If you aren't convinced that healthcare information seekers are intense users of the Internet, a recent online breast cancer campaign may boost your conviction. Last month, a first-of-its-kind partnership among WebMD, Health-South and Tenet Healthcare harnessed the Web's infectious power to spread the word about the importance of getting a mammogram. The national campaign, offered throughout October (national breast cancer awareness month), promoted free mammograms regardless of insurance status and has resulted in more than 14,000 scheduled appointments so far.
Women were able to register for the mammograms via the WebMD Web site, http://www.WebMD.com, or a toll-free hotline. The screenings occurred at 184 HealthSouth or Tenet facilities.
From a PR standpoint, the effort highlights the Web's ability to drive tremendous awareness within a short window of time. The campaign wasn't launched until Oct. 4, when several media outlets had already been bombarded with breast cancer pitches. To break through the clutter and land some high-profile, last-minute media, WebMD and Tenet took a divide-and-conquer PR approach. WebMD pitched the national media and Tenet focused on local and regional media. The PR strategy included:
- positioning the campaign as the first effort to provide free mammograms on a national scale;
- inviting reporters to register for a mammogram online.
The online component of the campaign played big with the media who positioned it as an exciting way for women to conveniently access free mammography screening, says Brandon Edwards, Tenet's director of corporate communications. The campaign generated national ink and airtime from national newspapers like USA Today and television programs like the "Rosie O'Donnell Show."
It also provided a different high-tech spin on typical breast cancer awareness initiatives the media are asked to cover, says Erin O'Brien, WebMD's director of corporate communications.
The campaign was also supported by an advertising campaign that cost at least $1 million which used national consumer print.
Overcoming Physician Skepticism
The abbreviated planning window was a major hurdle in getting physician support for the campaign. Physicians had to be convinced to volunteer their time and make financial sacrifices to conduct the free screenings. In some markets, physicians couldn't understand why Tenet was giving away mammography services that are so financially viable, says Edwards. To overcome this concern, Edwards emphasized that Tenet was not making any money from the venture and physicians could be real heroes in their communities. The local PR strategy often used physicians as spokespeople for the campaign.
Physicians were sold. At least 800 physicians participated in the effort at 118 Tenet facilities.
For physicians, the online aspect of the campaign also had an interesting side benefit: it drove more educated patient traffic than traditional offline efforts. Women who registered for the mammograms had access to a wealth of breast cancer information offered on the WebMD Web site.
The campaign's success has strong potential for being duplicated in other healthcare areas, according to WebMD and Tenet. Although no formal plans have been made, Tenet is considering quarterly online health initiatives that invite online registration and WebMD is looking to do a similar breast cancer campaign next year on a larger national scale.
(WebMD, Erin O'Brien, 404/479-7639; Tenet, Brandon Edwards, 805/563-7044)