Nonprofit hospitals in Ohio spent 3 percent more on advertising and promotion in 2010 compared to the previous year. While the extra ad dollars may signal financial stability, that's still 30 percent less than 2008 spending, reports the Daytona Daily News. Efforts to cut nonclinical expenses and the uncertain fate of health reform have slowed down the return of hospital ad spending to pre-recession levels, according to the article.
Last year, Premier Health Partners, Children's Medical Center of Dayton, and Kettering Health Network together spent roughly $9.22 million to advertise and promote their healthcare services.
Premier allocated more than $5.5 million to advertising and promotion. It's report excluded the $30 million the four-hospital system pledged to area school districts for marketing and capital improvements because such contracts can sometimes last more than 20 years, notes the Daily News.
However, hospital advertising seemed to fare better in 2011, with September data showing that hospitals, clinics, and medical centers spent $717.2 million on advertising in the first half of this year, up 20 percent from the same period in 2010, according to the New York Times.
Even health insurers are doling out ad dollars, launching ad campaigns designed to educate patients and targeted at reducing healthcare costs. For instance, Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield--along with local medical societies--is airing humorous television and radio ads, urging people to visit their primary care doctor instead of going to the ER for minor health issues, according to FierceHealthPayer. Excellus is tracking ER and urgent care visits to measure the success of its humorous public service-style ads.
To learn more:
- read the Daytona Daily News article
- here's the FierceHealthPayer article