FamilyHealth Medical Clinic
Opening New Doors: Planning and Executing a Successful Public Event
The Situation:
Northfield Hospital, located just south of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, developed a system of primary care facilities under the sub-brand FamilyHealth Medical Clinics. The hospital was seeking support for the opening of FamilyHealth Medical Clinic–Farmington. Because of Farmington’s close proximity to the Twin Cities, the new clinic faces significant competition from other health care providers.
The Communications Challenge:
FamilyHealth Medical Clinic–Farmington needed to differentiate itself within the regional health care market as well as convince consumers that the quality of care they would receive at the local level would be as high as the care they might receive at a facility in the nearby metro area. Ultimately, the goal was to get people to select the FamilyHealth clinic as their primary care facility.
Strategy:
To meet the challenge, Neuger Communications Group implemented a multi-faceted communications plan involving local and regional media coverage, advertising, and a focused direct marketing campaign, culminating in a grand opening event at the clinic. The strategy outlined was designed to attract community members to the clinic to start building the provider/patient relationship. The primary messages in all communications centered around positioning the clinic as not just a treatment facility but as a health care and wellness partner. By highlighting the clinic’s association with Cannon Valley Clinics–Mayo Health System, the clinic achieved instant credibility as a provider.
Prior to the event, contests were promoted within local schools to engage the interest of the children and subsequently their parents. At the Grand Opening, children were given the opportunity to dress up as a physician and have their photos taken. While touring the facility, visitors were able to have their height and weight checked, learn about services offered, transfer their medical records, and speak with clinic nurses and physicians. The experienced and detail-oriented team at Neuger Communications Group was able to manage everything, allowing our client, the hospital and clinic staff, to do what they needed to do – connect with community members and prospective patients.
Results:
The clinic’s Grand Opening was a tremendous success. Over 350 visitors came through the doors on a Saturday morning in January, despite the frigid Minnesota temperatures. The contest entries – tongue depressor log cabins and coloring pages – were impressive, and countless questions were answered by clinic staff. Media coverage of the event was positive, and the clinic opened the following Monday with the first appointment at 9:00 a.m. FamilyHealth Medical Clinic–Farmington is well on its way to being an indispensable community resource.
