Robotic technology delivers a wide range of patient benefits. A key to increasing utilization is effectively communicating the benefits and value of this technology within a healthcare community as well as with referring physicians.
During a December Becker's Hospital Review webinar, health system executives from Lehigh Valley Health Network in Pennsylvania and Vail (Colo.) Health Hospital shared strategies on how they communicated the benefits of robotic services.
Presenters from Lehigh Valley Health Network were Jennifer Adamski and Ann Fatzinger, both managers of brand marketing. Presenters from Vail Health Hospital were Emily Tamberino, director of marketing, and Turner Lisle, MD, director of robotic surgery and of the Vail Health Comprehensive Hernia Center.
Four key takeaways:
1.) Consumer marketing at Lehigh Valley relied on physician champions and communicating the benefits of robotic surgery through patient stories. "We have found huge success in collaborating with our physician champions. They help articulate the benefits of robotic surgery, like less pain, scarring and blood loss," Ms. Adamski said. "We find patients' stories to be a very effective tool to promote robotic surgery," Ms. Fatzinger added.
The organization successfully used a combination of web videos, advertising and community events to spread this message. "We also weave the robotic surgery message into our other marketing campaigns," Ms. Fatzinger added. "For instance, we included a Facebook ad specifically about robotic surgery in our hernia repair campaign."
2.) Physician marketing for Lehigh Valley uses paid and earned media and physician liaison outreach. "We use targeted sponsored content that shows up in providers' social feeds. We then follow up with a targeted Colleague Connect email," Ms. Adamski said. "Educating referring physicians helps them understand the clinical competencies [of robotics] and where they can make a referral."
3.) Vail Valley Medical Center's messaging revolves around how robotic surgery helps patients return to their favorite activities. According to Dr. Lisle, robotic-assisted surgery made sense for Vail Valley. "We attract some of the world's most active individuals including everyday outdoor enthusiasts and athletes," he said. "Robotic surgery typically gets people back to activities they love sooner with less pain."
Vail Valley built their robotics marketing program around the community's excitement about a new hospital. Ms. Tamberino emphasized the importance of understanding your market, "What resonates with our mountain people might not work in your markets," she said. "Find what your communities care about and speak to them in their language." Vail Valley's marketing has included its website, social media, e-newsletters, print advertising, public relations, videos, direct mail and more. These marketing efforts have helped increase surgical volume and the robotic technology has delivered outstanding outcomes.
4.) Provider outreach at Vail Valley revolved around a direct mail effort and a Working Together campaign. Nearly 150 referring providers throughout the region received hand-delivered direct mail postcards. "We've seen notable increases in volume from providers we didn't work with before," Dr. Lisle said.
In addition, a Working Together campaign highlighted physician collaboration. "I did a combo case with a neurosurgeon where he did an anterior lumbar interbody fusion and I performed a robotic hernia repair," he said. "This combination surgery spared the patient of having two separate procedures under separate anesthesia, which decreased costs and expedited his recovery."
By using both consumer and physician marketing, and by actively marketing the patient benefits of robotic surgery, health systems can educate referring physicians and their communities while also increasing their surgical volume.
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