The economy and changes in healthcare policy are very real reminders and leaders are challenging departments to show their impact on the hospital's bottom line.

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Show Me the Money

Article by: Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA

This article was updated in 2009 to reflect the current market conditions.

Marketing and its related activities have again come under heavy scrutiny as healthcare organizations have been forced to cut costs and justify their expenditures. The economy and changes in healthcare policy are very real reminders and leaders are challenging departments to show their impact on the hospital's bottom line.

Demonstrate Results

In the ranks, reactions to the ROI mandates are varied. Some abandon activities that are tough to quantify, others scramble to find creative ways to measure the impact and a few are still saying, "Trust me." For most, it is a reminder that the support entities are seen as nice, but not always critical.

Because the need to demonstrate results is not going away, the key is development of an outcomes-oriented approach.

Assess what's measurable, how it can be measured, what the measurement tells you and what it takes to get the job done.

• Match what you are able to measure with the hospital/health system's strategic goals.
• Begin to educate internal and external audiences on quantitative and qualitative outcomes.
• Consider strategies for building numbers short-term and building relationships long-term.
• Articulate how customers buy via process maps, tools, and satisfaction indicators.
• Stay committed to the process.

Get a Head Start

It goes without saying; the process is much easier if it's done BEFORE it becomes a mandate. While there will always be activities that are "the right thing to do," it's critical that we manage our time, energy and dollars. That's what long-term viability is all about. In healthcare, programs that are able to gain the support of the internal team and provide the right message for the external market are the leaders of the future.

Getting It Done

While your team will likely have great suggestions, here are some ideas to get started:

• List, then evaluate current tactics: the activity, expectations, audience, cost, data and outcomes.
• Assess vulnerabilities and highlight the priorities.
• Look at what the organization ultimately wants.
• Begin internal education.
• Develop a 1-page measurement tool that service-line requestors complete with you.
• Gain internal consensus on accepted measures and outcomes: Trends/new admits/satisfaction/referrals into physician offices and clinics/specific procedures.
• Work with the call center.
• Start with key strategies, apply a simple measurement guide, share the results and credit with your team.

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