Long seen as the "go-to" community-health system for Waukesha's Lake Country, an area just west of Milwaukee, ProHealth Care was facing increased competitive "encroachment" from two of Milwaukee's largest and most respected health systems, Froedert and Aurora. So the challenge was, how do you position ProHealth Care in an ownable way that helps stem the flight of patients to these two competitive systems?
Extensive research told us neither Froedert nor Aurora treated patients first and foremost as human beings. So we exploited that weakness — which also happened to be our strength. And we did it in a way that was down-to-earth and engaging — and based on a core human value that aligned best with ProHealth Care’s historical relationship with the community. Respect.
And what better way to respect your audience than by first asking them what they wanted from a health system versus simply telling them.
A series of interactive teaser billboards, print and digital ads asked consumers how they’d like to see healthcare work better. We went into the community with a videographer and asked people on the streets how they would improve healthcare. We set up a website, MakeHealthCareBetter.com, where residents could share their thoughts and concerns. We even created TV spots that dared to imagine what a few of those improvements might actually look like. Think hospital gown with a zipper.
Then a month later, we proved we had listened. We updated our billboards with the improvements suggested by the community. And we launched a brand manifesto based on the input we received. All leading to a whole new platform based on respect under the theme: “The way you should be treated.”
Within a month of the launch, over 1,000 people went online to make suggestions and propose improvements–from their desire to get same-day test results, to being able to e-mail their doctors. And the entire community was buzzing about the health system that respected them enough to listen. But more importantly, we won the respect of the Lake Country community for listening to their concerns about healthcare.