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Community Health Network Proves Multiple Communications 22 Percent More Effective With CPM's New Movers Program

Posted on: Wednesday, 9 November 2005, 09:01 CST

Community Health Network, based in Indianapolis, Ind., has found mailing three communications 22.28 percent more effective than mailing only one communication in its efforts to acquire patients from individuals who have relocated to its service areas.

The health system's Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database marketing solution enabled it to capture this data. Both the database and the new movers' direct mail campaign were developed, with the help of Community Health Network, by CPM Marketing Group, a leader in relationship management solutions for health care.

Looking to expand upon the success of its existing new movers program, Community Health Network decided to conduct a champion/challenger test to determine whether adding follow-up communications would influence more individuals to choose Community Health Network when the need for health care arose. The one-year experiment was designed so that a random sampling of those receiving the organization's welcome package also received second and third mailings.

The test results were so significant that Community Health Network has established the three-step program as the new standard, expanding to send follow-up communications to all households that have relocated to the area.

The messaging strategy for the follow-up test was based on the system's knowledge of how individuals commonly enter its system for care. Community Health Network sent color postcards to the randomly-selected households with information on finding a primary care physician or a specialist 30 days after the initial welcome package. The same households then were mailed color postcards 30 days later with information on the system's urgent care centers. Using dynamic printing technology, Community Health Network customized the third mailing for recipients, printing a photo that resembled each recipient's age and a map to the urgent care center nearest the recipient's home.

From December 2003 to November 2004, 39,977 households were mailed the welcome package only, while a total of 12,171 households were sent the welcome package and accompanying postcards during the same period. Households receiving the welcome package alone responded at a rate of 20.74 percent, while those receiving the welcome package and follow-up postcards responded at a rate of 25.36 percent.

The behavior of both groups was compared to that of a control group, which was measured to utilize services at a rate of 19.79 percent. The control group analysis found the welcome package alone drove an increase in service utilization of .95 percentage points or 380 patients to seek services. The welcome package and follow-up postcards, however, drove an increase in service utilization of 5.58 percentage points or 679 patients to seek services.

The test proved multiple communications were 22.28 percent more effective than a one-time mailing. It also showed three mailings were 28.15 percent more effective than no mailings. One-time mailings were found 4.8 percent more effective than no mailings.

New movers programs are a core strategy used by many health systems to acquire area newcomers as patients. Community Health Network's new movers' campaign is unique, however, since it is driven by a CRM system. CRM allows organizations to capture utilization brought forth by marketing as well as set up controlled tests such as the one conducted by Community Health Network.

"Operating in a highly competitive market, we have to spend our marketing dollars smartly. CRM enables us to implement, measure and then refine our marketing so that we achieve the greatest return in both volume and revenue," said Debbie Kenemer, Community Health Network's interactive marketing manager.

To learn more, read CPM's latest case study, "Community Health Network Proves Multiple Communications More Effective for New Movers Program than One-time Mailings" in the Hospital Press Room at www.cpm.com, or e-mail marketing@cpm.com or call 1-800-332-2631, Ext. 221, to request a copy.

About Community Health Network

Ranked among the top 40 integrated health care networks in the nation, Community Health Network has more than 60 sites of care throughout central Indiana. This includes Community Hospitals East, North and South in Indianapolis and Community Hospital Anderson; The Indiana Heart Hospital, a dedicated heart hospital; MedCheck urgent care centers; Indiana Surgery Centers; more than 70 primary care physician practices; home health services; nursing homes; and other health care facilities. Community Health Network is committed to getting individuals well and back to their life. For more information about Community Health Network visit www.eCommunity.com or call 1-800-777-7775.

About CPM Marketing Group Inc.

Customer Potential Management (CPM) Marketing Group, headquartered in Middleton, Wis., is a pioneer in the development of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions, including database development, intelligent health care marketing systems and predictive market segmentation. CPM's integrated solutions allow health care organizations to maximize their customer relationships through market analysis, strategic planning and targeted personal communications. The foundation is an accessible, customer-centric database that includes comprehensive individual and household data. CPM's suite of software tools provides easy and secure access to the data for individual snapshots of patients and health consumers on a segment-of-one basis. For more information, visit www.cpm.com, call 1-800-332-2631, Ext. 221, or e-mail marketing@cpm.com.

Source: Business Wire

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