Establish a Program Communications Strategy
HealthHelp
Based in Houston, Texas, HealthHelp pioneered a collaborative approach to radiology benefit management based on physician consultation. Since 1997, FrogDog has provided HealthHelp with full-service corporate communications services including branding, public relations, investor relations, employee relations, and sales support.
The Challenge
- Traditionally, physician offices had to call a toll-free number to request insurance-company approval for procedures. To make the process more efficient, HealthHelp developed an on-line procedure-authorization service.
- Health care providers are often slow to change their internal procedures, and this initially was the case with the new on-line authorization service.
- HealthHelp asked FrogDog to help it market the service to doctors’ offices and increase the number of them requesting procedures electronically.
The FrogDog Solution
- FrogDog developed a strategic communications plan that included multiple points and types of contact and education with the practices—including fax, direct mail, and one-on-one contact with HealthHelp client managers and field representatives—to ensure that the availability of the new service became known to them. The plan also included a contest in which providers were entered every time they used the Web service.
- FrogDog created all materials for the campaign, including a letter, a flyer, a post card, and a mouse pad.
- To further refine the program, FrogDog helped create an on-line tutorial and incorporated the log-in into HealthHelp’s home page.
- After the program had been up and running for about a year, FrogDog surveyed physician practices nationwide and conducted focus groups with representatives from suburban, urban, and rural practices to learn more about user patterns and attitudes toward the service.
- As a result of this research, FrogDog recommended more face-to-face training. HealthHelp then launched an ongoing campaign through which it has conducted focused marketing and training blitzes in its ten largest markets.
Results
- Use of the on-line authorization service grew steadily, and electronic requests now account for more than half of those received by HealthHelp.
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FrogDog assisted HealthHelp in getting the word out about another new electronic option: an integrated voice-response system that automates telephone requests.
