Budget constraints didn't stifle the success of University Health System's "NurseLink" campaign. In spite of a budget that represented less than 10 percent of what the top four health systems each spent on marketing in the San Antonio market, UHS achieved top-of-mind awareness for its NurseLink hotline that supports the system's women's services, emergency and primary care lines. It is the area's only 24-hour phone line answered exclusively by nurses.
The effort centered around mini-campaigns that focused on its recognition as the top 100 health system and innovations to its women's' services and other product lines. It targeted young adults, primarily women in the low- to mid-income category, and several minorities, including Hispanics and African-Americans.
The system's $300,000 marketing budget was stretched by negotiating annual media contracts that targeted a 10 percent value-added contribution in the form of bonus buys, sponsorships, special productions and remotes.
Value-added bonuses included "health tip" vignettes aired during weeks without paid advertising and remote broadcast packages.
By the end of 1999, this promotional topspin is expected to have a value of approximately $1 million, says Mary Rozar-Hogan, UHS director of business development and corporate communications.
In addition to getting a big media bang for its buck, the campaign also helped UHS overcome two major obstacles: their image as a "county hospital" and their stiff competition from other major health systems that had been more successful at attracting managed care dollars.
The NurseLink campaign exceeded market projections in three key areas by:
- achieving a 19 percent increase in actual media value over best-price media rates;
- generating 329,900 calls to NurseLink through the end of December which is 154,900 more calls than the system received in 1997;
- achieving near-capacity appointment levels for its new women's center throughout the three-month promotion; and
- increasing its call volume for all its services by more than 50 percent.
The UHS Team
Mary Rozar-Hogan, director of business development and corporate communications; Melissa Welch, PR coordinator; Marilyn Potts, corporate communications coordinator; Randy Felker, design coordinator; Margaret Villarreal, community relations coordinator; Tess Zepeda, marketing manager; Kay Floyd, PR, Joan Kearl, market research, Brad Lawton, creative director; Barbara Bailey, media buyer; Toni Bell, media buy manager