Are you a healthcare organization executive? Do you have a role in the organization’s marketing? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then reputation management should be a top priority.
Regardless of your facility’s quality scores or the organization’s financial health, you’ll never be successful unless you establish a positive reputation.
Unfortunately, many modern hospital groups and healthcare organizations struggle to establish and maintain a positive reputation. The main cause of this is that these groups and organizations don’t view the reputation holistically. The problem begins with the failure to develop a mindset that having a positive, healthy brand reputation is important.
While this is true, it’s not too late to turn things around. You can use resources like Wikipedia for CEOs to build their reputation and then implement the tips below to maintain it.
Table of Contents
The Importance of a Healthcare Organization’s Brand Reputation
Brand reputation related to a person’s position in the organization should be a top priority. This includes everyone from the CEO and admitting receptionist to board members. Everyone needs to adhere to the established governance and corporate narrative in place.
Today, most hospitals and healthcare organizations don’t have a system in place to monitor or evaluate brand reputation. This is a problem itself.
Meaning of Brand Reputation in the Healthcare Industry
Brand reputation is the way others view a specific brand. If an organization has a favorable brand reputation, it means potential patients trust the company and feel good about using the services. It also helps to establish brand loyalty, attract and keep good employees, drive sales, and increase confidence.
Establish the Organization’s or Group’s Methodology and Philosophy
One of the biggest mistakes made by healthcare marketers is that they have a reactive mindset. To build an effective brand reputation program, it’s important to know why it is important and how management will be handled. This then must be implemented into the day-to-day routine of every employee.
Top hospital groups prioritize educating and promoting key stakeholders and employees. Some build the caregiver and future patient experience to ensure high levels of satisfaction are achieved. However, what’s most important is the guiding principles in place to help the organization understand why protecting its reputation is so vital.
The entire organization must be on the same page regarding the vision, mission, and purpose. Having confusing or multiple narratives can lead to serious consequences. It’s also smart to figure out how the program is communicated, shared, and monitored.
Determine the Current Performance of the Hospital or Healthcare Organization
Once the reputation philosophy and methodology are established, you must find out how the organization is performing now. It’s good to break things down into user groups, such as community members, patients, employees, physicians, shareholders, caregivers, etc. Figure out the needs and wants preferred communication methods, and demographics for each.
Once established, you can build a touch map that articulates all communication touchpoints. Don’t try to do too much, too soon. The entire process can take 18 months or longer to complete. However, knowing your current brand reputation allows you to make a plan moving forward to improve it (if needed).
Create a Road Map for Prioritization and Guidance
When you know how your organization is performing now, and you know your priorities, you should create a two to three-year road map to help guide the execution of your plan for reputation management. Be sure to consider both external and internal factors when creating this road map and figure out your desired outcomes.
Improving Your Healthcare Organizations Reputation
When it comes to reputation management, building a plan isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes time and effort. While it may seem complex, using the tips above will help ensure things go smoothly. Also, in the long run, it will improve your entire organization or group in many ways, which makes it worth the time and effort you put into it.
