Building and sustaining interdepartmental relationships
Keeping hospital stakeholders on board
Communication among the marketing team and the different internal stakeholder groups and departments is key for building mutually beneficial relationships that, in turn, help the organization achieve its business and clinical goals. If the marketing team makes an effort to understand and address the needs of each stakeholder group, the organization will be better prepared to deliver on their brand promises.
To further complicate the equation, healthcare organizations may enlist outside contractors, consultants and guns-for-hire to develop and execute their plans. A marketing team may be made up entirely of in-house hospital staff; they may be collaborating with a marketing partner; or outsourcing all marketing activities to an advertising agency or agencies. No matter the makeup or physical location, the marketing team is responsible for creating, communicating and promoting a marketing strategy across the political hierarchy the healthcare organization.
Healthcare marketing is a group effort. Motivating and inspiring stakeholders to agree on and participate in the organizational culture helps the hospital or healthcare provider network deliver what the marketing materials promise. Understanding how to navigate the politics of a large, complex institution – and a lot of energy – will help keep everyone on board.