Partnership
Healthcare Giants Team Up To Study Consumer Feedback to Physician Access
To measure enrollee feedback and satisfaction, CalPERS, the second largest purchaser of healthcare in the nation and largest in California, and Health Net, the largest network model health plan in California, are collaborating on a landmark project to determine how HMO members should access medical specialists, a hot topic for managed care marketers.
The project, "Consumer Health Access" will examine selected groups of patients and physicians in the Health Net Network (which serves more than 1.3 million member in 48 counties) to explore various ways of enhancing patient access to specialists without sacrificing the quality or continuity of care or driving up healthcare costs.
In addition to the two main partners, the project also will tap into the marketing and research expertise of California Health Decisions, an Orange County, Calif.-based non-profit, non-partisan organization that identifies public values about healthcare and communicates them to policy makers, employers and the media, and a host of other healthcare organizations, making Consumer Health Access among the most aggressive and comprehensive enrollee-driven efforts. What makes this project so unique is the broad scope of perspective it will reflect from healthcare consumers and physicians to employers and health plans, according to Ellen Severoni, president of CHD, who says the project has already cost $300,000 on planning alone. Each of the nine healthcare organizations will donate some time from communications staffers to communicate the results of the survey and its impact on improving the physician referral and authorization process. Research findings are expected to be released this September. (CHD, 714/647-4920)
Patient Relations
Hospital Celebrates New Births with 18-Second Baby Serenades
To announce the arrivals of newly delivered babies, the Columbia Northwest Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale plays an 18-second classical lullaby dubbed "First Tunes" that can be heard throughout all corners of the hospital. This is the 15th facility nationwide to install the First Tunes system, and the first and only labor and delivery facility in Broward County to herald newborns in such a special way.
Launched the latter part of last month, the musical program uniquely supports the hospital's corporate mission of putting patients and babies first. In fact, if Columbia's birthing trends continue, the facility expects to play the lullaby two to three times daily throughout the remainder of the year. To further exploit this new baby nostalgia, the delivery team presents each parent with a keepsake version of the lullaby on specially designed and personalized tape cassettes. First Tunes, composed by Mark Maxwell, a record producer in Atlanta who was inspired to create the jingles from another hospital in Athens, Ga., sells for about $5,000. (The Ryan Stapelton Group, 954/761-3191; Mark Maxwell, 706/353-1308)
Children's Issues
Nonprofit Makes Move on Clinton's Childcare Call To Action
Kaiser Permanente reached deep in its pockets for a multi-faceted marketing plan to provide health coverage to uninsured children in California and to take the lead on the President's call for action on this high-profile issue. Participants in the program will receive a full range of services to include preventive care, doctors visits, emergency care, hospitalization and prescriptions. Investing $100 million to subsidize health coverage for up to 50,000 children a year from low income families, the state's largest non-profit healthcare organization will reach these children through:
- the California Managed Risk Medical Inurance Board to identify at-risk children,
- state schools and supporting school-based health services.
- outreach programs via Medi-Cal to eligible enrollees that will simplify the enrollee process,
- working with legislators to develop and secure legislation for expanding childcare access to coverage,
- and organizing and leading a statewide coalition for healthcare quality solutions for children's coverage. (KP, 818/405-5517)
Award
Anti-Smoking Teen Campaign Wins Industry Award
HealthPartners, a Bloomington. Minn.-based healthcare organization serving more than 739,000 members, recently won the American Association of Health Plan's (AAHP) 1997 Community Leadership Award for its provocative teen anti-smoking campaign. The campaign used an "in your face" MTV-approach to communicating counter-tobacco images in its TV commercials, radio ads, billboards, and community events.
In 1996 (spring and winter), HealthPartners launched a statewide $1 million campaign series of anti-tobacco ads that addressed some of the top social concerns of teens. The first ads, tagged "Garbage Face" features a teenage girl smoking and talking about her heartthrob. As the boy approaches her she says "Hi," and he responds, "Two words, breath mint." While the girl continues to talk, her face gradually morphs into an ashtray, communicating two key messages: smoking makes your breath stink and kills your sex appeal.
HealthPartners also worked with teens, schools, media, health officials and community partners to support its broader smoking prevention and cessation marketing campaigns. (HealthPartners, 612/883-5223)