Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center: Taking the Message of Trust to the Streets of LA

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., April 27 /PRNewswire/ — Nestled in the heart of one of the most diverse communities in Los Angeles, the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center (HPMC) is reaching out to families throughout the city with a promise to be their trusted home away from home; a place that is comfortable and secure, night and day, rain or shine.

“We are building a relationship with our community based on the simple principle of trust,” said Jim Banahan, the Vice President of Marketing and Community Relations at HPMC. “But for the community to trust HPMC, it needs to build a relationship with us first … to get to know who we are.”

Earlier this year, the hospital (via telephonic research) asked the many diverse communities living within 5-miles of the hospital if they would like to know more about Hollywood Presbyterian and the many health services it offers the community. “They said yes,” Banahan said.

Based on that answer, the hospital has been reaching out to the community, unlike any other health care facility in the region, by taking its simple message directly to the people of Los Angeles.

“Rather than making them come to us, we went out to them,” said Banahan. “We made it as easy as possible for people in our community to learn about our physicians, nurses and programs by going to the streets, to where the population congregates and commutes.”

For the last few months, the hospital has been adorning the streets of Hollywood with HPMC panels that promote family care and healthy living. Appearing at bus-stops throughout the community, these panels present images of Hollywood Presbyterian physicians, nurses and patients that highlight the hospital’s dedication to improving the health and welfare of all the residents of Los Angeles.

“Every panel is tailored to the community it serves,” said Banahan, adding that the panels in Little Armenia are in Armenian, those in Korea Town are in Korean, while Spanish language panels are located throughout the entire region surrounding the hospital.

HPMC has also been increasing awareness of its name and mission below the streets of LA, utilizing the subway system to transform one of the largest transportation hubs in the city into an informative environment where commuters can get better acquainted with the hospital’s audacious goal of becoming the most trusted medical center by 2012.

“The hospital displayed its message on every media space within the subway station at Downtown’s 7th and Figueroa Metro terminal, enhancing the experience with specialized displays highlighting the diverse character of the Hollywood Presbyterian family,” said Les Harrison of CBS Outdoor, who coordinated the effort with HPMC.

The 7th and Figueroa station connects Los Angeles to Long Beach and serves the largest volume of commuters in the MTA system. The expansive ad space allowed the hospital to share a variety of messages to riders during a single visit.

The campaign’s goal is to introduce the community to the hospital’s friendly atmosphere by using its own staff and physicians to spread the message. “We photographed ourselves for the ad banners, using life size images of our nurses, physicians and patients,” Banahan said. “We’re honest, open and use real people to express our dedication of quality, trust and family.”

“Trust is the key ingredient in choosing a hospital and we want to earn the right to be the most trusted hospital in town,” Banahan said. “Educating the public about our commitment to quality care and safety is the first step in building a bond.”

SOURCE Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center