CASE STUDY
PRISM Vision Group
RELATIONSHIP
PRISM Vision Group is one of the largest vertically-integrated independent ophthalmology administrative services organizations (ASO) in the Mid-Atlantic region and is home to the largest network of retinal care providers in the country. PRISM is home to 14 practices, with 67 locations, 120 providers and more than 900 employees throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.
PRISM Vision Group supports ophthalmology practices in providing patients with world-class, comprehensive eye care and an unrivaled practice environment for its network of affiliated physicians and employees.
PRISM engaged our team initially to develop a brand platform for the ASO’s new business model in 2019. After speaking with key stakeholders throughout the organization we developed a strategic direction, marketing strategy and brand platform for the organization, and launched a rebranding campaign which included a new name, logo, brand positioning, corporate identity standards, digital marketing tactics and website optimization solutions.
In the spring of 2020, PRISM tasked us to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy to support its affiliate practices in recapturing patient appointments that were lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to generate new patient volume through several innovative virtual care options, targeted digital strategies and relevant messaging. The practices were struggling from a business perspective and operating at less than 15% capacity.
SITUATION
While the pandemic brought many challenges to the practices, one stood out among the rest-patient hesitancy to return to a medical setting. While the medical practices were eager to return to normal operations many patients were not.
It became our mission to help patients understand that the practices were ready to serve them safely. To do so we engaged patients in a relevant manner through the proper channels and, for the first time, marketed several virtual options for patients to receive care.
We built the foundation of the marketing strategy with an understanding that not every patient felt the same. Some patients were more willing to return while others were more concerned for COVID safety and preferred to take advantage of virtual appointment options, or even pushing off appointments for months.
The campaign “Getting Your Patients Back” launched and ran for 90 days. Its proactive nature and measured approach proved to reach patients in a successful and meaningful way.
BRAND MARKETING SOLUTION
“Getting Your Patients Back”
A timely communications roadmap to put patients at ease and to return to your practice
We elected to use a highly personalized approach to reach patients, rather than a traditional mass advertising approach. Whether marketing to the proactive or more reluctant patient, we leveraged and prioritized all internal communication channels, patient emails, organic social media platforms, and phone calls with specific scripting to reach patients in the right way, at the right time and with the right message.
Overall, the messaging reflected the importance of wellness and prevention appointments and the impact they have on a patient’s overall health. Simultaneously, we clearly and consistently highlighted the safety precautions adapted by all practices to reduce patient anxiety.
Keeping in theme with the virtual nature of the world, all practice websites served as the home for the campaigns call to action. Website use included home page messaging, unique website sections clearly dedicated to showcasing safety precautions in place to help patients understand what to expect at their next appointment, newly instituted on-line appointment scheduling and virtual check-ins.
We created a patient safety video and scaled it across all practice websites, driving traffic to the sites by linking the video to email campaigns and social media posts. With tight COVID restrictions in place, we used staff and physicians as spokespersons in the video and then had them film footage on their cell phones. The result produced an authentic video that patients could easily relate to.
Finally, digital advertising played a large role in targeting, positioning and capturing new patient volume through a telemedicine campaign. We blended a mix of targeted search, social and display to generate initial market awareness and drive profitable volume
RESULTS: 90-Day Campaign
Over the course of the three-month campaign, website activity grew by over 35% with 130,000 unique visitors.
The campaign generated over 2,200 requests for appointments resulting in 910 actual appointments. Practice operating capacity grew from 15% to nearly 60%.
Targeted patient email campaigns reached over 120,000 patients and experienced engagement rates exceeding 60%, with click through rates of over 15%, driving more than 10,000 patient safety video views.
Social media channels captured higher levels of activity throughout the campaign averaging over 45% higher engagement rates than pre-COVID campaigns.
The telemedicine marketing campaign captured over 30,000 website page views, generating over 1,100 requests for appointments with a cost per lead of $19.00.
The messaging achieved our desired results of making patients more comfortable with coming into the office. Post-discharge surveys revealed over 90% of the patients would recommend the practice for care.
