Each day, doctors go to work to make the community a healthier place. In commemoration of National Doctors Day on March 30, take a moment to recognize the doctors and physicians who dedicate their lives to ensure the people of our community are in the best health possible. Physicians who serve our community are truly heroes. These men and women dedicate their lives to the practice of medicine, and our community continues to thrive as a result.
National Doctors Day was first observed on March 30, 1933 when Eudora Brown Almond conceived the idea on the anniversary of the first administration of anesthesia by Dr. Crawford W. Long in 1842. With great approval by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, President George Bush signed a resolution into law in 1990 designating March 30 as National Doctors Day.
This is also a great day for hospitals and healthcare facilities across the country to make the community aware of the abundance of resource available to them. This is especially true for those in rural areas. Residents believe they must travel far distances to larger nearby cities for “better” emergency care. Rural and community hospitals often have the equipment and skill required to treat a wide range of emergencies; many are even rated as a Level IV Trauma Center.
So why are residents willing to take the risk of dying on their way to a hospital in a larger city for this so-called “better care”? The answer lies in communication. Stopping out-migration (residents traveling to other hospitals) and increasing market share begins with properly educating the community on the breadth of capabilities and services offered by your healthcare facility.
For more than 19 years, rural and small community healthcare marketing has been a cornerstone of SRJ Marketing Communications. With a professional integrated marketing communications campaign, SRJ will implement profit-producing strategies that will raise community awareness and increase your facility’s bottom line.
Here are my top three tips for helping hospitals and healthcare facilities better communicate with the people of their community:
- Speak to Your Community – Reach out to your community, educate them on your capabilities and let them know that your facility is just as good as the one in a neighboring community.
- Promote Good Health – Host health fairs, develop a direct mail campaign, send good health articles to the community newspaper, speak on radio talk shows, and establish good relationships with area businesses.
- Keep Patients Happy – Just as with any business, great service means more business. Consider holding customer service training workshops for all hospital staff members. This will help them better service the patients and ultimately increase internal morale.
Oh, and don’t forget—our doctors do so much to keep us healthy. The next time you leave from your next appointment, be sure to thank your physician for their expertise and time.
