1. Winning at Relationship Marketing: Online Strategies Marcia Peterson Verus Inc. Bellevue, WA mpeterson@verus-tech.com

2. How innovators feel sometimes…

3. Who We Are. What We Do Verus provides End-to-End web solutions exclusively to healthcare organizations – –Strategic web planning – –Design & development – –Content – –Pre-built applications – –Custom applications – –Maintenance & hosting – –Web marketing

4. Out of adversity comes innovation  Many hospitals are in a serious “margin squeeze”  Cost cutting is reducing “face-time” with caregivers and depersonalizing the healthcare experience  Consumer are increasingly dissatisfied with both level & quality of service  Healthcare providers and consumers alike are turning to the web for information and efficiency solutions

5. The Power of Relationship Marketing on the Web Use the Web to create personalized, one-on-one relationships with thousands of people at a time.

6. A Medium for Creating or Reinforcing Relationships  The Internet is not about technology. It’s about managing knowledge and relationships  It’s a cost effective means of delivering “moment of need” information and services that can be personalized  Customization, personalization & data mining is not a requirement to building effective online relationships  Faster and cheaper than other marketing efforts –Tailor your messages on the fly –Cost of creating and managing relationships is low

7. A New Delivery System?  More people go online for health information than for sports scores, investing information or to make purchases  Population of online health information seekers is growing at two times the rate of the overall online population.  1 in 3 Internet users utilize the Internet as a first source of medical advice Sources: Pew Foundation, Sources: Pew Foundation, Cyber Dialogue Health Practice Study, PC Data

8. It’s a Woman’s World Online  Women outnumber men in the use of the Internet  Ratio of women to men who are online will climb to 3:2 by 2003  Women use the web to make practical & informed decisions about healthcare for themselves and their families Media Metrix, Jupiter Communications, Netsmart America Sources: Media Metrix, Jupiter Communications, Netsmart America

9. When it Comes to Online Seniors:  Two thirds who search for online health information talk about their findings with their doctors.  Half are more satisfied with their treatment as a result of their searches. Source: National Institute of Health

10. Ten lessons for creating sustainable relations with online health consumers

11. Lesson # 1 Create sustainable relationships by providing information & services that consumers consider valuable.

12. A A Scene in Healthcare Organizations Across America

13. What’s Valuable???  For Consumers – –Useful knowledge – –Convenience – –Saving time – –Saving $$$ – –Intrinsic value  For Organizations – –Better processes – –Reduced costs – –Better understanding of customers – –Increased utilization & loyalty

14. Example: Triaging Common Pediatric Issues  Place for parents to turn for practical information  Focuses on “moment of need”  Addresses three key needs: –Main Symptom Information –Decision Chart –Home Care Advice

15. Value to the User Saved calling the doctor52% Saved a visit to the doctor or ED10% Saved time in other ways24% Yes Was it clear when to call the doctor?96.4% Would you use service again? 99.4% Source: User survey with 659 responses

16. Value to Providers  Relationship Benefits –Creates an affinity with primary household decision maker  Physician Relations Benefits –Reduces office and after-hours calls by directing patients to self-care information  Call Center Benefits –Off-loads a percentage of community access calls and calls that aren’t covering costs

17. Lesson # 2 Define and pursue the online customers your organization values most

18. It’s About Supporting Your True Goals – –All service lines are not created equal – –Criteria to consider Revenue & margins Growth targets Competitive position Commitment by internal “advocates”

19. Lesson # 3 Don’t talk about services …Provide them

21. Relationship Building: Mammography  Info. gathering online or at the time of physical contact: e-mail address  Secure permission to use info. via “push” e-mail & other activities  Thank you e-mail with links to pertinent Web resources  Online survey  Auto-generated e-mail reminder prior to anniversary of last exam  Online appointment scheduling

22. Lesson # 4 Creating online relationships should start with the “signal event”

23. “Congratulations, you're pregnant” “Bill, you have early stage diabetes” “Mary,the results have come back positive on your breast lump”

24. 3 out of 4 people seeking online health information only do so when they have specific questions or issues to be addressed Source: Harris Interactive

25. Lesson # 5 When building online relationships involve those who bring you patients

26. Physicians are the Key to Building Qualified Online Relationships A hospital’s well-funded strategically-focused website will be a hollow victory without the input, awareness and ownership of physicians & other clinicians

27. Lesson # 6 Go after the “Vertical Slice” of information & services that are needed by a consumer

28. “Vertical Slice” Means Mapping & Following Consumer Information Needs  From primary care to specialist  From specialist to hospital for diagnostics  From specialist to hospital for intervention  From hospital to consumer following discharge

29. Lesson # 7 Utilize a “Clicks and Mortar” approach to your Web services

30. Always Tie Web Services to Hospital and Physician Services  Integrate health content with information and follow-up devices for service lines and physicians  Focus design, content & applications on turning information seekers into service users

31. Lesson # 8 Where possible gather, use and evaluate information obtained from your website

34. Data & Evaluation  Conversion data – –Number of calls – –Requests for appointments – –Physician referrals – –Registration for classes – –Sign ups for information – –Procedures and resulting revenue  Website trend and utilization data

36. Lesson # 9 Recognize and work with the evolutionary stages of your website

37. Evolution of Successful Healthcare Web Services  Informational  Interactive  Transactional

38. Ideas for Informational Stage  Focus health content and service line “story-telling” on top three services & related physicians  Cross link health content with relevant information on service lines and specialists  Provide easy options for contact and follow-up  Involve providers relevant to featured service lines

39. Ideas for Interactive Stage  Deploy focused strategy to link consumers with service line managers –E-mail –Forms –Forums  Exchange valuable online services for consumer-specific information and permission to use –Mammography reminder –Immunizations reminder –In depth content library and tools on specific topic available to registered users  Integration of online consumer data with master marketing database

40. Ideas for Transactional Stage  Integrate legacy systems with consumer web initiatives –Involve IT and process owners early –Evaluate strategic IT plan for future opportunities  Consider use of third party vendor products that include: –Secure patient messaging –Scheduling –Registration –Integrated database marketing

41. Lesson # 10 Even in a “wired world” healthcare is local

42. Understand and use the online information gathering process to your benefit  Consumers may seek out health information from national health sites, but will receive services from local providers  Two step information gathering process –Information about condition –Information about treatment options and who to turn to

43. Questions & Discussion

44. For more information: Marcia Peterson, Verus mpeterson@verus-tech.com 1.888.600.0800 425.643.7117