Western Connecticut Health Network is the latest healthcare provider to launch a new brand campaign, coining the tagline "We Know You Well," with the goal of personalizing healthcare dialogue and the overall patient experience.
The campaign's endgame, the company stated, is to "strengthen collective and individual roles as advocates" for the health of area residents. It was inspired by CEO John Murphy, MD, who said he wanted to put patient health at the center of the system's philosophy.
[Also: What's in a name? Northwell Health renaming shows power of brand in consumer-driven healthcare]
The move is the latest in a number of branding efforts among health systems that have cropped up in recent months and years. West coast-based Dignity Health -- which just a few years ago overhauled its image, including its name, recently adopted a campaign dubbed "Hello Human Kindness," which sought to unify the ad campaigns of all its disparate hospitals and practices. And Northwell Health, which also underwent a name change, unveiled a regional TV spot during February's Super Bowl that emphasized the hospital-patient relationship rather than focusing on treating illnesses.
Experts from those health systems and others have espoused the importance of branding in an ever more consumer-driven market. Earlier this year, John Brumstead, president and CEO of the University of Vermont Health Network, said that marketing strategies in healthcare have to start mimicking those of non-health entities such as Apple and Coca-Cola.
"We don't want to lose out to someone who has developed a better brand strategy," said Brumstead. "If you don't have a brand that has some meaning, you're not even in the conversation."
New York-based Montefiore Health System followed suit this month, unveiling a new branding slogan, "Doing More," which highlights the system's expansion into Westchester County, the greater Hudson Valley and the Bronx.
[Also: Northwell rebranding kicks off; New Years baby stars in marketing video]
In the case of Western Connecticut Health Network, the "We Know You Well" campaign is "about getting to know the patient both personally and clinically so we can tailor care to their needs, through every phase of their life, regardless of their circumstances," said Murphy.
Beyond the advertising campaign itself, WCHN has developed what it calls a new "unified brand identity," including a new logo.
Robert Carr, MD, a longtime primary care physician and a member of the Western Connecticut Health Network, is spearheading care coordination models promoting proactive health discussions and primary care interaction. Complemented by new technology, new patient portals allow patients easier access to medical records and test results.
Twitter: @JELagasse