3 ways your hospital can deal with our stressed-out society

Did you know that we’re entering the “Super Stress Era?” That’s according to J. Walter Thompson’s (JWT) annual forecast of trends report.

What does that mean for the health care industry as a whole—and why should we, as health care marketers, care?

According to the JWT survey, stressors are mounting and multiplying. That means stress will become even more widely recognized as a serious medical concern. As this trend continues, forward-thinking hospitals and clinics will ramp up efforts to address consumers’ stress-related healthcare needs.

Keep in mind, “super-stressed” consumers may warrant a different approach to marketing and messaging, along with new variations on products, programs and services healthcare organizations offer. I’ll give you a few examples.

• Re-framing your message: When there’s high potential that a customer will be stressed out by a specific topic, there’s generally an opportunity to re-frame the experience and/or the message for people expecting something unpleasant. For example, Southwest Health Center developed an effective and humorous approach to spread the serious message of getting annual physicals and talking with a doctor.

• Promoting proactive ways to fight off stress: One of the best stress-management tools is exercise. Consider developing a weekly exercise tip delivered by one of your healthcare experts. Post the video on YouTube and your website to keep consumers coming back.

• Leveraging workplace well-being programs: Wellness programs aren’t new to the workplace, but an emphasis on stress reduction is. Leverage opportunities to assist local businesses in helping their employees achieve a better work-life balance. Yoga and massage demonstrations are just two examples of how you might get involved (and build your brand).

Forty-seven percent of the adult population has spoken. That’s a number worth responding to.

Mike Milligan is the president of Legato Healthcare Marketing. Find out more about Legato here.