To allow existing and potential patients to test-drive its medical services, Sentara Healthcare recently launched a direct mail campaign of CD-ROMs to 33,000 area
households.
The CD-ROM, which was mailed in late January, educates consumers on Sentara's health and wellness services, cardiology care, senior programs and diagnostic services. It also
links to Sentara's Web site, http://www.sentara.com.
The campaign's primary objectives are to position Sentara as a high-tech, innovative provider of healthcare and to forge creative relationships with healthcare consumers, says
Elisabeth McNamara, Sentara's director of strategy and product development. It also features interactive tools to help consumers educate themselves on their health status. Key
features include:
- a tour of the Sentara Hampton Health and Fitness center that includes a wellness test and the opportunity to listen to Sentara fitness experts who provide tips for
getting in shape; - a health risk assessment for cardiology and the opportunity to listen to cardiology experts answering commonly asked questions.
Other CD-ROM features include emergency room information and tips for taking care of an elderly family member. The campaign targets babyboomers and mid-lifers between the ages
of 35 to 64. Because of all the information packed into the CD, the campaign costs about half of what it would be if it were available in print, says McNamara.
So far, the campaign has generated more than 1,000 responses via email, telephone and response cards.
(Sentara, Elisabeth McNamara, 757/594-1037)