective is to build the brand as an institution of compassionate care. According to the VP of Strategic Planning and Marketing, David Meyer, it’s the “best branding campaign—from motivating associates to captivating the market—in the 100 year history of St. Vincent’s.”

The St. Vincent’s TV spots were given a Hollywood-style premiere by the hospital and supported by a symbolic award program. Workers who went above and beyond were awarded a commemorative coin from the CEO in a public event. Because the coins were only given to a chosen few it became such a big deal that some workers actually cried upon receiving one. The coin had no monetary value, yet had a bigger meaning than any number found on a paycheck.

TV Spot: St. CompassionOne nurse gave a patient his dying wish—a goodbye visit from his beloved dogs.

TV Spot: St. HealingWhether it’s cleaning a patient’s home or bringing a patient his favorite gourmet meal, St. Vincent’s employees are motivated to share the love.

TV Spot: St. GenerationsSt. Vincent’s staff brought together a terminally ill woman and her newborn granddaughter for the last moments of her life.

... And the Market RespondedTo determine the effectiveness of St. Vincent’s commercials, a general population sample was tested in December of 2012. In addition to boosting morale internally, the commercials garnered the following feedback from the marketplace:

• #1 ranking in hospital advertising recall rate in the region• Consumer preference for St. Vincent’s orthopedics jumped to the #1 preferred hospital (up 14%) in the region, surpassing their biggest competitor • Consumer preference for St. Vincent’s cardiology jumped to the #1 preferred hospital (up 9%) in the region, surpassing their biggest competitor• Consumer preference for St. Vincent’s oncology increased 100% • Consumer preference for St. Vincent’s neurology increased 62%

Watch the spots inour digital issue at

www.bpdadvertising.com/PULSE.

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How has the “Above. Beyond. Because.” (ABB) campaign affected employee morale at St. Vincent’s?

It really spoke to people and made them proud of where they work. These stories were happening here and people knew it, but to have it told so publicly made people very proud. “That’s where I work! That’s who we are!”

The internal portion of the ABB campaign included giving employees a special coin for exemplary patient service. Can you describe the reactions of your associates when they received these coins? I think the people who receive them are very humbled. They keep it very low-key. They don’t do these things to get a coin or to be recognized.

What were some of the accomplishments that led to associates being awarded a coin?

A patient wrote in to tell us about Iris, one of our RNs. This patient had Spinal Meningitis and temporarily lost her vision after surgery. Iris became her eyes and guiding light by helping her physically and emotionally. Iris spent the time to describe the sights that the patient could not see, painting pictures with her words. This patient kept referring to Iris as an angel and her care was like “being cradled in Jesus’ arms.” We take a lot of pride in people like Iris as part of our team. The level of emotional support she provides makes a real difference when lives are on the line.

Can you describe a few of your proudest career moments when itcame to building morale?

The ABB campaign was one of the proudest moments of my career, and it’s because the campaign was based entirely in truth. Nothing was fictionalized—we insisted on that. When we launched it, I had only been here for two years. I spoke with people that have been here for over 30 years and everyone said, “Yes, this is what we’ve been saying that we needed to do for years, to talk about our mission!” The way that it was executed caused so many people to respond to it. When the work you’ve helped create makes your CEO and the rest of a room cry, that’s pretty powerful stuff.

What suggestions would you give other healthcare systems forbuilding employee morale?

If you’re going to show appreciation for staff, it needs to have a human element to it. Don’t tell them you care, show them you care. You have to get real with people and you have to show up…get off your butt! It doesn’t require millions of dollars to do that. People get busy and forget what a difference it can make to recognize an employee, even by doing something so simple as saying the words, “Thank you.”

Five Questions for aHealthcare Marketing LeaderKelly BrockmeierDirector of Marketing and Communications, St. Vincent’s Healthcare

commemorative coin distributed by CEO

07PULSE

After having been tasked by Baptist Health in Miami to launch a nurse recruitment campaign, we decided to expand the scope of our assignment to include an image campaign honoring their existing nurses as well. Getting started, we first acknowledged a universal truth—nurses work long hours and their morale is crucial because it directly affects patient care and patient satisfaction. With that in mind, we set about taking their current name-badges and elevating them to an iconic status, which would effectively instill a sense of earned importance.

We then created direct mailers and, using messaging that fostered a sense of belonging to an elite team of skilled and caring healthcare professionals, further positioned Baptist Health as highly desirable place to work.

How Baptist Health Turned Nursesinto Heroes

08 PULSE

TV Spot: HeroThe CEO himself narrated locally-run commercials speaking to how vital the nurses were to the organization. It was a sign of true appreciation that came from the very top of Baptist Health, and resonated among all of its employees.

By recognizing their existing nurses as key players in the hospital—figures of authority, knowledge, and skill, yet more accessible than doctors—we promoted them as heroes by sharing empowering profiles with the public via print and radio advertising. Baptist Health responded with unanimous enthusiasm to the recruitment campaign, moving to incorporate the concept into their general marketing strategy. The effect of this was three-fold: increased nurse recruitment, a bolsteredsense of trust and respect among the consumermarket, and finally an improvementin overall employee moraleat Baptist Health.

Through outdoor media, we further championed Baptist’s nurses while building on the iconic equity of the name-badge.Finally, we wrapped entire city buses with the campaign, so that 40-feet-long advertisements were roving the city of Miami at all hours of the day.

The campaign caught people’s attention and caused them totake action. 112 new nurses were hired in the first 120 days ofthe campaign, while brand preference in the public service area increased from 84% to 95% during the 12 months after campaign launch.

Watch the spot inour digital issue at

www.bpdadvertising.com/PULSE.

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Having recently been named One of the Top 100 Places to Work For by Fortune magazine, King’s Daughters Medical Center (KDMC) decided to reinforce their standing by launching a print and outdoor campaign to retain their current staff and recruit new members. The campaign was run both on posters inside the hospital as well as on print ads and billboards which were seen throughout KDMC’s service region, the area where Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia converge.

First-Aid for EmployeeRecruitment and Retention

10 PULSE

To honor the work of KDMC’s team of nurses, our agency decided to take a strong headline and then use the transparent image of a bandage to slightly alter the meaning. The headline was already inspiring but the bandage strategically covered some of the text so that it was now more positive and uplifting, which represented the same effect that KDMC nurses had on patients every day.

11PULSE

Your hospital is our shoe. Why can’t your hospital’s advertising be as exciting as those big-time shoe commercials? You’re competing with

them for your patients’ attention. At Brown Parker & DeMarinis, we reach for that level of creativity with real emotion that brings you closer to your patients. For healthcare marketing you’d never expect and results you can always count on, we may be the right fit. Contact Jason Brown, President, at 561.276.7701 (x206), or 1.888.5BPD.CAN, or log onto bpdadvertising.com.