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
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Thinking Forward: Taking Your Hospital Brand to the Next Level
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 > eHealth > Social Media > Thinking Forward: Taking Your Hospital Brand to the Next Level
Social Media

Thinking Forward: Taking Your Hospital Brand to the Next Level

Lonnie Hirsch
Lonnie Hirsch
Share
6 Min Read
brand building
SHARE

brand buildingA truly excellent crystal ball—with the ability to accurately foretell the future of hospital branding—is practically nonexistent. While hindsight is 20/20, looking beyond the horizon and trend spotting in marketing are clouded by the near-constant change in healthcare.

brand buildingA truly excellent crystal ball—with the ability to accurately foretell the future of hospital branding—is practically nonexistent. While hindsight is 20/20, looking beyond the horizon and trend spotting in marketing are clouded by the near-constant change in healthcare.

But, motivated by intense competition—and the dynamics of change—many of the best minds in hospital leadership are “thinking forward” about taking their brand to the next level. And finding the answer might be one of the biggest challenges for facilities of every size.

When it comes to branding and claiming a unique perception in the mind of the consumer, hospitals have had to contend with some immense hurtles:

More Read

beyond the buzz healthcare social media
Beyond the Buzz: A Practical Guide to Building an Online Healthcare Community
Doctor Busted For Patient Information Inadvertently Exposed on Facebook
MyHealthTeams CEO Eric Peacock on Social Media in Healthcare [Part II]
Fatal Last Words That Wreck Doctor Marketing
Staying Relevant in the Ever-Changing Healthcare World: A Case of Cancer Research

The answer precedes the question. Creating awareness with consumers today for solutions they may need tomorrow is challenging, especially with a unpleasant idea of “going to the hospital.”

Nothing good happens in a hospital. Unguided awareness—if the public thought much about it at all—was tightly connected to a sense of dread, discomfort, sickness and/or sadness.

One white coat is the same as the next. Until recently, facilities did little to differentiate, and much of the public mind believes that healthcare providers and organizations are pretty much the same.

The historic perspective…

The relatively recent history of hospitals in America suggests how the image and branding environment has evolved…and hints at the future.

THE CLASSIC HOSPITAL: Physicians and surgeons—not the public or patients—were the primary customers of hospitals. Hospitals were largely concerned about the institution’s reputation among doctors, and far less so about public awareness. The hospital facility was primarily a venue for, and extension of, the doctors’ practices. If consumers thought about it at all, the stereotypical image was unappealing…sterile, clinical, process-oriented and doctor dominated.

THE HOTEL HOSPITAL: As healthcare has reinvented itself to be increasingly patient-centric, hospital branding, promotional activities and service lines have taken a page from its cousin, the hospitality industry. In an effort to distance itself from the antiseptic-aroma of yesterday, branding messages became amenity-driven, with hospital services packaged in a better wrapper. Patient comfort and convenience were strong points, with concierge services, valet parking, women’s’ centers and a health spa atmosphere.

THE WELLNESS HOSPITAL: The Affordable Care Act and other forces require a new emphasis on prevention, wellness activities and an “avoid hospitalization” attitude. This dynamic is consistent with, and often an extension of, the patient-centered hospitality concept.

And pushing ahead to the next tier…

THE COMMUNITY CHAMPION HOSPITAL: Beyond wellness, there’s a branding tier that places the hospital as the leader, champion and primary health resource throughout the community. This is where the facility—including its administration, medical staff and employees—is recognized as a dominant force in the service area.

The next tier is a unique civic leadership opportunity to be recognized as top-of-mind synonymous with health and wellness advocacy. One example can be seen in the Kaiser Thrive effort, a long-running, innovative and patient-positive marketing effort.

As they describe it: “Kaiser Permanente is the nation’s largest not-for-profit integrated health care delivery system. It is about a brand strategy supported by a well-entrenched mission and a commitment to a model of care that is centered on members and patients.

“Our brand is the entire experience that our members, patients, customers and the public have with us, [and] our people work every day to ensure that our brand platform, known as Total Health, is extended beyond advertising to direct marketing, business marketing, internet services, internal communications, public relations, social media and issues management.”

This organization and other industry thought leaders are moving to be life-long influences in the lives of the public they serve. Although Kaiser has strength in its considerable size, it’s important to recognize that all health care delivery is both local and personal.

And while national or international recognition is flattering, the most important patient through the front door is probably a neighbor and a friend.

For more on this topic, read: 5 Key Concepts to Bolster Your Hospital Brand, and Creating a Powerful, Differentiating Brand. Or to continue the conversation about taking your hospital brand to the next level, reach out to us here.

Lonnie Hirsch

Author information

Lonnie Hirsch
Lonnie Hirsch
Director, Hospital Division at Healthcare Success Strategies
Lonnie has consulted for over 2,000 health care clients during his 20-year career, and co-founded Healthcare Success. He writes for many healthcare publications, and also has spoken at hundreds of venues nationally. Today, Lonnie leads our hospital division.
TwitterGoogle+LinkedIn

The post Thinking Forward: Taking Your Hospital Brand to the Next Level appeared first on Healthcare Success.

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

dental care
Importance of Good Dental Care for Health and Confidence
Dental health Specialties
October 2, 2025
AI in Healthcare
AI in Healthcare: Technology is Transforming the Global Landscape
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
October 1, 2025
Choosing the Right Swimwear for Health and Safety
News
September 30, 2025
sports concussions
Concussion In Sports: How Common They Are And What You Need To Know
Infographics
September 28, 2025

You Might also Like

healthcare social media
eHealthMedical EthicsPolicy & LawSocial Media

New Policy Statement on Online Medical Professionalism

April 16, 2013

Health Care Social Media Summit at Mayo Clinic

October 17, 2011
Image
Social Media

Why Knowing Your Audience Is Critical To Healthcare Social Media Marketing

April 15, 2012

The difference between doctors, patients and campaigns

October 12, 2015
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?