Winning at Relationship Marketing: Online Strategies Marcia Peterson Verus Inc. Bellevue, WA

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

2. How innovators feel sometimes…

3. Who We Are. What We Do Verus providesEnd-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 • Consumerare 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, Cyber Dialogue Health Practice Study, PCData

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 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 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 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