Beyond Medicine: Marketing Hospital Amenities to Women

Set your hospital apart by marketing more than just your medical services.

For most people, visiting a hospital is not a regular occurrence, so the process can be daunting. But hospitals can help. From explaining exactly where to go to setting up easy payment options post-treatment, hospitals can use many tactics to show patients and caregivers that they are approachable, knowledgeable and ready to relieve the stressful burden of the unknown.

Now more than ever before, hospitals must market well to set themselves apart from their competitors. Simply claiming to have the best doctors or technology will not be enough when women expect all hospitals to strive to only provide the best. There are many ways beyond medicine that hospitals can market their amenities to drive preference.

Visit any new-mom Facebook page and you’re bound to see a post asking where everyone delivered their babies. Scroll through the comments and you’ll find hospital-selection criteria that range from window views to visitation rules to cafeteria food. Women expect that all hospitals will deliver a baby safely. Moms who are fortunate enough to have a normal pregnancy and delivery look beyond basic safety to make their decision.

Amenities and tools that ease the burden on patients and caregivers go a long way, but consumers often don’t know what is available. So tell them!

• Does your hospital assign a nurse navigator to walk parents through their child’s surgery before, during and after? Or to help women through the process of breast cancer treatment?
• Does your hospital get rave reviews on its meals and cafeteria food?
• Is your hospital easy to find? Is it easy to park and navigate the building?
• Do you offer technology that helps caregivers navigate the hospital and the care process?

If you think about the burdens families face when they experience your hospital for the first time, you can uncover myriad ways to market the ease and accessibility of your hospital, relieving stress for your patients and caregivers. Some simple market research can uncover hidden opportunities to set your hospital apart.

While patients and caregivers won’t always have the opportunity to choose their hospital, there are many times when they can, and they make their choice based on not only medicine, but the comfort of knowing they will be guided and cared for throughout the process.