OASIS Alert

Published on Mon Nov 17, 2003 PDF

Home Health Compare could be your marketing ace in the hole.

Once you understand consumers'mindset, focus on how your outcomes can influence that audience.

1. Know the numbers. "Agencies should definitely use outcomes and quality measures in their marketing," advises consultant Mike Ferris with Access Health Education in Chapel Hill, NC. To target your outcomes to the consumer audience, you first have to understand them yourself, so you know what you're talking about, he says.

2. Appearance counts. All your marketing and presentation material should look professional, says Adam Bishop with health care marketing firm The Adam Group in Franklin, TN.

And marketing staff should be trained to use outcomes positively, adds marketing and sales consultant Alison Cherney with Cherney & Associates in Brentwood, TN.

3. Be proactive. Tell your agency's story before someone else does. You can emphasize what matters to the consumer and head off any potential negative attention to your outcomes, experts say. And educate consumers on their right to choose your agency.

4. Keep it simple. Don't use industry-specific lingo and acronyms that non-home care people won't understand, warns Heather Rooney with bench-marking firm Outcome Concepts Systems Inc. in Seattle. Charts and graphs can help get your message across - if they are easy to understand. But don't use them alone. Be sure to explain why your numbers are important and how they make your HHA the best choice, she emphasizes.

5. Aim before firing. Think carefully about what referrals are most beneficial to your agency's bottom line, and aim your marketing effort toward those, Rooney advises.

6. Be creative. If you have other outcomes that may appeal to your target audience, use them, Cherney says. You're not limited to those appearing on Home Health Compare. And if your outcomes aren't top notch, you can emphasize your quality improvement efforts, explain underlying data accuracy concerns or show the limitations of risk adjustment for your patient population, experts advise.