MHSCN's mission for fall conference 2019 is to help healthcare communicators and marketers explore their expanding roles.

That's why we've invited local and national experts to speak on these topics.

Keynote: Marketers, Do You Speak CEO?

Speaking “CEO” is essential for marketing professionals. And yet it is often an area where many marketers struggle. Hear firsthand how a senior vice president of marketing at a growing, five-hospital not-for-profit healthcare system, LCMC Health, successfully made the case for marketing investment to her CEO. In the past three years, the CEO supported a multi-million dollar investment, including: rebranding the health system; adding new FTEs to build a corporate Marketing team, and investing in a CRM tool.

Figuring out how to connect with your CEO takes more than knowing your follower count, social sentiment, and content performance. You can’t expect your CEO to know what you are talking about and know how to apply it if you aren’t able to translate it into the CEO filter through which they view operations: How is your work impacting the business and strategic objectives?

Christine Albert, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications for LCMC Health, provides strategic leadership for all marketing planning and operations across this a health network based in New Orleans, LA. She also develops and executes marketing plans to position her organization as the market leader.

She received a master’s of public policy degree from The George Washington University and bachelor’s degrees in mass communications and French from Loyola University, New Orleans. She is a member of the board of the American Hospital Association’s Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development (SHSMD).

Patient Experience Efforts That Drive Market Share

Consumers ask their friends, family – and perfect strangers – for insights on the products or services they’re looking to use, including health care providers and services. Delivering a premier patient experience will drive positive word-of-mouth marketing and market share. Health care marketers play a large role in aligning the various patient experience efforts in their organizations. This session will cover ideas that St. Luke’s has used on how to effectively do this.

Jessica Stauber, MBA, APR, Director of Marketing and Business Planning, St. Luke’s Health Care System is enjoying her second stint at St. Luke’s. Earlier in her career, she was a public relations specialist at St. Luke’s for four years; she then joined a Duluth advertising agency for 12 years.

Jessica returned five years ago as director of marketing and business planning. She and her team of seven professionals feel privileged to market St. Luke’s and the amazing health care their colleagues provide.

The Challenges of Rural Obstetrics Care 

Nationally, hospitals are closing their obstetrics wards at an alarming rate. Minnesota Public Radio Senior News Reporter Catharine Richert will detail how she reported a four-part series on disappearing obstetrics units throughout Minnesota. Her presentation will look at how rural hospitals are coping with market pressures beyond their control and what the long-term impact may be for communities in which hospitals no longer have obstetrics units or carry out planned deliveries. She will also discuss how she covers health care topics in her region, which includes Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic Health Care System, and how she identifies a good story.

Catharine Richert, News Senior Reporter, Minnesota Public Radio, covers the Southeast Minnesota region for MPR News and is based in Rochester, Minn. Most of her career has been spent covering politics, both in Washington, D.C., and at the state capitol in St. Paul. More recently, her coverage of the state’s bungled rollout of MNsure and the Affordable Care Act won several state and regional investigative reporting awards. In 2017, her investigations into two publicly funded (but failing) arts institutions in Rochester earned her the Eric Sevareid Award from the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association.

Catharine has a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Minnesota. She lives in Rochester with her husband, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic, and their three children.

Communication Challenges to Build and Nurture Community Health Partnerships

Health systems and hospitals have recognized that new collaboration is needed with community health organizations if health organizations are to be successful in the age of population health and the journey from volume to value. These partnerships embrace schools, faith-based communities, police and fire departments, housing and economic development agencies. To accomplish joint program planning, mobilize needed resources, and then govern these relationships wisely, effective communication strategies and messaging is essential for the sustained vitality of these collaboratives.

Jim Rice, Ph.D., Managing Director and Practice Leader, Governance and Leadership, Gallagher, brings more than 40 years of experience in the development of strategies for successful formation and operation of integrated health systems in 35 countries. He was a founder of the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Society for Strategy and Marketing, and an executive engaged in forming the Allina Health System.

He will share lessons learned about wise communications for community health partnerships from his more than 12 years of service on the AHA’s Foster McGaw Award program. The award has recognized hospitals and health systems who best demonstrate how they form and govern community health partnerships for health gain, not just health care.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG), is a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois.

Helping Your Organization Thrive Through Change: Change Management Essentials

Change is the new normal at most organizations – and communications, marketing and public relations professionals play a crucial role in helping ensure that plans are carefully considered and effectively executed. Equip yourself to support your organization through change with this practical session, which takes the best and most important elements of change management methodologies and boils them down to a process that is straightforward and easy to use.

Learn how to guide your organization through a change in a way that:

• Ensures individuals have what they need to be successful in making the change
• Minimizes confusion, resistance and disruptions that can happen in transition
• Cements the change in your organization’s operating procedures and culture

Meredith Fox is the founder and managing director of Portage Partners Consulting, a firm focused on supporting Minnesota’s civic-sector leaders with strategic planning, community engagement and implementation support services. Her passion is to empower the people and organizations in our community that are making the world a better place.

She has a degree in political science and gender studies from The American University in Washington, D.C. and a master’s of public policy degree from the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota. She's held leadership positions in Minnesota state government, the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis Public Schools, and has professional skills and certifications in strategic planning, leadership coaching, design thinking, process improvement, community engagement, organizational change management, group facilitation, organizational design, project management and executive decision-making.

Covering the News: What Health Care Reporters are Watching

The health care industry is an exciting area to cover, especially as major hospital developments are underway in northeastern Minnesota. A Duluth News Tribune reporter will share about this industry and how she navigates reporting on it. She will give insight into how she selects stories, manages challenges that sometimes arise with covering health care and best works with public relations professionals.

Kelly Busche is the business and health reporter for the Duluth News Tribune. Her coverage includes business and the health care industry, with an emphasis on how they impact Northland residents. She was recently hired at the paper after a summer internship. Busche’s passion lies in uncovering untold, impactful stories and is incredibly excited to cover these stories in this wonderful community.

Busche graduated in May from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, where she earned degrees in journalism and political science. During her time as an undergraduate, she served as the editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Daily, the University’s independent, student-run newspaper. Busche also served as an intern for APM Reports, where she uncovered how members of Congress favored certain congressional districts when awarding a popular transportation grant. Busche additionally held a part-time internship with the Star Tribune and a full-time internship with the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Sound compelling?

Register for Fall Conference today!