By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    bowl of vegetable salad
    Raw Foods: benefits and harms
    November 9, 2021
    pros and cons of the keto diet
    Read This Before You Follow the Keto Diet
    May 18, 2022
    spinal cord injuries
    4 Potential Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries (and How to Seek Compensation)
    May 25, 2022
    Latest News
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    TBI: Some Surprising Statistics
    February 9, 2016
    Your Keys to Safer, Even More Secure Healthcare Cloud Services
    January 13, 2015
    4 Career Options in Healthcare Industry that Combine Big Data & Healthcare
    February 5, 2021
    Latest News
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: 3 Hospital Marketing Mistakes You Should Never Make
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Hospital Administration > 3 Hospital Marketing Mistakes You Should Never Make
BusinessHospital Administration

3 Hospital Marketing Mistakes You Should Never Make

Jonathan Catley
Jonathan Catley
Share
4 Min Read
Hospital Marketing, Healthcare Marketing, Online Marketing
SHARE

We all make mistakes. But sometimes it’s better to learn from someone else’s mistake rather than your own. These hospital marketers made some serious mistakes that cost their company big, and left us with three golden rules no marketer should ever forget.Hospital Marketing, Healthcare Marketing, Online Marketing

1. Never make false claims.

We all make mistakes. But sometimes it’s better to learn from someone else’s mistake rather than your own. These hospital marketers made some serious mistakes that cost their company big, and left us with three golden rules no marketer should ever forget.Hospital Marketing, Healthcare Marketing, Online Marketing

1. Never make false claims.

More Read

medical innovation and tech helping people to get healthy
Dr. Ryan Shelton Reveals 9 Data-Driven Tips for Optimal Health
2011 LTC Costs Met Life
First HHS Innovation Fellowships’ Meeting Focuses on New Measures of Quality in Healthcare
Web-Based Patient Engagement Lowers Anxiety for First-Time Colonoscopy Patients
Wallet Burn and the Nasty Side of Pay-per-Click Advertising

Making a false claim in any kind of advertising is unacceptable. It seems like a no-brainer, but marketers should be particularly careful when it comes to statements of fact. A statement of fact is something that is objectively quantifiable, such as survey results. Thus, if a marketer wants to tout that a hospital boasts high-scoring doctors in patient surveys, they better have the survey results to prove it.

In 2012, Florida Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville got into hot water after advertising its weight loss center as a “Center for Excellence.” This designation requires accreditation by the American Society of Bariatric Surgery, and is an objectively quantifiable measure. However, the hospital had to pay out $178 million in a false advertising claim after allowing a surgeon who did not meet the Center of Excellence criteria to perform surgery at the hospital.

2. Never make private disputes public.

No boardroom is without drama. Playing out corporate intrigue in the court of public opinion is a slippery slope, and rarely does it engender a positive image for companies engaging in a public war.

In 2013, the University of Pittsburg Medical Center and Highmark, Inc., engaged in a highly public media battle when they could not resolve issues related to their contract for Highmark members to receive care at UPMC. The battle went so far as to involve the state insurance commissioner, who publicly addressed both companies and suggested that the companies were pressuring consumers to make fear-based decisions regarding healthcare.

While the intent was to win the battle in the court of public opinion and gain leverage in resolving their contract dispute, these kinds of tactics tarnish the company’s image in the long run.

3. Always know your audience.

Knowing your audience is marketing 101. Understanding what makes your market tick is the primary job of hospital marketers. Focus groups and market testing are powerful tools that no marketer should ignore.

CaroMont Health broke this cardinal rule last year when they unveiled their new slogan: “Cheat death.” Located in Gastonia, North Carolina, CaroMont Health seriously miscalculated how their conservative constituency would react to the edgy campaign. They quickly retreated from the slogan and had to go back to the drawing board.

Understanding your audience is an integral part of hospital marketing. A miscalculation can result in millions of dollars lost promoting a campaign that does not work. Worse yet, campaigns that miss the mark in terms of audience can alienate patients, making it that much harder to regain their trust and confidence.

By following these three golden rules, hospital marketers can avoid the mistakes these hospitals made, finding greater success in their marketing campaigns and maximizing precious marketing resources.

TAGGED:hospital marketing
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

engineer fitting prosthetic arm
How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
Health care
August 20, 2025
a woman explaining the document
How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
Public Health
August 20, 2025
physiotherapist at work
How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
Health care
August 20, 2025
Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs
7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
Health News
August 20, 2025

You Might also Like

Newsletter_Pic2_07_30_2015
Business

What’s the Right “Level of Care” for Your Marketing?

July 29, 2015

Midwest Health Startups: Making More Deals but Drawing Less Money

July 26, 2013
medicaid block grant
BusinessHealth ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

A Medicaid Block Grant by Any Other Name Would Stink

March 24, 2015

Persistence and the Market for Health Insurance

February 1, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?