2

Meet Ascent Creative Marketing

Executive summary

Situation analysis

Secondary research

12

Primary research

32

SWOT

50

Target market overview

54

Goals, objectives and strategy

56

Tactics

58

Predictions and evaluations

74

Budget

75

References

76

Appendix

78

Table of
Contents

Meet
Dr.
Yvonnes
Chens
Strategic
Campaigns class in the William Allen
White School of Journalism and Mass
Communications at the University of
Kansas was divided into teams to produce
a campaign for Swope Health Services.
Thus, Ascent Creative Marketing was
born.
The members of Ascent Creative
Marketing will all graduate in May 2016
with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism,
emphasis in strategic communication.
The Ascent team hopes you enjoy this.

Colleen Fox
Account Executive

Christina Ostmeyer
Account Executive

Adut Anei-Yor
Media Director

Colleen is from Tulsa, Okla. She will

graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish.
She is empowered by speaking with people
from different Spanish-speaking countries
across diverse cultures and visiting at least
one new country per year.

Christina is from Colby, Kan. She

will graduate with a minor in global and
international studies. She is empowered
by strong female role models, a passion
for people and frozen yogurt.

Adut was born in Sudan and grew up

in Olathe, Kan. Adut will graduate with a
minor in film. She is empowered by her
family, friends and significant other who
love and inspire her to keep striving and
to do great things.

John Griffin
Creative Director

Clinton Webb
Creative Director

Lauren Metzler
Research Director

John is from Dallas, Texas. He will

graduate with a minor in psychology. He
is empowered by his family, friends and
his two dogs: Ellie Mae and Bertha.

Clinton is from Leawood, Kan. Clinton

will graduate with a minor in French. He
is empowered by his amazing friends,
family and his pug who are always there
to support him.

Lauren is from Lenexa, Kan. Lauren

will be graduating with a Bachelor of
Arts in French. She is empowered by her
amazing loved ones, recreational boxing,
fashion and traveling.

Executive
summary
Swope Health Services (SHS) is a
network of federally qualified health
centers (FQHC) in the Kansas City
metropolitan area known for providing
healthcare to underserved populations.
The goal of Ascent Creative Marketings
campaign is to reposition SHS as the
provider of choice for those seeking
health and wellness services. The
objectives for this campaign are to:

Grow the number of patients from

39,000 to 45,000 by 2017
Increase the number of patients
who have ability to pay for their
healthcare
Reduce the patient no-show rate
by 5-10% and improve patient
retention
Emphasize the importance of
preventative healthcare
Improve perceptions of SHS

This campaign targets millennials

and millennial families because of the
opportunity presented by the healthcare
gap among young invincibles. Millennials
want to feel like they are in charge of
their decisions and choices in all aspects
of their lives. Ascent Creative Marketing
created the KC Strong campaign designed
to convey a sense of empowerment by
giving patients more control over their
healthcare decisions and to promote the
benefits of preventative care for living a
strong and healthy life.
The inspiration for our empowerment
theme came from a general feeling of

confusion and powerlessness regarding

healthcare decisions when we spoke
with members of our target audience.
That, combined with the lack of power
experienced by those living in poverty,
created the perfect direction for this
campaign. Healthcare should be simple,
and patients should feel like they have
choices. We want to empower our
audience to take control of their health.
Above all else, we concluded that
our client needs to refresh its creative
marketing
image.
Ascent
Creative
Marketing now introduces EMPRIA
Health, a healthcare provider that works
to empower each and every person who
walks through the door. We have outlined
a step-by-step process to implement
changes starting with changing building
signs and bringing stakeholders on
board.
The next part of the campaign
works to increase efficiency and ease in
EMPRIA Healths systems and outreach.
We focused on using search engine
optimization (SEO) and social media
strategy to make EMPRIA Healths
communications purposeful. We have
created a new, streamlined web page
that will easily translate to a mobile site,
improving the online patient experience
across multiple platforms. Shareable
video content is also an important part
of promoting the new identity.
For the next part of the campaign, we
will take EMPRIA Health to the streets
of Kansas City. One of Ascent Creative
Marketings many ideas for this campaign
is guerrilla marketing with largerthan-life adhesive bandages to fix
cracks and public space imperfections.
EMPRIA Health will also venture into

the Kansas City community with pop-up

clinics using the existing mobile units.
EMPRIA Health associates can drive one
of the units to a popular Kansas City
event to promote EMPRIA Health and
preventative healthcare. EMPRIA Health
will also help the Kansas City community
with a school-based health center trial
at Troost Elementary, which will show
the importance of proper healthcare
to developing children. This is cause
marketing that helps the community.
Lastly, we designed a direct mail
piece that will be sent out to EMPRIA
Healths target audience. This will
compound with the guerrilla marketing
and online content to create a trifecta
of impressions that will help EMPRIA
Health create brand awareness among
its target.
The KC Strong campaign will start on
May 25, 2016 and run through May 25,
2019. This is the total time estimate for
the repositioning to be fully completed.
We have also included guidelines to
customize the other tactics according
to seasonal and current events so that
EMPRIA Healths messaging can stay
relevant throughout the entire campaign
process. The campaign will cost
approximately $122,000 over a threeyear period.
We believe that the KC Strong
campaign is an effective way to overcome
the challenges of FQHCs and create a
meaningful healthcare experience that
will attract new patients and keep current
ones. EMPRIA Health will continue our
clients invaluable service to the Kansas
City community, while striving to
empower anyone and everyone.

BE KC STRONG
7

Photo by Stuart Seeger

Situation
analysis

Background
SHS opened in 1969 in the basement
of Metropolitan Missionary Baptist
Church, had 20 associates and served
2,000 patients in its first year. It has since
grown to serve 40,000 patients yearly
through multiple clinics and treatment
centers across two states (Swope Health
Services, 2016).
SHSs primary repositioning goal is
to care for everyone in the community
insured and uninsuredwhile attracting
more patients who can pay for their
medical services.

Competitors
SHSs competition includes but is
not limited to: the University of Kansas
Hospital, Saint Lukes Health System,
Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center
(SURHC), quick-service clinics (e.g. CVS
and Walgreens), other OB/GYN providers,
dental offices and behavioral health
services in the community.
Further, SHS indirectly competes
with emergency care providers and nurse
hotlines. Many patients go to emergency
rooms because they do not seek
treatment until it is too late or because
they are unaware of SHSs services.

10

The healthcare
industry
The healthcare industry is projected
to grow over the next several years,
and it will need to adapt to meet a
changing demographic landscape. By
2020, nonwhite populations (including
Black, Latino and Asian) are predicted to
grow more quickly. These groups differ
in communication styles, health issues
and insurance coverage and create a
more complex patient base that requires
a well-rounded, diverse structure to
provide care. (Mintel, 2016; The Kaiser
Family Foundation, 2015).
Approximately
90
percent
of
Americans are insured, and that number
could continue to rise because of the
Affordable
Care
Act.
Additionally,
the Health Resources and Services
Administration predicts a shortage of
doctors through 2020. The demand for
doctors will grow much faster than the
supply, and this disparity is expected to
strain the healthcare industry (Mintel,
2016).
SHS can use these market challenges
to its advantage. The need for SHS and its
services is in demand due to a predicted
shortage of physicians. This will help it
reach its new target audience as well as
continuing to serve its current patient
base.

Why act now?

Health impacts all Americans, and
for some, it is a struggle just to stay
healthy. SHS has so much to offer
patients above and below the poverty
line. It is necessary to reposition SHS
to improve perception and promise new
patient growth, while continuing to
serve its current patients.

11

12

Secondary
research
To help SHS gain new patients and
improve current patient retention,
Ascent Creative Marketing has conducted
extensive secondary research. Topics of
research include: information about SHS
and its practices, current opportunities
and problems in the healthcare industry,
and positioning. This information helps
Ascent Creative Marketing know how to
effectively communicate with our clients
current and desired patients.

13

History and
background
SHSs mission is to improve the
health and wellness of the community
by delivering accessible, quality and
comprehensive patient care (Swope Health
Services, 2016a). SHS serves a low-income
population, as well as those beneath the
poverty line that historically have had
unequal access to healthcare. Low-income
individuals can be defined as earning
less than twice the federal poverty line,
which varies depending on family size,
composition and age of house owner
(U.S. Low-Income Working Families
Increasing,
2013,How
is
poverty
measured). SHS is a lifeline for these

people and, for many, their only affordable

access to healthcare.
SHS believes that access to healthcare
is a fundamental human right. With this
belief, SHS goes beyond providing medical
services. By encouraging community health,
SHS is empowering community members,
enabling community participation and
fostering an environment that creates and
maintains a healthy lifestyle for residents
(McMurray & Clendon, 2015).
Expanding its comprehensive patient
care to everyone in the community
uninsured and insuredhas become SHSs
primary repositioning goal.

Our mission is to improve the health

and wellness of the community by

delivering accessible, quality and
comprehensive patient care.

14

Services
SHS offers a large variety of services
for its patients. SHS will see anyone who
comes through the door, and strives to
provide for its patients while also building
a relationship with them (Keller, 2016).
SHSs services focus on access to both a
variety of services and different locations
and times at which the services can be
utilized.
No one is denied services under any
circumstances at SHS. SHS applies a
sliding discount to those living below the
poverty line. SHS has a team of certified
application counselors who assist patients
in enrolling for health insurance under
the Affordable Care Act. SHSs team has
a 97 percent application-to-enrollment
ratio and is one of the nations top
teams. It also participates in a low-cost
prescription program (What We Do,
2016).
SHS has over 35 years of experience in

behavioral healthcare offering outpatient

services, community support services,
group homes and counseling for chemical
dependencies. Forty-seven percent of
SHSs patient visits are for behavioral
health services (What We Do, 2016).
With its transportation program, our
client tries to make it as easy as possible
to keep an appointment. To receive
transportation, patients need to call 24
hours before an appointment and they
can only be picked up within a certain
radius. They must also have a certain
socioeconomic status (SES) to qualify.
For those who dont qualify for a free
ride, it requires a $5 fee (What We Do,
2016).
SHSs care also reaches patients where
they are. Swope Mobile, a clinic within a
recreational vehicle, visits Kansas Citys
homeless shelters four times each week.
This unit provides non-emergency

Access

Medical

Will not deny service to anyone under

any circumstance
Transportation provided to those who
financially qualify
Swope Mobile visits homeless shelters
After-hours clinic from 5:30-9 p.m.

Behavioral Health
Over 35 years of experience in
behavioral healthcare
Offers outpatient services,
community support and group homes
Counseling for chemical dependence

Physical exams
Labratory and radiology services
Immunizations and vaccines
Health screenings, including tests for
HIV/AIDS, STDs and tuberculosis
Preventative health education

Women and Children

Well-woman exams
Pregnancy testing
Special programs for infant health
Home support for children with
mental or chronic health issues
Complete pediatric care

services
such
as
immunizations,
behavioral counseling, medication and
exams (What We Do, 2016).
Additionally, its Health Care Home
program provides support to children with
severe mental or chronic illnesses in order
to help them manage their illnesses. Its
Prompt Care after-hours clinic operates
from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. This clinic is for
those who cannot schedule appointments
during regular hours (What We Do,
2016).
SHS also tries to be accessible on a
technological front. An online patient
portal is available to patients who wish to
view appointments, request prescription
refills and view lab and health reports
(What We Do, 2016). SHS also provides
phone call and email appointment
reminder services (Keller, 2016).

Dental and Optometry

Comprehensive vision examinations
Diagnosis and treatment of eye
diseases, conditions and problems
Optical shop
Short-term and long-term
(preventative) dental care, including
cleaning, fillings, extraction and more

Outreach and Enrollment

Team of certified application
counselors to assist individuals and
families obtain access to healthcare
under the Affordable Care Act
97% application-to-enrollment ratio

15

Consumer
preferences
Studies have found that multiple
preferences and preconceived ideals
contribute to a consumers choice of
a healthcare provider (Maier, 2011).
These insights provide knowledge
into which aspects of SHS will be
attractive to consumers, as well as areas
where education is needed to change
perceptions.
The two largest factors for patients
who are choosing healthcare providers
are low rates of errors and expertise
on specific illnesses or treatments
(Blizzard, 2005). Patients are looking for
quality above all else; they want the best
care with the fewest mistakes. However,
expertise is not all that attracts potential
customers. Patients under 25 are also
more likely to go to a sparkly new
hospital than a dated facility even if the
old facility has better ratings (Estupinan,
Fengler, & Kaura, 2014). Older audiences
look for medical excellence while younger
and healthier audiences are influenced
by appearance.
A distinct divergence exists in
consumers perception pertaining to

private versus public providers. According

to a Mintel survey, more respondents
preferred private hospitals to public ones
because of perceived quality differences.
Private care received consistently
higher rankings from respondents in
the following areas (Maier, 2011):

Quality of care
Modern equipment
Updated facilities
Best doctors
Caring staff
Trust and simplicity are also important
to consumers; they want to have their
healthcare tailored to fit their lifestyles.
Healthcare providers should have an
individualized approach. For example,
patients under the age of 25 are more
receptive to digital communication from
their healthcare provider (Estupinan,
Fengler & Kaura, 2014).

Patients are looking for quality above all else;

they want the best care with the fewest mistakes.

16

17

The healthcare
industry
The healthcare industry in the
United States is worth over $3 trillion
as of 2014, accounting for 17.5 percent
of the countrys gross domestic product
(GDP). It is predicted that by 2022,
health spending will increase by $621
billion and will be 19.9 percent of the
GDP (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services).
The cost of healthcare for consumers
is soaring...at an unsustainable rate
due to pricey new drugs and an outdated
system that pays for quantity of
treatments over quality care. (Americas
Health Insurance Plans, 2016). This steep
rise in prices hurts families, resulting
in less money in their pockets...and
hard choices about balancing food, rent
and needed care (Americas Health
Insurance Plans, 2016).
More Americans are flocking to
urban areas, and those in cities are less
likely to put an emphasis on their health
than those in suburban or rural areas.
Those in cities focus instead on social
or career wellness and are less likely

17.5%

18

Healthcare makes up 17.5% of the U.S.

GDP, accounting for $3 trillion as of 2014.

to see a doctor regularly. According

to Mintel, healthcare organizations
in cities could benefit from calling
out the uniqueness of their offerings
like specialists and other amenities.
There are many healthcare options in
large population centers, so healthcare
organizations must stand out to be
successful (Mintel, 2016).
In the United States, the minority
population is predicted to grow more
quickly than the White population in the
coming years. According to the Kaiser
Family Foundation, the percentage of
Black and Native Americans without
health insurance is more than double
that of Whites and Asian Americans.
Minorities also suffer from high rates
of chronic diseases. Blacks and Latinos
have higher rates of obesity (47.8 percent
and 42.5 percent) than White Americans
(32.6 percent). The healthcare industry
must address the unique needs of these
changing demographics.

The healthcare industry is expected to grow by

$621 billion by 2022.

Kansas City
market
In 2010, 23 hospitals and over
5,000 providers served the Kansas City
metropolitan area. Of the roughly 2 million
inhabitants, approximately 378,000 live
in poverty and two-thirds of people in
the metro area are medically vulnerable
(United Way of Greater Kansas City, 2015;
Sherry, 2013). Between November 2014
and November 2015, 3,400 new jobs in
healthcare were added (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 2015). There are currently five
networks of FQHCs in the Kansas City
area, including SHS (Kansas Department
of Health and Environment, 2015).
Kansas City has a high number of
health facilities per capita, with 79
providers per 100,000 people. This means

that Kansas City residents have a higher

likelihood of going to routine checkups
and screenings. Moreover, those with
access to primary care are more likely to
know where to go for treatment in acute
situations (Primary Care Provider, 2013).
Although the area has many providers,
the level of uninsured people is high
in Jackson (18 percent) and Wyandotte
County (30 percent), where large parts of
the population are uninsured.
Data show that while the level of
obesity in adults is lower than average
in the Kansas City metro area, obesity
rates for low-income preschool students
in both Platte and Jackson counties are
slightly above average. Additionally,

Lafayette County has above-average

levels of adults with diabetes. As rates of
diabetes, obesity and other chronic health
issues grow nationwide, it is unclear if
large amounts of the population in these
counties will be able to reliably access
healthcare (KC Health Matters, 2016).
SHSs emphasis on preventative care
would help alleviate both stress and
obesity as well as many other ailments
to positively impact the community.
Effective messaging and outreach will be
necessary for SHS to reach new patients.

19

Rising
insured rate

Preventative
healthcare

The number of insured Americans

(approximately 90 percent) should rise
due to the Affordable Care Act, which
requires each state to offer a health
insurance exchange to its residents
(Sifferlin, 2015). By 2018, Mintel predicts
that enrollment in private insurance
exchanges will surpass public exchanges
like Medicaid and other government
insurance programs. Private exchanges
offer more flexibility, transparency and a
retail-like shopping experience (Mintel,
2016). The benefits of private exchanges
could deter new patients from utilizing
our clients public exchange enrollment
program.
Because of their inexperience with
health insurance, some patients may be
unsure about what their plan actually
covers, how it works and what its
limitations are (Healthcare.gov, 2016).
SHSs team of certified application
counselors has proven to be an asset for
enrolling patients to receive coverage.
SHS has a unique opportunity to engage
with consumers who will have health
insurance for the first time.

According to the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC), Chronic
diseases are responsible for seven out of
10 deaths each year, and treating people
with chronic diseases accounts for 86
percent of our nations healthcare costs
(Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion, 2016). Many chronic diseases
are costly, but preventable (Chronic
Disease Overview, 2016). Two health
issues are set to shape the landscape
of American healthcare in the coming
decade: obesity and stress.
The CDC estimates that 78 million
American adults suffer from obesityrelated ailments such as diabetes, heart
disease, certain cancers and mental
health
conditions.
Obesity
causes
additional health issues such as Type 2
diabetes, stroke and cancer. The CDC also
estimates that the annual medical cost
of obesity in the United States is $147
billion per year, with annual health
costs for an obese person being $1,429
higher than someone of a healthy
weight (Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 2015). In addition, those
with low SES and food insecurity are
vulnerable to obesity.
Currently, 47 percent of adults are
interested in stress reduction programs
(Gilbert, 2015b). Stress can cause minor
ailments like headaches, but it also
contributes to long-term health problems
like high blood pressure, depression and
cardiovascular issues (Gilbert, 2015a).
Stress is likely to strain those with low
SES who worry about meeting basic
needs. Minorities are also likely to feel
additional stress due to experiencing
discrimination. Black populations in
particular suffer from higher rates of
hypertension and diabetes as a result of

20

discrimination-related stress (American

Psychological Association, 2016).
SHS can combat obesity, stress and
other issues related to chronic illness with
preventative care. Early health screenings
can detect tumors and possible illnesses
that could grow into serious problems if
not detected early (National Prevention
Strategy, 2016). SHS can also educate
its patients about the benefits of exercise
and healthy eating.
Preventative care ranges from selfcare to routine checkups. Self-care
includes healthy eating and exercising.
Routine checkups include immunizations,
vaccines, physical evaluations, lab work,
X-rays and other health screenings.
Factors such as age, sex and family health
history play roles in the health services
sought (The Importance of Preventative
Care, 2016). Working preventative care
into ones life can be manageable and SHS
has the ability to educate the community
about what it takes to be healthy.
SHSs emphasis on the community
may also prove to be an effective weapon
in combating obesity. Studies show that it
takes more than just healthcare to reduce
levels of obesity in a population. It also
requires health education, government

Marketing
trends
support and communal efforts (Blackburn
& Walker, 2005). With counseling
and behavioral health programs, SHS
already has the tools necessary to help
community members deal with stress
through one-on-one and group therapy
sessions. Much like obesity, patients can
learn techniques to help deal with stress
on their own in addition to therapy.
With little income and the burden
of monthly payments, healthcare isnt
always a priority for those of low SES,
though preventative care can save
individuals and families money by
avoiding more extreme procedures or
measures to combat illnesses. Lack of
education about the healthcare system
plays a large role because many do not
understand what services are available
to them and do not know that there is a
sliding-fee discount applied to patients
based on SES (Keller, 2016).
Repositioning itself as a top-of-mind
provider for such care will help our client
promote the importance of preventative
care.

Many healthcare marketing trends

would benefit our client. According to
Pew Research, 77 percent of people
used a search engine first to look for
healthcare providers. Thirteen percent
say they began at sites like WebMD
when experiencing health problems,
while a small portion used Wikipedia
and Facebook (Cisco, 2016). To raise
healthcare center awareness, there needs
to be a strong digital presence. Much
of digital media consumed is through
mobile devices. Approximately 80 percent
of local searches are conducted from
mobile phones. To have a successful
mobile presence, mobile apps or mobilecompatible websites are necessary.
Website content should be educational,
not just promotional. According to
Mashable, the top five online resources
most
accessed
for
health-related
information are WebMD, Wikipedia,
health magazine websites, Facebook and
Youtube.

Social media is a large part of

digital media. More than 40 percent
of consumers say that information
found via social media affects the way
they deal with their health, and 90
percent of people that responded to the
survey from 18 to 24 years of age said
they would trust medical information
shared by others on their social media
networks (Cisco, 2016).
Along with digital platforms, wordof-mouth marketing is still crucial to
healthcare audiences. People tend to
depend on references from friends or
family for their healthcare needs. Along
with in-person referrals, online reviews
are also important. The number of
patients using online surveys increased
by 68 percent from 2013 to 2014.

YouTube 15%
Facebook 17%
Health Mag. websites 29%
Wikipedia 31%
WebMD 56%
Now more than ever, patients are turning to the web for health-related
knowledge. Here are the top five websites and the percentage of users
who access them for this information.

21

Competitors
A summary of SHSs competition in
the Kansas City area includes but is not
limited to: University of Kansas Hospital,
Saint Lukes Health System, SURHC,
quick-service clinics like those within CVS
and Walgreens, other OB/GYN providers,
dental offices and behavioral health
services in the community. Further, SHS
competes indirectly with emergency care
providers.
SHSs competitors actively engage
with outreach and their websites. SURHC
has an easy-to-find online patient portal
where patients can make appointments.
Although SHS has a patient portal,
patients cannot make appointments
online.
SURHC also has an online

SHSs competitors actively engage

with outreach and their websites.
calendar of health-related events such
as a radio broadcast called Highlights
on Health (Samuel U. Rodgers, 2016a).
A large difference between SHS and its
competitors such as SURHC, Saint Lukes
and University of Kansas Hospital is that
these facilities emphasize volunteer
opportunities on their websites. SURHC
has a tab specifically for volunteering
with opportunities for womens health
patient advocates, patient experience

22

specialists, patient greeters, community

outreach and more (Samuel U. Rodgers,
2016b). SHS does not have any medicalrelated volunteer positions, however.
University of Kansas is one of the most
prestigious hospitals in the region and
has ample funding. University of Kansas
Hospital offers a more comprehensive
and extensive list than SHS of healthrelated classes, community events and
activities for patients in the Kansas City
area, though not all of the events listed are
sponsored by the hospital (The University
of Kansas Hospital, 2016). In addition,
University of Kansas Hospital markets
itself well. On all marketing platforms, it
uses the U.S. News & World Report seal
of Best Hospitals to show how prestigious
and high-quality it is (The University of
Kansas Hospital, 2013). It has effective
outreach throughout the Kansas City
metropolitan area utilizing billboards,
TV spots, radio, print ads and more (The
University of Kansas Hospital, 2013).
Other competitors are clinics inside
drug stores like Walgreens and CVS.
These clinics inside every store are easily
accessible and the stores signage is
seen daily by thousands of cars passing
by. Walgreens and CVS carry groceries,
prescriptions,
makeup,
household

items and much more. Drug stores are a

one-stop-shop for anything one needs,
including a health clinic. Minute clinics
offer the convenience of medications and
exams or urgent care in one place.
For patients without insurance,
however, even a minute clinic can be
costly. At Walgreens, a flu shot ranges
from $31.99 to $51.99 per dose depending
on the type. A sports physical is $60
and a health screening with health risk
assessment is $89 (Walgreens, 2016).

Target market
overview
In 2012, 40 percent of uninsured
Americans under 65 were between the
ages of 19 and 34 (Measuring America,
2013). This population, often called the
young invincibles, is less likely to seek
medical care because they expect to stay
healthy, creating a new potential patient
base for our client.
According to the National Center for
Public Policy Research, young Americans
will not participate in the Affordable Care
Act program. This is because, although
the rates for insurance are relatively
inexpensive, they still represent $200 to
$1,000 that potential subscribers could
spend elsewhere (Hogberg, 2013). SHS
has multiple solutions to this barrier. Its
associates will see anyone, regardless of
insurance status.
SHS is an affordable option for young
Americans but does not entirely answer
the question of how to get millennials
interested in healthcare. Fortunately, the
connection is not as abstract as it seems.
While millennials are less likely to seek

medical coverage, they are increasingly

health conscious.
Many of SHSs services involve
preventative care like eating healthy
and exercise. These are areas in which
millennials excel. Millennials are selfdescribed as healthy, very conscious
about where they buy their food and
what they buy (i.e., fresh foods from
the produce section) (Topper, 2015). In
addition, males and females aged 18 to
34 participate in more sports and fitness
activities than any other age category
(Krol, 2014).
If
Ascent
Creative
Marketings
campaign can combine the concepts of
cost effectiveness, health benefits and
new identity, SHS will have a platform to
engage a population with huge potential
in the healthcare industry. In addition,
if SHS can effectively reach millennials,
it will also be able to reach their families
as they grow older, thus expanding SHSs
reach.

23

Socioeconomic
status and health

Healthcare
disparities
among
underserved
populations
creates
a barrier that prevents the overall
improvement of healthcare for every
American. Health disparity is defined
as a higher burden of illness, injury,
disability or mortality experienced
by one population group relative to
another (Disparities in Health and
Health Care, 2012). The disparity in
quality of life among persons of low SES
is well-documented. This is caused both
because of a lack of care for patients
with low SES and how they approach
healthcare.
For example, in a study involving
epilepsy patients on both ends of the
SES spectrum, the low-SES patients
were more likely to visit an emergency
room or general practitioner as opposed
to a specialist or doctor. As a result, they
were less likely to stay with the same

The disparity in quality of life

among persons of low SES is
well-documented.
doctor who was aware of the specifics
of their condition. They were also more
likely to have uncontrolled seizures
and adverse effects to medication. In
addition, they were also more likely
than their higher SES counterparts to
feel stigmatized by others.
Healthcare disparity is even more

prevalent among minority groups.

Approximately 63 percent of Latinos,
Native Americans and Alaska Natives
were likely to have worse access
to healthcare than White patients.
Seventy-nine percent of Black patients
had equal or less access than White
patients. However, the segment with the
largest healthcare gap was among the
low-income demographic. Eighty-nine
percent of low-income patients had less
or no access to medical care as opposed
to those with high-income (Disparities
in Health Care, 2012).
These statistics are evidence of the

learning a second language. For people

living in extreme poverty, there are
language, cultural and social barriers
that create a gap between low- and highincome people. Due to an overwhelming
sense of apathy from those not in
poverty, Beegle and her family came
to distrust middle-class people and
institutions. For this population, it takes
repeated contact to earn their trust. The
benefits of institutions like healthcare
or education must be demonstrated for
them to see past their immediate needs
and look toward the future (Beegle,
2007).

Healthcare disparity is prevalent

among minority groups.
problem low-income patients face,
however, Dr. Donna Beegles story
illustrates the real effects of poverty on
the lives of those in it. Beegle was born
into a life of generational poverty and
for her family, staying employed and
finding their next meal occupied most
of their time. Education was seen as an
obstacle that stressed the family instead
of presenting opportunity. Medical care
was expensive and unnecessary (Beegle,
2007).
It took many community supports
and mentors to help Beegle on her path
to education. She compared learning to
assimilate into middle-class culture to

low-income patients had less

9/10
or no access to medical care compared to
high-income patients.

24

Population: 56,852
Households: 27,456
Family households: 9,834
With children under 18 years: 4,376

M is

er
s o u r i R iv

River Market

70

29

Downtown
r
ive

Racial/ethnic group:
White: 28,923 (48.3%)
Black: 21,554 (37.9%)
Hispanic or Latino: 6,539 (15%)
Asian: 1,308 (2.3%)
Other: 2,777 (7.9%)

35

as R

In this campaign, Ascent Creative

Marketing focuses on the 64106, 64108,
64109, 64110 and 64111 ZIP codes, which
are all located in Kansas City, Mo. These
areas include major city landmarks such
as the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art,
Crown Center, Union Station and the
University of Missouri at Kansas City, and
they also contain districts popular among
millennials such as the Crossroads Arts
District, Downtown, River Market and
Westport.
Just outside of these districts, though,
are some of Kansas Citys poorest areas.
The number of people in these ZIP codes
living beneath the poverty line is around
35 percent. 64106 has the highest poverty
rate at approximately 52 percent (United
States Census Bureau, 2014). Fortyone percent of the households in this
area have an income of under $25,000
(MyBestSegments, 2016). Many of
these ZIP codes are racially diverse and
most have a high percentage of minority
populations (MyBestSegments, 2016).
Health insurance coverage hovers between
14 and 26 percent of the population being
uninsured according to 2014 data by the
U.S. Census Bureau. Twenty-nine percent
of residents in these areas are millennials
ages 21 to 34 living in single-person
households. These individuals are mostly
renting apartments and are recent college
graduates (MyBestSegments, 2016).
The breakdown of these ZIP codes is
as follows:

Target ZIP codes demographics:

70

K a ns

Current
patient base

70

670

Crossroads Arts District

71

Health insurance coverage

(2010-2014 American Community Survey):
With coverage: 44,579
Without: 11,032
Age bracket:
0-19: 11,786 (20.7%)
20-39: 22,977 (40.4%)
40-59: 14,635 (25.7%)
60-79: 6,069 (10.6%)
80+: 1,389 (2.4%)
Income breakdown per household
(2010-2014 American Community Survey):
Less than $24,999: 10,548 (39.1%)
$25,000-$74,999: 10,563 (39.2)
$75,000-$199,999: 5,202 (19.3%)
$200,000+: 619 (2.2%)

35

70

Westport
Country Club Plaza
56

71

UMKC

Poverty: 35.6% below poverty line

25

Quality
standards
According to Michelle Keller, SHSs
vice president of patient services, the
public perceives that FQHCs are only for
those that are uninsured or in poverty
(Keller, 2016). Many also believe that
the quality of care at FQHCs is sub-par
compared to other health centers like
private practices. This stigma is one of the
reasons that SHS must reposition itself as
a healthcare provider that can guarantee
high-quality care for all, regardless of
SES.
A 2006-2008 National Ambulatory
Medical Care Survey found that FQHCs
actually performed just as well as private
practice physicians on 11 measures and
better on six (Schwartz, Long, & Patton,
2014). Another study also found that
FQHCs perform just as well or better than
private practice physicians on 94 percent of
quality measures. FQHC patients report
that they are highly satisfied with the
quality of care that they receive (DeMarco,
2015). Health centers perform this well
despite having more complex patient
profiles than most private practices.
Many patients are affected by poverty,
low levels of education and chronic health
problems. They are often non-compliant
or do not speak English (Schwartz, Long,
& Patton, 2014).
One reason that SHS and other FQHCs
have trouble overcoming the stereotype
that they only serve those in poverty is
because these facilities dont have strong
advertising budgets to dispel this notion
(Keller, 2016).
According to the Health Resources and
Services Administration (HRSA), FQHCs
provide primary healthcare and must

26

serve designated areas based on medically

underserved populations (What are
(FQHCs)? n.d.). To qualify, a health
center must offer required primary health
services, which includes family medicine,
pediatrics,
obstetrics,
gynecology,
diagnostic lab work and radiology. Health
centers must also offer preventative
services such as immunizations, pre- and
perinatal services, well-child services
and more. If patients need emergency
medical services, health centers must
be able to refer them to appropriate
facilities. Some centers may also provide
pharmaceutical services.

SHS must reposition itself to be perceived

as a healthcare provider that can
guarantee high-quality care.
Because
health
centers
receive
funding from the federal government
through the Section 330 grant, they
are highly regulated. They are also
required to have an ongoing quality
improvement and assurance plan that
includes periodic assessments of the
quality of services and how centers
utilize them (What are (FQHCs)?
n.d.). SHS has received multiple quality
awards and has been accredited by the
Joint Commission on National Quality
Approval, the National Committee for
Quality Assurance and the Commission on
Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities
International (History, 2016). These
accreditations are awarded after intense
review and ensure that SHS meets
regulatory requirements and maintains
high performance standards.

So...you wanna
reposition?
When positioning a brand, the
goal is for a product or service to be
perceived as better than the competition
by consumers. With accurate research
about a market, a company can properly
segment, target and decide how it wants
to be perceived within that market. To
reposition, though, the company must
change what is already well-known and
project something completely different.
Brand repositioning is difficult because
audiences must embrace the new brand,
and the old image must be erased whether
it included a bad experience, different
services, offered less or was simply
boring. Reasons for repositioning could
include declining sales or changes or
disruptions in the market. Repositioning
is done to meet consumers needs and
demands (Pollack, 2008).
Before repositioning, SHS must be
familiar with the status of its current
brand. According to the client briefing,
many do not understand what SHS
provides, and SHS is thought to only serve
those who are in poverty or uninsured
(Keller, 2016). Because SHS has been
around since 1969, the public has had
a long time to form opinions about the
organization.
Repositioning
will
differentiate
SHS from its competitors. Once SHS
determines what it will stand for in the
future, it must develop a strategy for
repositioning. Finally, the execution
must be refined and nearly flawless to
be successful. The marketing mix must
also be considered: product, price, place
and promotion. Knowing the mix will
help SHS identify what changes to make.

After repositioning, SHS must ensure

it maintains its identity by conveying a
consistent brand (Pollack, 2008).
According to HealthcareDIVE, the
current transformational period for
healthcare is causing many companies
to retool their brands to keep up with the
ever-evolving system (Henry, 2015). By
repositioning, healthcare providers can
reflect what they offer in more effective
ways. SHS will be able to show that it is
one of the best resources for healthcare in
the Kansas City area.

SHS will be able to show that it is

one of the best resources for healthcare in the Kansas City area.
Examples of successful healthcare
organization repositioning are listed
below:
Grace Hill Health Center:
Affinia Healthcare, formerly known
as Grace Hill Health Center, is a nonprofit
that operates six clinics in the St. Louis
area. The clinic changed its name to
Affinia Healthcare in March of last year.
It rebranded to change the perception of
the facility. Alan Freeman, president and
CEO of Affinia stated, As a dynamic and
transformative health system, we will
continue to be inspired by the patients we
serve and [are] blessed to enable healthy,
productive lives (STL Today, 2016).
Affinias rebranding modified the
clinics original message of inclusivity,
community and opportunity for all to
get the care they deserve. The brand was
updated to feel more modern and friendly

while also exemplifying the love Affinia

has for serving its diverse community.
For example, the colors changed from a
cold, sterile blue to a combination of a
soft green, blue, yellow and red. These
cool colors indicate diversity, kindness
and compassion without the severity of
more bold colors.
Affinia focuses on the words equality,
leadership, change and purpose in
marketing to show their values both in
medicine and the community. Affinia
wants to be a leader in St. Louis by helping
its patients come together and live a
healthier lifestyle in all aspects. Despite
this community approach, Affinias
marketing still emphasizes the importance
of each individual patient to ensure that
every consumer feels cared for.
Christ Hospital Health Network:
The Christ Hospital Health Network
located in Cincinnati, Ohio, used to
be known as the Christ Hospital. The
company knew that its name no longer
represented the organization because
there are many more locations than just
the main hospital. Therefore the hospital
rebranded as a network to convey
that it could provide healthcare across
the entire city. The hospitals strategy
was thorough and far-reaching. The
rebranding took place over the span of
four years. It also made sure to have an
excellent, comprehensive advertising
campaign. Because of the rebrand as
a network, the Christ Hospital saw
significant improvement in advocacy,
utilization and image (Caring Above
All n.d.).
Continued...

27

Repositioning,
cont.
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center:
From 1996 to 2004, the M.D. Anderson
brand had an established image. While
the facilities and medical professionals
in Austin were always top-flight, the
brand itself was very bland. The logo
compared to several others at the time
showed that M.D. Andersons visual
identity was generic, predictable and had
zero distinguishing features. The tagline
Making Cancer History was strong,
but the values of strength and defiance
in the tagline werent present anywhere
else. In 2004 the iconic strikethrough
of the word Cancer was trademarked,
providing M.D. Anderson with a strong
visual to build its brand around. The
strikethrough showed the defiance and
courage exhibited by those fighting
cancer: the patients as well as the doctors
and nurses (McCord, 2015).
In 2010, M.D. Anderson conducted
a complete brand overhaul, a total
re-imagining of the visual identity based
on the strikethrough. The cartoony
and dated teal and purple colors were
replaced with a black, grey, white and
red color scheme. All aspects of the brand
and marketing materials were unified
and consistent. Today the message of its
marketing communications emphasizes
the strength of cancer survivors who
went to M.D. Anderson (M.D. Anderson
Cancer Center, 2010).
The brand repositioning has helped
M.D. Anderson differentiate itself among
generic and unimaginative branding. A
large amount of healthcare marketing is

28

Branding
and logos
plagued by a lack of positioning. Everyone
wants to be the same. This leaves a huge
opportunity for companies bold enough
to stand out.

Healthcare marketing is plagued

by a lack of positioning; everyone
wants to be the same.
March of Dimes:
Another example of health-related
rebranding is the March of Dimes
organization. March of Dimes donates
funding to research efforts for preventing
birth defects and infant mortality (March
of Dimes, 2016). The organization was
having trouble conveying its message
to its target: moms. It had previously
focused on the harsh reality of infant
defects, becoming an organization that
represented sick babies (March of Dimes
Case Study, n.d.).
In 2006, March of Dimes began
rebranding to change the disconnect
it had with its target (Barrett, 2008). It
changed its message from negative to
positive, focusing on working toward
healthier births. It also changed its look.
Before, its logo was royal blue with a
serif font. March of Dimes changed the
color to lavender and picked a rounded
font, making the look more friendly.
The rebrand was met with outstanding
success, including a 67 percent increase
in unaided awareness of the brand
(March of Dimes Case Study, n.d.).

Changing an organizations logo can

be important when repositioning. The
logo is crucial to an organizations first
impression and is the most visual element
of a brands identity. If SHS repositions
itself, it must have a well-developed
logo that matches SHSs mission. Each
component of an organizations brand
must be consistent and strong. A brand
is a promise and should be the center
of all marketing efforts (Geller, 2012).
Changes to a companys brand must be
made over time, taking into account the
combination of logos, fonts, personality
and more (Geller, 2012). This change
will not happen quickly. For example,
Affinia had a four-year plan in which its
rebranding was fully implemented.

Outreach
Outreach is an important element
to create brand awareness. It is also
important that an organizations brand
is consistent with the services it provides
and its culture.
Patients with low SES can be difficult
to contact because of phone numbers
and addresses that change often (Keller,
2016). A California study tested the
impact of different outreach methods to
low-income populations on insurance
enrollment success rates. The study found
that technology-based and school-based
approaches yielded the highest increase
in enrollment numbers (Cousineau,
Stevens, Farias, 2011).

School-based
health programs
There is a unique opportunity for SHS
to capitalize on school-based outreach
and services by partnering with public
schools in the Kansas City area. When
children have access to healthcare, their
academic performances improve greatly.
School-based health centers (SBHCs)
[bring] healthcare to where students
already spend the majority of their time
(Sb4all). Children cannot be successful in
the classroom if they are not healthy, and
SBHCs help solve this problem.
School-based health centers address
the following:
Conditions such as asthma
and diabetes
Behavioral health issues
Reproductive health
Oral health
Active living and more (Sb4all)
In Kansas, there are currently only
nine SBHCs, and in Missouri, there
are four (National Census of SchoolBased Health Centers, n.d.). One SBHC
is operated by SURHC, which has dental
clinic at J.A. Rogers Elementary School.
SBHCs solve the problem of parents not
being able to take their child to a doctor
because of work, limited clinic hours or
lack of transportation (Nomber, 2014).
In Pittsburgh, Kan., the Community

Health Center of Southeast Kansas uses

its mobile clinic to visit each of the school
districts six schools once a week. The
clinic sees children who have been referred
by the school nurses, and it is staffed by a
nurse practitioner and medical assistant.
Regardless of income or insurance
coverage, all students can be seen by the
mobile clinic. Pittsburghs SBHC system
covers costs by billing private insurance
or Kansass public exchange insurance.
Donors and private foundations help
to support Pittsburghs SBHC program
(USD 250 KidCare Connection). Many
SBHCs throughout the country are funded
through grant money as well. Because
of this partnership, there has been an
overall improvement to the health of the
Pittsburgh Community (Nomer, 2014).
By partnering with schools and using its
mobile clinic, SHS can improve childrens
educational opportunities by improving
their health. SHS can also increase the
amount of patients that it sees each year
by implementing a mobile SBHC program.
By investing in the communitys children,
SHS would invest in the communitys
future.

29

Challenges

30

during personal interactions with

providers or the healthcare system
(Low-income,
uninsured
patients
feel stigma, 2014). Biased treatment
creates an access barrier and prevents
patients from seeking future care.
Because SHS accepts all patients, it has
an opportunity to communicate this
attribute and appeal to those that have
had bad experiences with healthcare
before.
Those with low SES often have low
literacy rates and must employ coping
mechanisms within the marketplace to
avoid stigma. Seeking healthcare is no
exception (Crosby, 2012). For example,
when food shopping, one strategy is
to memorize brand logos, names and
packaging and only buy what is familiar.
These customers also dislike having to
interact with people they do not know
and even develop relationships with
employees at stores they frequently
visit (Crosby, 2012). This concept can
be applied to SHSs current patient
base who may be uncomfortable about
visiting a new place. SHS already works
to keep patients with the same provider
to build relationships, but SHS needs to
position itself as a familiar, trustworthy
brand in the Kansas City community.
According to a University of
Strathclyde study, coping through
consumption is one of the most utilized

SHSs brand must be well-known

in the Kansas City area.
coping strategies for low-SES families
(Hamilton, 2012). Brands have an impact
on childrens identity construction, and

#$*%!!!

There is a perceived stigma of

receiving care from a safety-net
provider (Wright, Potter, & Trivedi,
2015). Many believe persons with low
SES are responsible for their own
destitution, suggesting a lack of talent
and work ethic hinders them from
escaping poverty rather than a plurality
of circumstances beyond their control
(Morton, 2014). Therefore, nonprofits
working to serve this population are
perpetually
underfunded
or
even
stigmatized in the same way that the
people are (Morton, 2014). Because
FQHCs are associated with people of
low SES, the quality of the facility
is discredited. Despite SHSs high
performance and quality standards, it
must overcome the inherent negative
bias toward organizations serving
low-SES populations.
Keller said that SHSs brand is not
recognizable and many do not know
what services SHS offers. FQHCs
stigmatized
reputations
negatively
impact SHSs branding potential. FQHCs
often do not have outreach budgets
large enough to adequately address
this problem. As an FQHC, there are
also restrictions on what money can be
spent on. Outreach is usually not a top
priority.
In
addition,
SHS
struggles
with patient retention and missed
appointments. Patients either forget
appointments or are afraid they might
be retroactively billed or find serious
illnesses. Another factor, though, could
be that patients have experienced
discrimination within the healthcare
system. In an Oregon study, 14 percent
of low-SES patients felt stigmatized

When low-SES patients have negative

experiences with healthcare, it may prevent
them from seeking future care.
families place emphasis on having the
right brands to avoid stigma. Though
the study primarily referred to material
items, the importance low-SES families
place on brands to mask their situation
can be applied to SHS. If people have
heard of SHS, it is possible that they
associate our client with poverty.
Those that can afford healthcare dont
want to visit a low-quality facility,
and those who have low SES may not
want to attend because it will further
perpetuate stigmatization. In effect,
SHSs brand must be well known in
the Kansas City area and reflect that
it is a quality healthcare provider for
everyone in the community.

Conclusion
SHS is an asset to the Kansas City area,
yet it struggles to convey its stake in the
people of the community. SHSs brand
awareness is very low and not helped
by a stigma associated with FQHCs.
To increase the number of patients
and improve SHSs retention rate, SHS
must reposition itself within the Kansas
City community as the go-to, quality
healthcare provider of choice. Though
repositioning is ambitious, it is possible
and necessary for SHS.

31

32

Primary
research
Ascent Creative Marketing conducted
primary research through a survey sent
to the general public in the Kansas City
area, an exit survey conducted with SHS
patients, multiple personal interviews
with SHSs target audience members and
a personal observation of SHSs operative
climate. Through this primary research,
Ascent Creative Marketing sought to
confirm secondary research as well as
learn about potential healthcare and
patient preference gaps.

33

General public
survey
The general public survey was sent
electronically to residents of the Kansas
City metropolitan area and received 252
responses. The majority (87 percent) of
general survey respondents are White.
Thirty-seven percent of respondents are
employed full-time, 29 percent are retired
and 20 percent are unemployed. Sixtyfour percent are married, and 59 percent
do not have children. Seventy percent of
respondents have some college experience
or are college graduates. Most respondents
have an annual income between $25,000
and $99,000 (57 percent). Forty-four
percent of respondents have employersponsored health insurance, 25 percent
are on Medicare and 15 percent have
private insurance. Only seven percent of
respondents do not have health insurance.

34

What is
preventative care?
Many respondents feel preventative
care relies on regularly seeing a doctor
or getting checkups. However, one
woman had a more independent view of
preventative health. I dont use doctors
for preventative healthcare. I feel they
have little to offer me. Im better off with
the lifestyle choices I make for myself.
Many feel that healthy eating and exercise
are also important to preventative care.
One respondent said preventative care
means providing people with tools,
education and information to help them
stay or become healthier.
SHS has the ability to provide
preventative care not only through its

services, but through educating its patients

on how to eat healthy, exercise and more.
But, its messaging will need to emphasize
healthy lifestyles along with health services.
This should make it clear that SHS can fit
into patients daily health choices as well as
stressing the importance of checkups in order
to reach those who would rather have do-ityourself healthcare.

35

What is a good
provider?

Frequency of
patient visits

A good healthcare provider to most

cares about his or her patients. A pattern
among what respondents look for in
healthcare providers is the ability to listen
to the patient. Many respondents used
the words listening and caring to
describe a good doctor. Respondents like
to see doctors that take their time and are
accessible. Six percent wanted a doctor
who is qualified, efficient and available
as an interactive partner in their health.
It is also important to patients that the
quality of the service is high, though it
is not mentioned nearly as much as the
importance of a caring staff.

Thirty-six percent of respondents

and their family members visited a
doctor five or more times a year. Main
reasons for visiting a doctor were for
medical reasons (83 percent), dental
work (72 percent) and yearly checkups
(72 percent). Many patients also visited
to meet with an OB/GYN (29 percent)
or specialists like a cardiologist or
dermatologist (38 percent), or needed
emergency care (26 percent). Some
respondents mentioned that they went to
healthcare facilities to see chiropractors.
We categorized medical services
into two categories: regularly scheduled
and event-based. Regularly scheduled
services involve preventative care like
yearly checkups. Event-based services
are prompted by a medical condition.
These include specialist visits or trips to
the emergency room.
We found that a higher percentage of
both the general public and millennials
were using event-based services. Yearly
checkups, dental services and medical
services were the top three categories

used for both groups. Although checkups

are regularly scheduled, event-based
care comprised more yearly usage than
continual expected appointments. This
indicates that there is room for growth
with preventative care measures. The
only areas where millennials surpassed
the general public was among OB/GYN
appointments and pediatric services.
This shows increased medical use by
parents and women.
Only 21 percent of general survey
respondents missed an appointment as
opposed to the 49 percent of SHS exit
survey respondents.

Specialists 38%

Many of the main reasons a survey respondent visited a doctor were for
services SHS currently provides. Here are their top reasons.

36

Nonprofit
care
A majority of respondents think
there is a wide difference in quality
among healthcare providers and their
costs in the Kansas City area. Many
agree that nonprofit hospitals provide
services as good as private hospitals,
24 percent of respondents are neutral
about this question, and 12 percent
do not agree that nonprofits provide
quality care.
Quality of care, cleanliness of
hospitals and the skill and competency
of the staff are what respondents
value most when looking for a
healthcare provider. Sixty-five percent
of respondents would choose their
personal physician to take care of an
injury or illness over a walk-in clinic or
emergency room, even if the quality of
care is equal. This supports that people
are looking for positive and personal
relationships
with
their
medical
providers.

Scheduling
Many
associate
nonprofit,
community-owned healthcare centers
with lower quality of care than other
facilities. Some, though, recognize that
these facilities care more about the
patients than making money and think
they provide equal or better quality
care than other facilities. Many think
these types of centers have students
as staff who are not as qualified; some
even thought that these centers are
run by churches or universities. One
respondent recognized that the service
provided at these facilities comes
without bias toward those of low SES.
Another word associated with these
centers is basic.

The
preferred
method
of
communication for respondents is
through the phone for scheduling an
appointment,
communicating
with
a healthcare provider and receiving
information about ones personal health.
Most do not like being communicated
with through text, however. Very few
(two percent) liked scheduling an
appointment face-to-face. We did not ask
whether patients would prefer to make
appointments online, which is an option
we would like to explore further.

of respondents would choose a personal physician over

a walk-in clinic or emergency room.
37

Segmented
data
Ascent Creative Marketing isolated
different demographic segments to
determine if there are any differences
between our target and the rest of
the general public. We singled out
respondents with children under the age
of 12 and respondents between the ages
of 20 and 35. These two segments speak
to our target market of millennials and
millennial families. We also looked at
the difference between male and female
respondents.

38

Parents with children

under 12
Parents with children under 12
comprised 21 percent of the general
public respondents. They are most likely
to have technological devices. Ninetyeight percent had smartphones and they
all had a computer. They were also more
likely to be employed full-time (by 15
percent), and more of them had a college
degree (by 11 percent).
According to our survey, this target
is technologically proficient, educated
and working full-time. These parents
preferred hospital is Childrens Mercy,
whereas the general public preferred St.
Lukes. This supports our research that
childrens health is extremely important
to parents and also indicates that people
select options that seem to apply to them
(i.e., a childrens hospital for a parent).
SHS will have to overcome the perception

that FQHCs are only for those with low

income.
The male versus female segment
plays an interesting role in family
dynamics. When asked who the primary
decision-maker for their family was, 61
percent of women answered myself
as opposed to 48 percent of men. Men
were also 17 percent more likely than
female respondents to make health
decisions jointly with their significant
other. Women are the opinion leaders
of the family and should be targeted in
messaging, videos, phone call and email
appointment reminder services (Keller,
2016).

39

Twenty to thirty-five
year olds
Out of the general survey respondents,
22 percent were between 20 and 35 years old.
These respondents were also more likely to
have a smartphone and computer than the
general public. In addition, they were nine
percent more likely to get information about
a provider from the providers website and
17 percent more likely to find information
from a web search.
Millennial respondents were 14 percent
more likely to go to a walk-in clinic for an
injury that could be handled equally well by
their personal physician and the emergency
room. However, 52 percent of respondents
went to the doctor one to two times in 2015,
which is decidedly less than the general
public. They were also more receptive to

40

advertisements that are entertaining as well

as informative.
The majority of 20 to 35 year olds had a
favorite medical provider and they generally
receive care from the same hospital.
However, the averages for these questions
were slightly less than the general public.
Millennials like having the same doctor, but
less of them might have a regular doctor.
Seventy-four percent of respondents had
employer-sponsored or private insurance.
Only seven percent were uninsured.
According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention in 2012, 37 percent
of people aged 18-24 did not go to the doctor
once in the previous year. SHS must be able
to engage with young adults to ensure that

they regularly visit the doctor and are aware

of the status of their health.
This demographic is tech-savvy, easily
reached through their mobile devices and
open to a clinic-type facility, but they spend
less time at the doctors office. There is
an opportunity for SHS to be their regular
provider as well as opportunity in promoting
preventative care. The key to reaching
those between the ages of 20 and 35 will
be grabbing their attention on a mobile
platform. This means that search engine
optimization, a mobile-friendly website and
quality content are crucial.

41

Exit survey
To conduct the exit survey, Ascent
Creative Marketing went to SHS Central
and asked patients to participate in a
survey on their way out. The survey
consisted of about 30 questions and there
were 156 respondents.

42

Demographics and
general information
Thirty-seven percent
of patients were
unemployed
Only 21 percent of
patients did not have
insurance through
Medicare or Medicaid
Twenty-three percent
didnt have insurance
Seventy-four percent of
patients were Black
One respondent was
homeless

Transportation and
services
Transportation was a significant issue
for multiple exit survey respondents.
Fifty-five percent of patients did not
drive themselves. That 55 percent can
be broken down further: 13 percent used
SHSs transportation, 23 percent used
public transportation and 19 percent had
a family member or friend drive them.
The top services used by respondents
were medical (28 percent), behavioral
health (17 percent) and pharmacy (14
percent). Most found services to be
good to excellent; only two percent
found the services to be poor. The
pharmacy received multiple complaints.
One respondent commented that CVS
has a cheaper pharmacy and SHSs
prescriptions are expensive. Another
comment said that only one pharmacist
seemed to help low-income patients with
questions. Someone also said that the
pharmacy doesnt carry their sons ADHD
medication.
Most patients said theyd prefer less
wait time, transportation was an issue
and they would like more reminders for

appointments. When asked why they

continue to use SHS, the majority of
patients (56 percent) said it was because
of convenient locations. Forty-five
percent of patients use SHS because of
its affordability, and 38 percent also said
that they use SHS because they are treated
with respect. Note that respondents could
select more than one option.
Forty-nine percent of patients said
that they had missed appointments before.
Top reasons for missing an appointment
that SHS could directly impact were that
patients forgot about them (22 percent),
they couldnt find a ride (19 percent) or
they missed public transportation (11
percent).

43

Perceptions of
healthcare
SHS had positive responses from exit
survey respondents. Eighty-nine percent
of patients said that SHS offers the same
quality care found in private health care.
Approximately 75 percent of patients said
that SHS is a valuable asset to the Kansas
City community. Ninety-one percent either
agreed or strongly agreed that having
primary care and behavioral healthcare in the
same facility is convenient. Approximately
40 percent said they choose daily expenses
such as groceries over healthcare expenses.

44

Logo
In both surveys, we asked questions
about respondents perceptions of SHSs
logo. During the exit surveys, patients had
a generally positive view of the logo and
thought that it represented healthcare.
The questions asked whether the logo
accurately represents or reminds the
respondent of healthcare and if the logo
communicates high quality healthcare.
The average mean for these questions
was 1.99 (M=2.03, 1.97, 1.99), with one
being positive about the logo and four
being negative.
The general public had a more
lukewarm
reaction
(M=2.23,
2.45,
2.45). We also found that the difference
between perceptions of SHS patients and
the general public were significant. This
could indicate that SHS patients are more
likely to feel positively toward the logo
because they already go there, whereas it
is not as attractive to the general public.
This is important information to have
when considering repositioning because
it could affect SHSs ability to gain new
patients.

Survey respondents
reactions to the current
logo:
Logo doesnt relate to
healthcare
Could be more colorful or
eye-catching
Looks like Pepsi logo or a
Yinyang symbol
Generic
Outdated
Loved and recognizable

Awareness
Awareness is another obstacle to
overcome. Only 40 percent of respondents
to the general public survey had heard
of SHS before. That number drops to
27 percent in the 20- to 35-year-old
segment and 33 percent of parents with
children under 12 had heard of SHS
before.
The majority of patients (55 percent)
heard about SHS through a friend or
family member.

Five percent heard about it

from a web search
Some knew about SHS
because they drove by it

search. Only four percent of respondents

said they had heard of SHS through a
web search. This provides SHS with an
opportunity to better its online presence
through search engine optimization
(SEO).
Additionally, we saw in the segment
section that those between the ages of
20-35 and parents with children under
12 have the highest frequencies of
smartphone and computer ownership.
This makes SEO and a user-friendly
website priorities for mobile as well as
computer platforms.

Word-of-mouth is how most exit

survey respondents first heard about
SHS. According to the general public
survey, 54 percent of respondents get
information about a healthcare provider
through a providers website and 40
percent get information through a web

45

Individual interviews

Ascent Creative Marketing conducted

interviews with members of SHSs target
audience: millennials and young families
on both ends of the income spectrum.
Through these interviews, we hoped to
solidify findings from our secondary
research as well as discover new insights.
Ascent Creative Marketing found
that millennials perceive FQHCs as
serving only the poor. In effect, people
feel these facilities dont have as high of
quality of care. Additionally, while they
may not feel that the care is of great
quality, they also feel like FQHCs are just
not for them. Upon further questioning,
we found that our interviewees felt that
they could not or should not go to an
FQHC because they had insurance. They
also felt as if they might be taking away
medical resources from someone in
greater need.

46

Moreover, the interviews confirmed

the findings from Ascent Creative
Marketings secondary research section
that a newer hospital is better. They
associated the newness and modernity
of the facility with the technology and
methods used to treat patients. In other
words, the appearance of the outside,
if dilapidated or run-down, affects
what they think is going on inside (i.e.,
poor care, lack of technology, etc.). If
the building appears outdated, then
the providers treatments might be
outdated as well. Other findings included
a desire to be valued and treated like a
priority by their healthcare provider
and have convenient and quality
healthcare options that fit their needs.
Interviewees also wanted to be informed
and empowered in their healthcare
decisions.

Ben and Erin Gripka

Ben and Erin are a young, married couple in
their mid-thirties with a one-year-old daughter,
Millie, and another child on the way. Ben and
Millie are privately insured.
In general they feel a lack of choice and
information regarding healthcare. Ben said
that he feels like he is writing a blank check,
every time he walks into the ER or needs to go
to the doctor. For Ben, its also important that
his doctor communicates the healthcare process
with him. I just want to have some involvement
in the matter, Ben said. Ben had a negative
experience where his former doctor kept writing
him prescriptions instead of investigating his
condition further. He just never really listened
or cared. He probably didnt even know who I
was, honestly, Ben said.
Erin says that what attracts her to a healthcare
provider is the atmosphere and personality of
the doctor, especially if they are working with

Jennifer Quezada

Jennifer (Jenny) is a graduating senior at Avila

University in Kansas City, Mo. She is uninsured
and, as a college student, has not explored the
possibilities of health coverage. Right now Ive
been so distracted with school that I havent
really been looking into it, but I really want to
find out about it, and I want something that I can
actually afford.
She has not been to the doctor in years and,
although she finds health to be very important,
she also does not feel educated about her options.
A lot of places dont really inform you unless
you go look for it. Schools dont tell you Go to
this place, thats affordable, Jenny said. You
usually have to hear it from other people.
Jennys parents are immigrants from Mexico
and have tried to provide the best life possible
for their daughters. They are currently on

Millie. Both Ben and Erin prioritize keeping their

daughter healthy and happy. Im never going to
not do something because of what it costs when
its my daughter, Erin said. Ben expressed the
same sentiments. Erin is more likely to call their
doctor first if Millie isnt feeling well, whereas
with herself, she would be okay with using a
search engine, like Google, first.
They saw a correlation between a healthcare
facility and the quality of care. They associated
the newness of a facility with a higher level of
care. If it looks new then you assume that
theyre probably doing modern things, whereas
if it looks older, you kind of assume maybe their
practices are older, Ben said.
When it comes to FQHCs, they were not
aware that it was even an option for them. I
always thought that that was for people who
met some sort of lack of income requirement,
Ben said. I guess I would just assume that they

would turn you away. Erin felt the same way

about FQHCs, I would probably just assume that
Im employed so I shouldnt go there or thats
not for me.
SHSs logo looked like a Yinyang symbol but
was professional and would not deter them from
going to SHS. Erin was most drawn to the logo of
her own provider because it was familiar. They
emphasized that the logo should represent the
type of services the facility provides.
SHS can access people like Ben and Erin if
they emphasize exactly what they do, how they
do it, the quality of the care and the quality of
the facility. Ben wants to know exactly what is
happening with each decision, and Erin wants to
make sure shes bringing her daughter to a place
where she will be happy. SHS would also need to
combat the misconception that FQHCs are not for
middle-class people or people with insurance.

Medicaid, but Jenny was only covered until age

18. Abe, Jennys dad, works at Applebees and her
mom, Judith, works at Target. Its really hard
having a family that doesnt make enough, like
they never put that much emphasis on health
insurance because they never could afford it so
I didnt really see health as a priority, when it
really is, Jenny said.
Jennys mom typically offers home remedies,
like soup or tea, when Jenny is sick instead of
trips to the doctor. However, Jennys parents
made monthly payments to the orthodontist so
that she could have braces. I think [my mom]
just focuses more on physical appearances more
than whats inside your body, Jenny said.
When examining the logos of other clinics
and hospitals in Kansas City, Jenny liked the
heart-shaped bandage on the KC Care Clinic logo.

I just like anything that demonstrates that they

care, Jenny said.
For people like Jenny, SHS needs to spread
their message in a way that educates and reaches
people in their daily lives. Students are often
busy, however, utilizing social media and search
engine optimization (SEO) could be effective. SHS
needs to emphasize convenience so that shell
want to fit it into her busy schedule. Additionally,
Jennys parents paying for braces when they
didnt always go to the doctor reinforces the
insight about those with low-income buying
name brands as a coping mechanism from the
secondary research section. If SHS can convey
quality, they can target not only more affluent
patients, but also their current patient base.

See more interviews in the appendix

47

Personal observation
An
Ascent
Creative
Marketing
representative went on a bus tour around
Kansas City, Mo. through Operation
Breakthrough,
an
early-education,
childcare and social services organization
(Operation Breakthrough, n.d.). The
first stop on the tour was Amethyst
Place, an organization that helps women
recovering from drug and alcohol
addiction. It provides many resources to
promote education and a healthy, drugfree lifestyle for women and their children
(Amethyst Place, 2016).
At each stop on the tour, a different
woman from the Kansas City area would
get on the bus and share her personal
story. Three of the six women shared
how they became involved in drugs and
alcohol. Each of them was born into
generational poverty. They had all started
using drugs by age 14 or 15, and it was
often their family members or boyfriends
who introduced them to drugs. Two of
them were pregnant around age 16.
Two of the other speakers talked about
transportation and jobs in the Kansas
City area. The bus system is sometimes

48

unreliable and unsafe for riders with

children. The buses go by these womens
homes about once an hour, so if they miss
a bus, they are an hour late for their jobs.
That hour can make the difference in
keeping or losing a job. One mom had to
take four buses in the morning to get her
kids to daycare and get herself to work
on time. That meant leaving at 6:30 a.m.
with four children. Also, riding the bus
sometimes means exposing children to
inappropriate situations.
The public transportation presents
a host of problems for Kansas Citys
low-income
population,
which
is
exacerbated by the job situation. It is
difficult to find jobs in the inner-city area
and nearly impossible to find jobs that
are full-time and above minimum wage.
To find better jobs, job seekers must look
outside the inner-city to the Legends or
even Johnson County. This adds extra
travel time and even an extra bus pass to
go to Johnson County. The leader of the
tour, Mary Esselman, told us that only
18 percent of jobs in the Kansas City, Mo.
area are reachable by bus.

Additionally, if a mom is living

somewhere that does not charge her rent
because of her employment status, she
will be expected to pay rent the second
she finds a job. Imagine being hired for
a part-time, $7.50 per hour job, then
the cost of rent is added to the existing
concerns for utilities, four children and
daily expenses.
This observation was enlightening
because there is a misconception among
middle-class America about what it is
like to be in poverty. Kayla Sullivan of
Operation Breakthrough said it well as she
paraphrased the words of a co-worker:

Its easy to label this community as

lazy, as bad decision makers, because
if theyre lazy, theyre not our problem.
But they are not lazy. They are resilient.
They have withstood things that I would
never be able to withstand.

Conclusions
Secondary research findings have been
confirmed through primary research.
including millennials lack of healthcare
knowledge and a perceived stigma around
FQHCs. Many of those interviewed
one-on-one, though, indicated they
would go to an FQHC for care, but they
just didnt know about those types of
facilities before.

Interactions with SHS

Logo

Exit survey respondents had positive

SHS experiences, excluding the pharmacy.
Patients indicated that the pharmacy
needs improvement in the service, prices
and medication offered. SHS has a crucial
role in the lives of its patients.
Though many indicated in the
general public survey that FQHCs may be
perceived as having lower-quality care
or being only for the poor or uninsured,
most were open to using SHS if it didnt
take away from others and provided the
same quality of care as they were used
to. In effect, SHS has the opportunity to
change the perception of FQHCs.

Many respondents did not like SHSs

current logo. Many think that it doesnt
convey healthcare, is boring and reminds
them of a Yinyang symbol. If SHS were to
reposition, its new logo should be clean
and have eye-catching colors.
Though SHS has much that it can
improve on for branding and perception, it
meets many of the standards most people
have for healthcare. Ascent Creative
Marketing will ensure that SHS is known
in the future as not only a nonprofit
facility that helps the community, but a
facility that is quality, up-to-date, caring
and convenient.

Preferences
Convenience is major. With many
different locations, SHS is at an advantage.
SHS experiences difficulty reducing
wait time for appointments, but its
very important to patients to experience
efficiency. Exit survey respondents
seldom mentioned the one-stop-shop
aspect of SHS. Appointments need to be
convenient and efficient because many
have children who they need to attend to.
It is very important a facility does
not look outdated. By looking new and
revitalized, a facility can attract new
patients. Multiple interviews revealed
that there is a perceived connection
between how modern a facility is and
the level of care. SHSs current color
scheme is outdated, and the lobby could
be revamped, as indicated by some exit
survey respondents. Many also indicated
that a facility needs to be clean, which
SHS makes sure to do.

Identity
Sixty percent of general public survey
respondents hadnt heard of SHS. SHS
could improve its public image and
recognition. Throughout all of Ascent
Creative Marketings research,
it is
evident that appearance of a medical
facility matters to potential patients when
choosing a provider. In the general public
survey, facility cleanliness was second in
importance (M=1.25) only to the quality
of care. This can be applied not only to the
building, but also to the branding: looks
matter. The reactions to SHSs current
logo were lukewarm. SHS could greatly
benefit from a new look and identity.

49

50

SWOT
analysis
A SWOT is an analysis that assesses
a companys strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats. By evaluating
these elements, SHS can easily determine
its strategies to combat negative
attributes and highlight its strengths and
opportunities in order to perform to its
full potential and attract new patients.

51

Strengths

One-stop-shop
All health services in one place at Central location
Variety of comprehensive services
Friendly, respectful and caring staff
Quality healthcare
Free transportation available to those who qualify
financially
Helps with insurance enrollment and accepts traditional
Medicare/Medicaid as well as private insurance
Affordable
Many convenient locations across the Kansas City area
Locations that offer bilingual services
Recognizable fixture in community
Benefits the Kansas City community

Opportunities

52

The demand for healthcare services will increase as the

baby boomer generation ages
Millennials, or young invincibles, who forgo health
insurance because they believe that they are immune to
serious illnesses and injuries
More people insured under the Affordable Care Act
Importance of health among millennials
Importance of brand identity among millennials
Partner with schools to create school-based health centers
to improve educational outcomes for the community and
increase the organizations patient number
Optimize the organizations online capabilities
Patients desire to connect with a physician
Patient-tailored healthcare approach in the industry

Weaknesses

Low brand awareness

SHS Central is in an older location and has an outdated
look
Logo not well-received by most survey respondents and
interview participants
The website design is outdated, and patients cant make
appointments online
Understaffed
Especially in the pharmacy and behavioral
health services
Wait time for appointments
Limited outreach
Inconsistent providers
Pharmacy said to be more expensive than CVS and
doesnt have a wide variety of medications

Threats

Stigma of FQHCs as low quality

Stigma associated with facilities that serve those of low SES
Quick clinics (CVS and Walgreens)
Urgent clinics
Emergency room
Patients reliance on search engines and sites like WebMd
for health information
Private providers
Other FQHCs
Learning hospitals
University of Kansas Hospital
Fitness centers
Nurse hotlines
The attitude held by young adults that they dont need to
see doctors regularly

Summary
SHS has attributes that would attract not
only those of low SES, but those who can
afford healthcare as well. One of the largest
obstacles that SHS must overcome, though,
is the stigma associated with FQHCs as
being low quality and only for the poor.
By emphasizing its strengths, capitalizing
on opportunities and addressing both its
weaknesses and threats, SHS can become
the provider of choice that can meet the
healthcare needs for those in the Kansas
City community.

53

54

MILLENNIALS
BA in English, works as a freelance writer
Tech-savvy, engages on social media to
promote her writing pieces
Always investigating and writing new things
Hectic lifestyle, wants her healthcare to be
easy and fast
Attracted to new facilities
Wants quality healthcare
Wants a caring and accessible doctor
Values affordability

Meet
Ashley, 24

Target
audience

MILLENNIAL PARENTS
Has 8-year-old son, Hunter
Has her MBA and works as an event planner
for a Kansas City company
Tech-savvy, owns a smart phone, computer
and tablet
Uses social media to keep in touch with
friends and family
Extremely busy, values efficiency
Wants to be informed
Wants quality
Hunters health is her first priority

Meet
Whitney, 33

55

Goal

Reposition Swope Health Services as the

provider of choice for those seeking health
and wellness services by January 2017

Objectives
1. To grow the number of patients from
39,000 to 45,000

2. To increase the number/percentage

of patients who have ability to pay

for their healthcare

3.

To reduce the patient no-show

rate by 5-10 percent

4.

To change patients and general

publics perception of SHS

5.

To enhance patients and general

publics understanding of the
importance of preventative care

56

Strategy: EMPOWER
Everyone should feel empowered
regardless of where they come
from or where theyre going.

Customers should have options

and be in control and cared for.

Its healthcare, but on your

patients terms.

57

58

Tactics
The nitty gritty. Lets get to work.

59

New identity
Tactic:
Health.

Rename

SHS

as

EMPRIA

Why a new identity? A brand is

more complex than a simple logo or
color scheme: a brand is a promise. A
brand must be authentic, convey what
the company stands for and show what
customers can expect. Patients can expect
exceptional care and friendly service
from SHS, but low brand awareness,
stereotypes associated with FQHCs and
a logo that is viewed unfavorably do not
hold this promise.
Kansas City is growing, and SHS is
ready to grow as well. Both secondary
and primary research confirm that SHSs
branding no longer reflects SHSs quality
services nor what Kansas City embodies:
soul,
independence
and
strength.
According to many survey respondents,
the current logo is confusing and outdated.
This further perpetuates the stereotype
that FQHCs do not provide high-quality
care. Branding appeals to all audiences,
regardless of socioeconomic status.
Therefore, effective August 1, 2016,
SHS will be called EMPRIA Health.
EMPRIA is derived from the word
empower, meaning to make someone
stronger and more confident, especially
in controlling their life and claiming
their rights. EMPRIA Health wants its
patients to know that it is determined
to lift up all members of the Kansas
City community by providing quality
healthcare. Successful branding gives an
organization soul. By becoming EMPRIA
Health, our client will be repositioned
as the provider of choice for those
seeking health and wellness services.
This new identity will diminish negative
perceptions of FQHCs and in effect, drive

60

more patients to EMPRIA Health. The

upscale branding will also attract more
patients who have the ability to pay full
price for services.
Location: All nine clinic sites, four
residential treatment sites and outpatient
treatment site.
Timeline: Changing an organizations
identity is an ambitious undertaking an
organization that cannot be rushed. The
repositioning process will be implemented
over a three-year period.
Execution: The new logo uses bright
colors and a visual identifier to portray a
sense of liveliness and energy. The logo
also uses clean lines to have a modern feel.
There are multiple, responsive designs for
the new logo. Logos should vary slightly
across different digital platforms to best
suit that platform.
The visual identifier resembles an
ever-burning flame to convey strength
and empowerment.
The organizations new slogan will be
Your life, empowered.
The organizations new URL will be
www.empriahealth.org, and the site and
mobile website will be redesigned to
match the new logo and color scheme.
This domain name is available. All social
media platforms will also be updated.

Using responsive design, EMPRIA

Healths new logo can be arranged
in a variety of ways depending on the
situation, while still maintaining a unified
and distinctive appearance.

1. May 25, 2016: Order outdoor

banners for all sites with the new logo
to be shown to associates before the new
identity is in effect and to be placed over
outdoor signage temporarily when the
process has started.
2. June 1, 2016: Tell staff members
about the new identity.
Associates should be the first to know
about the process. If associates are not
happy with the new identity, it will not
be successful; they have to believe in the
organization and the new identity for the
process to work.
Email the associates to introduce them
to the new identity and explain the story
behind the new logo. This email should
be centered on the associates and how
important they are. It will also serve as
an invitation to an associate celebration
and identity-reveal party to be hosted on
Saturday, June 30.
Lastly, ask associates of a time in
which theyve felt empowered. Those
stories could be used in promotional
videos or in messaging that celebrates the
associates throughout the repositioning
process.
3. June 2, 2016: Begin calling donors to
inform them of the new logo. All donors
should be called by June 9. Calling donors
is more personal than email, and your
organization can convey how much their
support matters to your organization. Also
invite them to the associate celebration.
4. June 8, 2016: Communicate to
current and past patients about the new
identity. Also ask patients that you are
able to get in contact with if they have a
time in which SHS had a positive impact on
their lives. These stories can also be used
in promotional videos and messaging.
5. June 13, 2016: Send a press release

about the new look and associate

celebration to all major news outlets.
6. Anytime before the celebration: Put
together videos of associates and patients
telling their stories about SHS and times
in which theyve felt empowered.
7. June 30, 2016: Host the associate
celebration from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the
Central location. Though this celebration
is focused on associates, all are
welcome, especially the media because
it would publicize the new identity.
This celebration will serve to thank the
associates for their work and to excite
those already associated with SHS about
the new identity.
Provide food for those in attendance.
Order the Picnic choice from Affordable
Catering by Pamperd Palate for 450,
which comes with one choice of meat and
three sides for $9 per person.
Rent audio and projecting equipment
from Audio Rent KC to play music, speak
to attendees and show promotional
videos with patient and associate stories.
We suggest: wireless mic ($29), the
Premium audio package ($249) and
Royal Special outdoor movie screen
package ($199).
Order 400 t-shirts from Grandstand
Glassware and Apparel with the EMPRIA
Health logo to give away.
8. August 1, 2016: The new EMPRIA
Health website will go live. If one tries
visiting www.swopehealth.org, he or
she will be redirected to the new site.
When the site goes live, it will have a
message about the new identity for SHS.
The temporary outdoor banners will be
hung at all locations over current signage.
After these initial steps have been
implemented, EMPRIA Health will move
forward with additional tactics outlined

by Ascent Creative Marketing to raise

patient numbers and brand awareness.
Over the course of three years,
EMPRIA Health will update outdoor
and indoor signage at all locations. This
process will be spread out over time to
make it affordable for the organization.

61

Website
Tactic: EMPRIA Health will revamp
SHS Health Services current website
to align with the new branding and be
modern and user-friendly. The new
website will include capabilities to make
appointments online and ensure textbased appointment reminders are sent
in addition to email. There will also be a
new option to immediately contact a nurse
through a messenger.

will schedule appointments at EMPRIA

Health. Because EMPRIA Health will have
the capabilities to send text and email
reminders about appointments, patient
no-show rates will decrease. With
a more modern website, it will convey
how high-quality EMPRIA Healths
services are, and your organization will be
repositioned as the provider of choice for
health and wellness services.

Why modernize the website? A modern

website is critical to attracting millennials
and those who have the ability to pay for
healthcare without the sliding-scale fee.
Millennials
value
independence,
efficiency and ease. Making appointments
should be as easy for them as possible.
If they call EMPRIA Health and hear a
voice-automated system, it is likely they
will hang up. By including capabilities to
make appointments online, it ensures that
millennials do not seek healthcare services
elsewhere due to lack of technological
capabilities. Many practices include online
appointment making options, especially
on college campuses. If recent graduates
are accustomed to these options, they will
not want to use EMPRIA Health.
With
a
modernized
site,
the
mobile platform should also be more
mobile-friendly, which is important
to millennials and those of low SES:
smartphones are extremely prevalent
among all populations in the U.S.
Indirect competitors for EMPRIA
Health are nurse hotlines. By upgrading to
a more advanced website, EMPRIA Health
will also have the capabilities for direct
communication with a nurse through
messenger or phone call. This will be
emphasized visually on the website.
By making it easier to make
appointments online, more patients

Timeline: EMPRIA Healths website

will be effective August 1, 2016.

62

Location: The new URL will be www.

empriahealth.org and is available for use.
Execution: On August 1, 2016, anyone
who visits www.swopehealth.org will
be redirected to EMPRIA Healths new
website by setting up a 301 redirect on
SHSs current site. To do so, install and
activate the Wordpress Redirection plugin.
Go to Tools and select Redirection.
Make sure that your new source URL is
www.empriahealth.org.
The website will be linked on all of
EMPRIA Healths social media sites.
Upgrade your eClinical Works electronic
health records (EHR) system to include
practice management. By upgrading, your
organization will have the capability to
make appointments online and continue
to send patients appointment reminders
through text and email.
Embed a messenger system on the
website as well as display a nurse hotline
number within the new website. Download
the Wp Chats plugin for Wordpress and
activate it on the website. Through this
plugin, there will be instant chat and
private messaging capabilities.
Use DudaMobile to build a mobilefriendly site. The premium plan, which

includes unlimited pages and page views,

click-to-call, mobile maps, unlimited
technical support and more.
Dont forget to make much of your
organizations web content educational.
Budget: The website will be hosted
through Hostgators business plan. The
domain is $12.95 a year and the hosting is
$8.95 a month to equal $133.30 per year.
DudaMobiles lifetime premium plan
for hosting is $159 with no additional
costs.
Upgrading your EHR system will cost
$600 per provider per month.

63

Search engine optimization

and marketing (SEO and SEM)
Why SEO/SEM: Both search engine
optimization and search engine marketing
are cost-effective ways to drive targeted
traffic to a site and build brand awareness.
They are simple, effective, flexible and
measurable. Perhaps more importantly,
a business that isnt using SEO or SEM is
falling behind.
Building the campaign: Google
AdWords will allow EMPRIA Health to be
flexible with both messaging and cost.
Campaigns can run for weeks, months
or even years, and pricing is determined
by the popularity of a keyword and the
number of times the ad is clicked or the
landing page acquires the desired action
from a user.
1. Goals: The three primary goals for
EMPRIA Healths SEO campaign will be
to increase traffic to the website, acquire
email addresses and encourage use of the
online appointment tool.
2. Select topics:
As a healthcare
provider, EMPRIA Health can run
permanent
and
seasonal
AdWords
campaigns. For example, we have chosen
a flu shot campaign that would run from
October 2016 through March 2017.
3. Select keywords: Keywords will be
selected using Googles Keyword Planner.
This tool allows you to select keywords
based on pricing and search traffic. The
keywords must relate to the content on
the page.
4. The ads: Using the keywords selected
through the Keyword Planner, begin
building relevant AdWords campaigns.
You have multiple ads in a campaign to
compare effectiveness of what copy and

64

headlines work best. Different campaigns

using different keywords can lead to
the same landing page, providing even
more opportunities to evaluate results.
Headlines should be clear and relevant to
the consumer. The body should reinforce
the headline. For example:

This headline is direct and highly

relevant to anyone who searched Kansas
City flu shot. The body copy had words
like affordable and trusted to give a
twinge of emotion to the limited copy.
5. Landing pages: Once the user has
clicked through, the landing page must
offer immediately relevant information
and an obvious call to action. The keywords
must be included on the page. Just like the
ads, there should be multiple versions of
the page to be tested against each other.
This is called split testing, and it is a critical
part of generating conversions. After one
or two weeks, the dominant landing page
should be used exclusively.
6. Remarketing: Using Google Display
Network, users who visited the EMPRIA
Health website will have EMPRIA Health
web advertisements follow them and
appear on other sites they visit in the
future.
7. Retool and adjust: The performance
of campaigns should always be closely
monitored. Some campaigns will be
irrelevant during certain times of the year,
and some keywords may lose effectiveness
over time. It is important for EMPRIA
Health to continue to monitor health news
and search trends to stay agile in search

engine marketing. It is recommended

that EMPRIA Health use Google Analytics
to track and monitor the performance of
webpages.
Tweak existing pages: By adding
keywords on existing pages, EMPRIA can
maximize organic search results.

SEO/SEM Key Terms

Search engine optimization (SEO): Increasing a web
pages visibility on unpaid web searches, using certain
words or terms on the page that relate to what people
are searching online.
Search engine marketing: Increasing a web pages
visibility on web searches through paid advertisements.
Google AdWords: Googles online advertising service
that allows clients to pay for text ads alongside relevant
search results.
Keywords: A term that captures the essence of a page.
For example, a keyword for the Dallas Cowboys website
would be football, and a keyword for medical center
would be health.
Remarketing: Targeting advertisements to users who
have visited your site previously, but did not take a
desired action.
Landing page: A page on a website that is accessed
by clicking a hyperlink or an advertisement. A landing
page typically has a desired action for the user to take,
such as signing up through email or making a purchase.
Split test: Simultaneously running two different versions
of a landing page for a short time and comparing their
results. The winner becomes the sole landing page.
Google Display Network: A network of sites partnered
with Google to display relevant ads that are not search
results. Ads can be either text or pictures.

Frolic through flu season.

Frolic through flu season.

Empria Healths 13 locations are now offering flu shots.

Empria Healths 13 locations are now offering flu shots.

Make an Appointment Today!

Name

Fast. Easy. Affordable.

Email

Stop in today and help reduce your

See Times

chances of catching the flu this year.

Reduce your chance of

catching the flu this year.
Make an Appointment Today!

From flu shots to pharmacies: why you should choose Empria Health

Protect Yourself

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,

consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do
eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut
enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco
laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat. Duis aute
irure dolor in reprehenderit in
voluptate velit esse cillum dolore
eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Be KC Strong

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,

consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do
eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut
enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco
laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat. Duis aute
irure dolor in reprehenderit in
voluptate velit esse cillum dolore
eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Name

Email

See Times

From flu shots to pharmacies: why you should choose Empria Health
Reduce your chance of
catching the flu this year.

Accessible to All

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,

consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do
eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut
enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco
laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat. Duis aute
irure dolor in reprehenderit in
voluptate velit esse cillum dolore
eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Protect Yourself

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,

consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do
eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut
enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco
laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat. Duis aute
irure dolor in reprehenderit in
voluptate velit esse cillum dolore
eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Be KC Strong

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,

consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do
eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut
enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco
laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat. Duis aute
irure dolor in reprehenderit in
voluptate velit esse cillum dolore
eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Accessible to All

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,

consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do
eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut
enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco
laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat. Duis aute
irure dolor in reprehenderit in
voluptate velit esse cillum dolore
eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Slight changes in copy and form location can have

large effects on conversion rates for landing pages.

Remarketing ads come in a variety of sizes and appear

on other websites after a user visits EMPRIA Healths
site but doesnt take a desired action.

65

Keep the messaging short, to the point and

engaging. Otherwise, users will scroll directly past.

Social media
Tactic:
EMPRIA
Health
should
implement a comprehensive social media
plan to stay current and to be seen as
an authority in healthcare. Social media
is crucial to millennials and millennial
parents. Many millennials rely on reviews
and posts on social media to make key
decisions. Post should be centered on the
services that EMPRIA Health provides,
organizational
accomplishments
or
events, healthcare industry news, and
new blog posts. This social media plan
consists of posts two to three times a
month from August 2016 to July 2017.
Why social media? As our research
indicates, technology is important to
millennials, and social media is an
important technological aspect. It is
not only inexpensive, but its also very
important to gain their respect as an
authority in healthcare by showing the
quality of the services that EMPRIA Health
provides. With more posts on a subject,
the more likely a page is to show up in
an organic (unpaid) Google search. For
example, if SHSs pages frequently use the
phrase Kansas City and flu shots, it is
likely to appear near the top of the search
results for someone who is searching flu

66

shots in Kansas City. It will also help

create partnerships with other experts in
the field if EMPRIA Health posts or tweets
an article or page from another company.
It will help EMPRIA Health been seen as
a healthcare expert and quality medical
center in the Kansas City community.
Ascent Creative Marketing has created
a digital social media posting plan located
on a USB flash drive that your organization
will receive.
Location: These posts will be posted
on Facebook and Twitter. For every
Facebook post, there are two Twitter
posts because there is more content on
Twitter and posts are more easily lost.
Instagram is also very important to
millennials and serves as a forum to post
about things happening internally such
as pictures of associates, the culture of
the organization or a patients uplifting
story. LinkedIn is also useful and
although it does not need to be updated
as frequently as Facebook and Twitter,
it should be used to make connections
with other healthcare providers and
authorities in the field.
Timeline: Our social media plan
consists of one post every one to two

weeks. However, that is just the bare

minimum. Timely posts about current
events or topics should be posted in
addition to the plan that we have created.
Our plan runs from August 2016 to July
2017. It is important to view the analytics
for each of the social media platforms to
see when users are online to determine
the optimal time of day to post.
Cost: If there is something seasonally
relevant or something specific where you
need participants, boosted or sponsored
posts are recommended. An example
would be flu season. You could post about
getting flu shots and show the benefit with
a featured image like the one pictured. For
boosted posts, you can set the audience
by location, race, gender, age and more.
You then set the dates when you want it
to run and the way to measure it, either
through engagements or impressions and
then choose your daily budget. Facebook,
Twitter and Instagram make it easy to
use their ad systems. Just make sure to
keep the messaging short, to the point
and engaging. Otherwise, users will scroll
directly past.

Social media tips

Do
Posts should appear once on Facebook
and twice on Twitter to get the most
exposure per message
Make both tweets similar in message but
different in wording
Attach a photo, video or link with
each post
Blog posts should appear on Facebook,
Twitter and LinkedIn
Include a caption describing what the
blog is about to draw attention to it

Dont
Post completely different content on
Facebook and Twitter
Blog posts appear with only the title of
the post as the caption
Post just because; always make posts
relevant and engaging
Use low-quality photos
Forget about the importance of
LinkedIn to make connections with other
healthcare providers
Forget to have a featured image for

Post frequently and with purpose

each blog post that looks the same

Keep all messaging targeted

on the website and on social media

Share articles relevant to the health

platforms

industry to make connections with other

leaders in healthcare

Hashtag random words without a direct

purpose and target audience
Make captions or posts too long

67

Guerrilla marketing
Tactic: EMPRIA Health will implement
a guerrilla marketing campaign in which
large adhesive bandages are placed on
buildings and structures with minor flaws
in high-foot-traffic areas. For example,
a bandage could be placed on a section of
a building with a crack in the foundation
near a downtown bus stop.
The bandage will say, A bandage
cant fix everything. For what it cant, we
can. It will also include EMPRIA Healths
logo and a call to action: Schedule a
checkup today. The website and a phone
number will be featured.
The areas in which the bandages are
placed do not necessarily have to be flawed
either.
Why guerrilla marketing? Guerrilla
marketing refers to unconventional and
inexpensive marketing tactics. This form
of marketing goes beyond the traditional
billboards, TV ads and newspaper
spreads; because they are unexpected,
they catch the eye of more individuals
and potential customers.
These bandages will be seen by
thousands in the Kansas City metro
area and will raise brand awareness as
well as increase the amount of patients
that visit EMPRIA Health.
Additionally, it will increase the
number or percentage of patients
who have the ability to pay for their
healthcare; many of the bandages will
be placed in highly affluent areas such
as the Country Club Plaza.
By using the word checkup rather
than appointment, it subtly emphasizes
preventative care and wellness rather than
making appointments when necessary.
As more patients attend EMPRIA
Health, their perceptions of FQHCs will

68

become more positive.

Timeline: Place the bandages on
September 1, 2016 at 5 a.m., and leave
them up until 5 a.m. on December 1, 2016,
(three months). By placing the bandages
at this time, there will be enough time to
drive more patients to EMPRIA Health by
2017.
Location: Bandages will be placed in
high-visibility areas such as:

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Crossroads Arts District
Downtown

Country Club Plaza
Westport

Historic City Market

...and more!
Execution:
1. Order 20 stickers from THREAD, a
custom-printing company specializing in
t-shirts and stickers located in Manhattan,
Kan. The dimensions for these stickers
should be 50 by 13.813 inches.
2. Orders can be made by emailing your
design file to thread@freshacme.com. Call
785-539-4539 if you have any questions.
3. Obtain permission from city
governments within the Kansas City
metro area to execute campaign on public
property.
3a. Obtain permission from private
buildings and companies in which you
would like to place your sticker on.
3b. Note the sticker is easily
removable and will not leave residue.
3c. Persuade companies and
city officials by highlighting the
work EMPRIA Health has done for the
community for almost 50 years.
3d. Many agencies implementing

45x

Ascent estimates that a 1%

engagement rate will result in
a value worth 45 times
the investment

guerrilla marketing will often execute

their campaigns without permission,
but Ascent Creative Marketing does not
want to risk negative consequences.
EMPRIA Health should maintain a
strong, respectful relationship with
the community.
4. Place the bandages in the
designated locations.
5. These stickers should withstand
all weather conditions for three months
minimum if not vandalized.

Direct mail
Tactic: EMPRIA Health will send
direct mail to target audience members.
We suggest mailers in unusual shapes, as
they tend to yield a higher response rate:
three percent engagement versus one
percent. The design that we have created
is in the shape of an adhesive bandage.
Why direct mail? Direct mail is a
relatively inexpensive form of marketing
with a large return on investment. This
tactic would compound with others like
guerrilla marketing and social or video
content to create multiple impressions for
our audience. This increases the chances
of brand awareness for our audience. The
style of our mock-up is consistent with
the guerrilla marketing banner, keeping
the look uniform to build brand identity.
This tactic satisfies the objective
of gaining new patients and could
potentially help with patient retention
with a different mail campaign.
Timeline: For the current mailer
mock-up, Ascent Creative Marketing
suggests sending them out in October to
coincide with flu season.
Location: The mailers would be sent
directly to the houses of those aged 20 to
35, living in Kansas City. Our zip codes
have a total population of 56,852 people
and 22,977 of them are between the ages
of 20 and 39. EMPRIA Health should
send one mailer per household to houses
with residents aged 20 to 35. EMPRIA
Health will send 2,000 mailers, 1,000 to
millennial parents, the other 1,000 to
single or married millennials without
kids for its first direct mail campaign.
Execution: Ascent Creative Marketing

has researched the products and business

model of ThinkShapes Mail, a company
that specializes in direct mail
in
interesting shapes. However, other direct
mail companies could be substituted for
execution purposes. ThinkShapes Mail
has a customizable process. It can work
with its clients at any level of involvement
to produce mailers and target recipients
for a mail campaign.
The back has a call to action for
recipients to get their flu shot at EMPRIA
Health. This tactic can be used in the
future. These mailers can be designed
around other seasonal sicknesses or

timely events (i.e., getting your heart

checked for Valentines Day or a dental
exam around Halloween). EMPRIA Health
could also produce a mailer for current
patients to make another appointment.
This would help with patient retention.
Budget: The first direct mail campaign
will cost $1,800.

69

Pop-up clinics
Tactic: Utilize the mobile units
that EMPRIA Health already has to
create pop-up clinics. EMPRIA Health
associates would take the mobile
unit to existing Kansas City events
for promotion, or even to provide
care. EMPRIA Health could hand out
information, give freebies or provide
checkups or vaccinations. The options
are limitless and can help create
impressions that solidify brand identity
and catch the attention of potential
patients.
Why pop-up clinics? This is a fun
way to get EMPRIA Health out in the
community, and it would reach potential
new patients where they are. The beauty
of a mobile unit is that the target is
completely customizable. EMPRIA Health
can target different segments easily by
choosing events based on the age groups
they would attract.
Timeline: EMPRIA Health can start
using this tactic as soon as the mobile
units are updated, and it can be deployed
at any time of the year, as long as there is
an event happening.
Location: Possible event ideas to
target millennials include: Boulevardia,
First Fridays, Waddell & Reed Kansas
City Marathon, Shakespeare in the Park,

Cultivate Kansas City, farmers markets

and arts festivals. Boulevardia would be
a great start because SHS has partnered
with Boulevard Brewing in the past.
Execution: The key to successfully
executing this tactic is to be engaging.
This means promoting the movements of
the EMPRIA Health pop-up clinic before,
during and after an event with social
media and press statements. It will also
be important to give EMPRIA Health a
reason for being there. Examples of this
could be:

Giving discounted flu shots around

flu season
Handing out water and tips for
proper hydration at Boulevardia
Preparing an easy and healthy dish
and giving free sample servings
with the recipe at farmers markets
Giving out safe fireworks, like bang
snaps, along with guidelines for
firework safety around the Fourth
of July

These ideas combine timeliness,

helpfulness and fun. Coordinating these
events involves four simple steps: 1)
identify the event EMPRIA Health wants
to attend, 2) contact the organizer of
the event and ask to come, 3) create and
prepare promotional messaging and
materials, and 4) go to the event.
Budget: This is an inexpensive way to
host an event. Costs would vary depending
on the type of promotional materials. The
only expenses would be the promotional
materials, fuel for the mobile unit, costs
of running the unit and permits that may
be required to attend an event.

70

School-based health centers

Tactic: EMPRIA Health will partner
with Troost Elementary in Kansas City,
Mo. Using its mobile unit, EMPRIA
Health will visit the school on Friday
afternoons every two weeks to create a
school-based health center (SBHC) for
Troost Elementary.
Why school-based health centers? We
chose Troost Elementary school for myriad
reasons:

Troost Elementary is struggling academically

It is within the boundaries that EMPRIA
Health is allowed to practice
SHS and Troost Elementary have a history
of partnership through Kansas Citys Local
Investment Commission (LINC) program
that provides services for students before
and after school

According to SchoolDigger, Troost

Elementary is ranked 1,019th out of 1,036
elementary schools in Missouri for the
2014-2015 school year, meaning that 98.4
percent of elementary schools performed
better than Troost Elementary. In Kansas
City 33 School District, Troost Elementary
ranked 22nd out of 24 schools and
consistently performs significantly lower
than other schools in its school district and
in the state. In 2015, only 3 percent to 17
percent of students met the standard on
various Measures of Academic Progress
(MAP) tests (Troost Elementary, n.d.).
By advancing the health of children in
schools, EMPRIA Health will also improve
educational outcomes. If children are not
healthy, they cannot focus on academics.
Many children do not have adequate access
to healthcare, and an SBHC would provide
a mutually beneficial option for Troost
Elementary, EMPRIA Health and the
Kansas City community. Children would

no longer fall behind because of missing

numerous days of school due to illness
would no longer be a problem. Many
parents also do not have the flexibility in
their schedules to take their children to
regular checkups. SBHCs make a difference
in the lives of children. Childhood obesity
rates in Jackson Country, (where Troost
Elementary is located), is also high
compared to other counties in the area. Our
client could affect this rate by providing
care and preventative health education.
This tactic will provide EMPRIA Health
with the opportunity to show the Kansas
City community how much it cares for the
wellness of all of its members, especially
if it is successful in increasing academic
outcomes for Troost Elementary. Research
also shows that school-based outreach is
highly effective.
By taking the clinic to the students,
EMPRIA Health will increase the amount
of patients it sees. It will also attract young
parents to utilize EMPRIA Health.
Timeline: EMPRIA Health will begin
visiting Troost Elementary at 1:30 p.m.
Friday, September 3, 2016. It will visit
at this time every two weeks ending on
Friday, May 12.
Location: Troost Elementary School;
1215 E. 59th St., Kansas City, Mo. 64110

visit one school once every two weeks.

School nurses will refer students to the
mobile school-based health center, and
EMPRIA Health will provide services as
needed to those students. Those services
will be provided by appointment or walkin and would include physical exams, oral
care, immunizations, early detection of
disease or illness and more.
Parents must fill out a consent form for
students to receive care. A good time to fill
this form out could be school enrollment
at the beginning of the year or parentteacher conferences.
Budget: EMPRIA Health will be paid
through the same process that its regular
clinics use. A sliding-scale fee can be
applied to those who qualify. According
to the School-Based Health Alliance, the
majority of SBHCs payment sources are
Medicaid (83 percent), private insurance
(64 percent), Childrens Health Insurance
Program (63 percent) and self-pay (50
percent) (Funding SBHCs - School Based
Health Alliance, n.d.). EMPRIA Health
can also apply for grants from both the
government and private sector to assist
with the costs incurred by uninsured
patients, gas, electricity, supplies and the
labor.

Execution: This model of schoolbased health centers is based off of

KidCare Connection, a program run by the
Community Health Center of Southeast
Kansas in Pittsburg, Kan. KidCare
Connection is a mobile clinic that visits
each of the schools within that school
district. Unlike KidCare Connection,
EMPRIA Healths mobile clinic will only

71

Video
Tactic: EMPRIA Health should create
video content for social media platforms
in order to build brand recognition and to
supplement the KC Strong campaign and
future campaigns.
Why Video Content? Promotional
videos can tie every tactic of the KC
Strong campaign together and raise
brand awareness. Social media is crucial
to millennials and millennial parents,
and video content is a way to illustrate
a point or spread a message. Many
millennials rely on crowdsourcing
social media and its word-of-mouth
capabilities to make key decisions. Posts
with visual elements are more likely to
be viewed and shared. Effective video
content can focus on the services that
an organization provides and the values
for which it stands. It is also crucial to
make the content interesting, timely and
useful. This will help videos get more
shares and therefore more viewers. The
shares, likes and visits to the platforms
are measurable and will guide EMPRIA
Health in creating content to drive more
patients and donors in.
Timeline: Videos should be made
before, during and after the new identity is
implemented. View the analytics for each
of the media on which you are posting to
see when the users are online and when
the most optimal time of day is to post.

72

Location: Videos will be posted on

all of EMPRIA Healths social media
platforms. These platforms are Youtube,
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn
and EMPRIA Healths website as a link
and blog.
Execution: Ascent Creative Marketing
suggests that EMPRIA Health film
associates and patients who have
inspiring stories related to healthcare.
Other shots should highlight popular
scenes or activities in Kansas City to
appeal to patients pride in their city.
Ascent Creative Marketing has provided a
script and shot list to use in a promotional
video to introduce Kansas City to EMPRIA
Health. (See appendix).
To film, use a DSLR camera and
tripod. Light and sound kits can improve
video quality. EMPRIA Health could also
hire a local video company to create the
videos.
Budget: Video production costs can
range depending on the company. It
can be free with a company camera and
associate labor.

Conclusion
Together, the tactics involved in
Ascent Creative Marketings KC Strong
campaign will reach the target audience
through multiple points of contact and
work cohesively to present EMPRIA
Healths message of empowerment.

73

Predictions
Ascent Creative Marketing maintains
that executing the KC Strong campaign
will help increase our clients patients
by 6,000 and reduce the number of
missed appointments by five to 10
percent. EMPRIA Healths messaging
will emphasize the importance of
preventative care. This reposition will
also help establish a brand identity
and culture that will reduce the stigma
associated with FQHCs and attract
patients who can pay more for their
medical services. All objectives will be
met by May 25, 2019.
Repositioning is a slow process that
is not always met with positivity. Our
client will need to commit fully to this
plan while investing more than ever
in its current patients, donors and
associates. This process cannot succeed
without the support of EMPRIA Healths
stakeholders. Effective communication
skills, both internal and external, are
necessary to communicate the need
and benefits of a new identity.

Evaluations
Patient growth and retention
Overall, the success of the campaign
can be measured by comparing our
clients records of its patient count and
the missed appointment rates before and
after the campaign to determine growth
and improvement in retention.
SEO and social media
For the SEO and social media messaging
tactics, EMPRIA Health can use Google
Analytics to determine which types of
posts are most effective and how to
maximize future posting and SEO.
School-based health centers
This tactic can be measured over a
period of time by examining the results
of state assessment testing as well as
collecting personal accounts of how
EMPRIA Health helped students. This
data can be used for sharable video
content and cause marketing.

74

Other outreach tactics

Other tactics like direct mail, guerrilla
marketing and video content can be
measured through surveys and surveylike questions. EMPRIA Health can put
How have you heard about us? or
Which of the following have you seen?
at the end of its sign-in paperwork with
a list of tactics and patients can check all
that apply. EMPRIA Health could also send
out an outreach and satisfaction survey to
find out which tactics the patients find
most effective and about the overall level
of satisfaction with EMPRIA Healths
performance.
By using these measurement tools,
EMPRIA Health can both check its
ongoing success with this campaign as
well as identify ways to modify tactics
if necessary. Our client can utilized key
performance indicators (KPI) within
EMPRIA Health to measure the success of
Ascent Creative Marketings campaign.

Budget
Repositioning

Website hosting.............................................................................................................. $133.30

Mobile hosting...................................................................................................................... $159
Website and mobile-friendly redesign services................................................... $20,000
Temporary outdoor banners with new branding for all locations..................... $433.44
Replacing outdoor signs for all locations*............................................................. $50,400
Replacing graphics on mobile units*........................................................................ $2,000
Associate celebration......................................................................................................$5,727
Audio and projecting rental......................................................... $477
Food.............................................................................................. $4,050
T-shirts...........................................................................................$1,200
Replacing branded items within facilities......................................................... $30,000
Repositioning total.............................................................................................. $108,852.74
*These costs will be divided over a three-year period.

Expanding online capabilities

SEO......................................................................................................................$5,000 yearly
Promoted social media posts..............................................................................$500 yearly
Upgrade eClinical Works system.......................................$600 per month per provider

Direct mail

.................................................................................................................$1,800 per campaign

Guerrilla marketing

.......................................................................................................................................... $605.55

Pop-up clinics

Gas, city permits and promotional materials..............................................$5,000 yearly

School-based health centers

This budget can be customized to fit the

needs and resources of EMPRIA Health.

Funded through regular streams of patient payment and grants.

Video

This could vary: EMPRIA Health could hire a company or produce it itself.

75

References
About School-Based Health Centers. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from
http://www.sbh4all.org/school-health-care/aboutsbhcs/#sthash.47SEQBRZ.dpuf
About Us. Operation Breakthrough. Retrieved from https://www.operationbreakthrough.org/about.php
About Us - School-Based Health Alliance. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from
http://www.sbh4all.org/about/#sthash.71GlMb7d.dpuf
Action for Dental Health: Bringing Disease Prevention into Communities. (2013). American Dental
Association. Retrieved from
https://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Public%20Programs/Files/bringing-disease-prevention-tocommunities_adh.ashx
Barrett, William. (2008). March of Dimes Second Act. Forbes. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/2008/11/19/march-dimes-revinvention-pf-charities08cx_wb_1119dimes.html
Beegle, D. (2007). See Poverty...Be The Difference!: Discovering Missing Pieces for Helping People
Move Out of Poverty. Tigard, OR: Communication Across Barriers.
Begley, C., Basu, R., Lairson, D., Reynolds, T., Dubinsky, S., Newmark, M., & Hesdorffer,
D. (2011). Socioeconomic status, health care use, and outcomes: Persistence of disparities
over time. Epilepsia, 52(5), 957-964. doi : 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2010.02968.x
Blackburn, G., & Walker, W. (2005). Science-based solutions to obesity: what are the roles of
academia, government, industry, and health care?. American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition,
82(1).
Blizzard, R. (2005). Healthcare Panel: How Do People Choose Hospitals? Gallup.
Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/19402/Healthcare-Panel-How-PeopleChooseHospitals.aspx?g_source=how%20do%20people%20choose%20hospitals&g_medium=searc
h&g_campaign=tiles
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2016). Kansas City Area Employment November 2015 : Mountain
Plains Information Office : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics [Data file]. Retrieved from
http://www.bls.gov/regions/mountain-plains/news-release/areae mployment_kansascity.htm
Caring Above All: Rebranding a Hospital to a Network. Retrieved from
http://www.tenadams.com/featuredWork/the-christ-hospital-health-network/
Center for Disease Control. (2015). Overweight & Obesity | DNPAO | CDC. Retrieved 19 February
2016, from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/
Center for Disease Control. (2015). Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Strategies to Combat
Obesity | For My Community | DNPAO | CDC. Retrieved 21 February 2016, from
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/community.html
Cisco, P. (2015). Top 5 Marketing Trends for Healthcare in 2016. Marketing Essentials.
Retrieved from http://mktgessentials.com/top-5-marketing-trends-for-healthcare-in-2016/
Contact. (2016). Swope Health Services. Retrieved from http://www.swopehealth.org/
locations/
Crosby, E. M. (2012). Exploring stigma, identity gaps, and consumption (Order No.
3571135). Available from ABI/INFORM Complete; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
(1426818108). Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1426818108?accountid=14556
DeMarco, C. (2015). The High Performing FQHC of Tomorrow: Expanding the mission through margin.
Sage Growth Partners. Retrieved from http://sage-growth.com/wpcontent/uploads/2015/05/FQHC_WhitePaper_SGP.pdf
Diamond, D. (2015). Healthcare Jobs Just Grew At Fastest Pace Since 1991. Forbes. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamond/2015/06/05/hospitals-jobs-growth-is-suddenlybooming/#51346fb03bce
Disparities in Health and Health Care: Five Key Questions and Answers. (2012). The Henry J. Kaiser
Family Foundation. Retrieved from http://kff.org/disparities-policy/issue-brief/disparities-inhealth-and-health-care-five-key-questions-and-answers/

76

Dugan, A. (2015). Cost Still Delays Healthcare for About One in Three in U.S.
Gallup. Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/187190/cost-delays healthcare-onethree.aspx?g_source=health%20care&g_medium=search&g_
campaign=tiles
Estupinan, J., Fengler, K., & Kaura, A. (2014). The Birth of the Healthcare
Consumer. PWC. Retrieved from http://www.strategyand.pwc.com/media/file/The-birth-of-thehealthcare-consumer.pdf
Funding SBHCs - School Based Health Alliance. (n.d.). Retrieved April 27, 2016, from
http://www.sbh4all.org/school-health-care/school-based-health-care-financing/
Galloro, V. (2011). Healthcare Market Profile: Kansas City. Modern Healthcare. Retrieved from
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20110725/SUPPLEMENT/309019993
Gilbert, M. (2016). Managing Your Health. Mintel. Retrieved from
http://academic.mintel.com/display/760442/
Gilbert, M. (2015). Marketing Health to Men. Mintel. Retrieved from
http://academic.mintel.com.www2.lib.ku.edu/display/716711/
Gilbert, M. (2015). Marketing Health to Women. Mintel. Retrieved from
http://academic.mintel.com.www2.lib.ku.edu/display/716776/
Fay, Bill. (n.d.) Doctor Visit Costs. Debt.org. Retrieved from https://www.debt.org/medical/doctor-visitcosts/
Hamilton, K. (2012). Low-income Families and Coping through Brands: Inclusion or
Stigma?Sociology, 46(1), 74-90.
Health Coverage by Race and Ethnicity: The Potential Impact of the Affordable Care Act. (2013). The
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved from http://kff.org/disparities-policy/issuebrief/health-coverage-by-race-and-ethnicity-the-potential-impact-of-the-affordable-care-act/
Henry, J. (2015). Is rebranding worth it? HealthcareDive. Retrieved from
http://www.healthcaredive.com/news/is-rebranding-worth-the-investment/405570/
Hogberg, D. Why the Young Invincibles Wont Participate In The ObamaCare Exchanges and Why It
Matters. The National Center for Public Policy Research. Retrieved from
http://www.nationalcenter.org/NPA652.html
How is poverty measured in the United States? (n.d.) Institute for Research on Poverty. Retrieved from
http://www.irp.wisc.edu/faqs/faq2.htm
KC Health Matters. (2016). Community Health Data and Resources [Data file]. Retrieved from
http://kchealthmatters.org/
Keller, M. (2016). Client briefing. Presentation, Lawrence, Kan.
Kliff, Sarah. (2013). An average ER visit costs more than an average months rent. The Washington
Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/03/02/anaverage-er-visit-costs-more-than-an-average-months-rent/
Krol, E. (2014). Exercise Trends. Mintel. Retrieved from
http://academic.mintel.com.www2.lib.ku.edu/display/679797/?highlight
Low-income, uninsured patients feel stigma when interacting with health care providers.
(2014, June 20). Retrieved from http://www.news-medical.net/news/20140620/
Low-income-uninsured-patients-feel-stigma-when-interacting-with-health-care
provides.aspx
Maier, M. (2011). Attitudes Toward Hospitals. Mintel. Retrieved from
http://academic.mintel.com.www2.lib.ku.edu/display/561324/
March of Dimes. (2016). About Us. Retrieved from http://www.marchofdimes.org/mission/history.aspx
March of Dimes Rebrand Case Study. Crossroads. Real. Communication. Retrieved from
http://crossroads.us/showcase/march-of-dimes-case-study/
Mayoclinic.org. (2016). Obesity Prevention - Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 21 February 2016, from
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/basics/prevention/con-20014834
McCord, J. (2015). M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Client Briefing. Richardson, Texas.

Measuring America: The Young and Uninsured in 2012. (2013). United States Census Bureau.
Retrieved from
http://www.census.gov/library/infographics/young_uninsured.html
Mdanderson.org. (2010). New logo has MD Anderson feeling 'brand' new | MD Anderson Cancer
Center. Retrieved 12 February 2016, from
https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/cancerwise/2010/05/new-logo.html
Morton, S. L. (2014). The Stigmatization of Poverty in America: A Look at International
Public Perceptions of the Poor (Honors Thesis). Indiana University, Bloomington.
MyBestSegments. (2016). Nielsen. Retrieved
from https://segmentationsolutions.nielsen.com/mybestsegments/
National Census of School-Based Health Centers. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from
http://www.sbh4all.org/school-health-care/national-census-of-school-based-health-centers/
National Health Expenditure Projections 2012-2022. (2016). Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services. Retrieved from https://www.cms.gov/research-statistics-data-and-systems/statisticstrends-and-reports/nationalhealthexpenddata/downloads/proj2012.pdf
National Prevention Strategy: America's Plan for Better Health and Wellness. (2016). Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PreventionStrategy/
Pollack, G. (2008). The Power of Brand Repositioning: A Four-Phased Process. Marketing Profs.
Retrieved from http://www.marketingprofs.com/8/power-of-brand
-repositioning-four-phased-process-pollack.asp
Primary Care Provider Rate (2013). Retrieved fromhttp://kchealthdata
.thehcn.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=NS-Indicator&file=indicator&iid=17644995
Riffkin, R. (2015). Americans Again Cite Cost and Access as Top Health Issues. Gallup. Retrieved
from http://www.gallup.com/poll/186722/americans-again-cite-cost-access-tophealthssues.aspx?g_source=CATEGORY_HEALTHCARE&g_medium=topic&g_campaign=til
es
Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center. (2016a). Community Events Calendar. Retrieved from
http://rodgershealth.org/?page=community-services-community-events-calendar
Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center. (2016b). Volunteer. Retrieved from
http://rodgershealth.org/?page=volunteer
Schwartz, R., Long, B., & Patton, S. (2014). FQHCs and Health Reform: Five Things Private Practice
Physicians Absolutely Need to Know. American Bar Association Health eSource. Retrieved
from http://www.americanbar.org/publications/aba_health_esource/201314/november/fqhcs_ppaca.html
Sherry, M. (2013). Report: Two-thirds of KC metro residents medically vulnerable. Kansas Health
Institute. Retrieved from http://www.khi.org/news/article/report-two-thirds-kc-metro-aremedically-vulnerabl
Sifferlin, A. (2015). Nearly 90% of Americans Now Have Health Insurance. Time. Retrieved from
http://time.com/3992969/number-of-americans-health-insurance/
Staco, M. (2015). Health Insurance. Mintel. Retrieved from
http://academic.mintel.com.www2.lib.ku.edu/display/716565/

The University of Kansas Hospital. (2013, June 8). 2013 Advertising Campaign.
Retrieved February 19, 2016, from http://www.kumed.com/Intranet/workplace
support/marketing-info/ad-campaigns/2013-advertising-campaign
The University of Kansas Hospital. (2016). Health Resources. Retrieved February 19,
2016, from https://wellness.kumed.com/weblink/clSc.do
Topper, A. (2015). The Millennial Impact: Food Shopping Decisions. Mintel. Retrieved from
http://academic.mintel.com.www2.lib.ku.edu/display/716922/
Troost Elementary. (n.d.). Retrieved April 27, 2016, from
http://www.schooldigger.com/go/MO/schools/1640000879/school.aspx
United States Census Bureau. (2014). American FactFinder [Data file]. Retrieved from
factfinder.census.gov/
United Way of Greater Kansas City. (2015). Statistics for employee campaign managers to use in
your campaign. [Brochure] Kansas City, Mo.: United Way.
USD 250 KidCare Connection. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://chcsek.org/schoolhealth/usd-250-kidcare-connection/
U.S. Low-Income Working Families Increasing. (2013). Population Reference Bureau. Retrieved from
http://www.prb.org/Publications/Articles/2013/us-working-poor-families.aspx
Walgreens. (n.d.) Price Menu. Retrieved from http://www.walgreens.com/topic/healthcare-clinic/pricemenu.jsp
What are Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)? Health Resources & Services Administration.
Retrieved from http://www.hrsa.gov/healthit/toolbox/RuralHealthITtoolbox/
Introduction/qualified.html
What We Do. (2016). Amethyst Place. Retrieved from
http://www.amethystplace.org/our-program/
Whitman, E. (2015). Healthcare 2015: Why Millennials Avoid Seeing Doctors And What
This Means For Rising Healthcare Costs. International Business Times. Retrieved from
http://www.ibtimes.com/healthcare-2015-why-millennials-avoid-seeing-doctors-what-meansrising-healthcare-2065473
Wright, B., Potter, A., & Trivedi, A. (2015, July). Federally Qualified Health Centers
Among Dual Eligibles: Rates Of Hospitalizations And Emergency Department
Visits. Health Affairs, 34(7). Retrieved from http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/
34/7/1147.full?ijkey=RqafaY78QfAZM&keytype=ref&siteid=healthaff
Icons:
Needle by romzicon
Stethoscope by romzicon from the noun project
Heart by romzicon from the noun project
Clipboard by romzicon from the noun porject
Ambulance by romzicon from the noun project
Pockets man by Nicolas Vincent from the noun project
Brain by Tony Gines from the noun project
Person by Alexander Smith from the noun project
Woman by Lil Squid from the noun project
City by Rmy Mdard from the noun project
Needle by Nicole Portantier from the noun project
Doctor by Nikita Kozin from the noun project
Mobile phone by Edward Boatman from the noun project
Bus by Ilsur Aptukov from the noun project

Stafford, D. (2014). Compared with most U.S. cities, the Kansas City areas growth rate struggles.
Kansas City Star. Retrieved from
http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article7891713.html
Swope Health Paces - Kansas City, KS, 66102. (2016). Freeclinics.com. Retrieved from
http://www.freeclinics.com/det/ks_Swope_Health_Paces#
Swope Health Services. (2016a). History. Retrieved from http://www.swopehealth.org/who-weare/history/
Swope Health Services. (2016b). What We Do. Retrieved from http://www.swopehealth.org/what-wedo/medical/

77

Appendix A
Interview summaries

would prefer to go to a private provider

because they would care more about her
in her opinion.

Name: Marcey Gonzalez

Age: 22
Ethnic/Racial Group: Mexican-American
City of Residence: Tulsa, Okla.

Name: Nora Connelly

Age: 28
Ethnic/Racial Group: White
City of Residence: Tulsa, Okla.

Insured through parents

Single Mom with 4-year-old daughter
Health is very important to Marcey
because of her daughter
She goes to the doctor around 10
times per year minimum because her
daughter gets sick a lot. She rarely
goes for herself
She runs, eats healthy and takes
vitamins daily
A good trip to the doctor is on time
Thinks that private practices are more
personal and they care more since its
their practice
She is still on her parents insurance
and has no problems with it
Staff and customer service is very
important
KC Cares Band-Aid logo is best; it is
visual and creative
Swope logo is boring and looks like a
Yinyang symbol
Marcey works two jobs and is very
busy. Since having her daughter, she has
only been to her primary care physician
or urgent care twice. The most common
doctor she goes to see is her OB/GYN
for birth control measures. She prefers
to keep herself healthy so she does not
have to go to the doctor. She takes many
preventative steps to stay healthy. She
has been to a federally-funded health
facility (Planned Parenthood) before, but
now that she is making more money, she

78

Insured through employer

Paraprofessional and student
Health is very important
Goes to OB/GYN and psychiatrist the
most
Tries to eat healthy and cut out sugars
A good visit is on time and friendly
Thinks there is a difference between
private and federally-funded but
doesnt really know what it is
Technology is very important because
if the technology is outdated, you
dont know if the results are accurate
Insurance causes her lots of problem
Thinks Swope logo looks cheap
Swope logo reminds her of Yinyang
symbol
KC Care logo uses a simple aspect
of health like a Band-Aid to make a
heart.
A band-aid is such a basic health
need. You use it as a kid and you use
it when youre 99. And they made a
basic health need a heart and made it
work for their logo.
Nora recently switched from her
parents insurance to her own through
her employer. However, because her
employer is Catholic, the company does
not cover birth control and has many
other limitations on other medications.
She tends to only go to her needed
healthcare appointments for checkups
and medication refills rather than when

she gets sick. This confirms our secondary

research that our target market expects
to always be healthy. The appearance
and perception of a brand is almost more
important than the actual product or
service itself.
Name: Awien Peter
Age: 27
Ethnic/Racial group: Black
City of Residence: Kansas City, Mo.
Insured through employer
Works in healthcare
Noticed people who are insured get
treated better
Insured people get a full checkup
If uninsured, facilities try to get
patients in and out quickly
If insured, doctors know theyll get paid
If you have insurance, the skys the
limit, versus if I dont have insurance,
its a lets fix you up and send you on
your way.
She feels doctors dont emphasize
preventative care enough and are
quick to prescribe medication
Not enough doctors to treat the
number of patients, which leads to a
lack of connection with patients
Says doctors are quick to jump to
conclusions
As someone who suffers from asthma,
she visits her primary doctor regularly.
Staying on top of annual checkups
including dental is important to her as well.
She wants to emphasize regular checkups
when she has a family, although she is
inclined to only go to the doctor when
sick. Awien has a negative perception
of government-funded hospitals from
her experience in the medical field. She
also doesnt want to go to a place where

patients are shuffled in and out and no

personal connections are made.
Name: Harman Tiwana
Age: 23
Ethnic/Racial group: Asian/Indian
City of residence: Kansas City, Mo.
Graduate student and intern
On parents insurance
Considers
many
aspects
when
deciding on a provider or healthcare
facility
Newer facilities seem to have better
technology and treatments
If the clinic doesnt look modern, I
would feel that the technology they
are using inside is like really old
school; they are not up to date with
their medical procedures.
Considers how the doctor gets paid;
they may have financial interest in
promoting certain medications
I would think of how educated
[providers] are, and in my mind, the
one that cost me the most would be
the best. Although its not true all the
time, I tell myself that.
Hospitals with trash outside the
building that do not have hand
sanitizer are unclean.
Before having insurance, Harman
only went to the hospital when sick, but
now that she is insured she has annual
checkups including dental and eye related.
A healthy lifestyle is also important to
Harman. She doesnt eat fast food, takes
vitamins and tries to exercise regularly.
Healthcare is expensive because there are
still co-payments on top of the monthly
insurance. Harman has a negative
perception
of
government-funded
hospitals. She said that she would only
go to an FQHC if she didnt have enough
money or if she wanted to be cheap with

her health. She also does not think FQHCs

are thorough.
Name: Derek Vetter
Age: 29
Ethnic/Racial group: White
City of Residence: Kansas City, Mo.
Sees doctor regularly for testosterone
deficiency
Doesnt go for regular checkups
often outside of appointments for
testosterone deficiency
Regularly uses fitness center to work
out, eats healthy
Thinks FQHCs are for people without
insurance
Doesnt see an FQHC as for him
because he thinks other people need
that care more than he does
I would most definitely visit one of
these places as long as the people who
needed the care still receive it.
Doesnt think the technology a hospital
uses necessarily has a correlation with
the level of care
Ideal trip to doctor includes next-tono wait time and friendly staff
Has insurance through Healthcare.
gov
Found the process to be confusing
I signed up for my insurance through
the marketplace and had to have my
mom help me. It was confusing and
in the end Im not sure if my plan fits
me the best, but its fitting my needs
so far.
Doesnt see a difference between
FQHC and privately funded healthcare
Doesnt go to a healthcare provider
based on their image, cares more
about friendly staff and speed
Saw Yinyang symbol in logo and
doesnt think it represents a
healthcare center
Derek is one of the few people we

interviewed who sees a specialist for

a chronic condition, a testosterone
deficiency. He found his specialist online
and continued to see her because she is
friendly and doesnt make him wait long
periods of time. He does not regularly see
a general physician for a yearly checkup.
When Derek is sick, he usually either waits
it out, or goes to a minute clinic. He hates
going to the doctor, but realizes when he
needs to go. Derek wishes the process to
find healthcare were simpler. The plan he
has now is working for him, but he seemed
unsure that it was the correct plan for him
regarding price and coverage. Derek was
somewhat unfamiliar with FQHCs and we
had to explain the concept to him.
Name: Jeffrey Allton
Age: 23
Ethnic/Racial group: White
City of Residence: Iowa City, Iowa
Sees doctor regularly (dentist, family
physician, etc.) in Kansas City because
his mom lives here
Has insurance through his mom
Doesnt go for regular check ups; goes
just when hes sick
Would rather use a minute clinic.
Enthusiastically supports FQHCs
Socialized medicine is the best. I love
it.
Would use FQHCs as long as he wasnt
deterring from others and knew it
would help
I dont see one of these centers as
for me because of the potential that
it could take away from someone
else receiving their care, though I
never thought about my money going

Continued...

79

 Thinks that FQHCs probably provide

better service than privately funded
centers
Saw Yinyang symbol in logo and said
it reminds him of a mental health
facility, not a center for everything.
Prefers logos like Saint Lukes because
it conveys itself as a trusted healthcare
provider
I definitely dont see how [SHSs]
logo represents a center that provides
healthcare.
Jeffrey is a young invincible; he only
visits the doctor when he absolutely has
to, and even then it isnt often because
he is young and healthy. He takes some
small steps for preventative health,
but nothing drastic. He fully believes in
federally funded healthcare. At the same
time, Jeffrey thinks these centers arent
for him because there are people that
need them who dont have the means to
see a regular physician. His belief that
FQHCs have better care than normal
hospitals goes against the findings about
perceptions of FQHCs in our secondary
research. He doesnt necessarily choose
a hospital based on branding or the
providers outreach efforts, and would
look online to find a provider.
Name: Sharlene Xu
Age: 22
Ethnic/Racial group: Asian
City of Residence: Kansas City, Mo.
Insured through parents
Puts forth a great deal of effort for
preventative care: diet, exercise,
plenty of sleep and water, etc.
Rarely visits a doctor; she goes roughly
once every two years
Only goes to the doctor if she is feeling
poorly and isnt sure whats wrong,

80

otherwise she believes she takes good

enough care of herself to not warrant
a visit
Values efficiency more than anything
in healthcare treatment
Goes from the check-in, to the
waiting process to actually meeting
with the doctor
Likes quick and decisive answers; this
makes her feel at ease and confident
in the doctors abilities
The doctors or nurses are very
confident when they answer, with
very quick conclusions. Their attitude
makes my attitude a lot more relaxed
Sharlenes low frequency of doctor
visits isnt unusual for young adults. As it
stands now, Sharlene will only go to the
doctor if she feels poorly and isnt sure
whats wrong.
Because she only visits the doctor
when something is wrong, Sharlene
feels very anxious when she is there. She
appreciates warmth and friendliness,
but she wants decisive answers quickly.
Confidence from her healthcare provider
makes her feel more secure in the level of
care she is receiving. The quality of the
facility also influences her attitude.
Sharlene has been with the same
provider in Overland Park for over four
years, and has been going to the same
hospital for almost eight. She continued
to go there even when she was living
in Lawrence. She cited her interactions
and familiarity with the staff as two
big reasons why. The interview result
is consistent with our survey findings.
Thirty-three percent of respondents in
our exit survey cited interactions with
staff as a reason they continue to visit
Swope, and 36 percent said because they
are treated with respect.

Name: Heidi Weis

Age: 42
Ethnic/Racial Group: White
City of Residence: Mission, Kan.
Health plays central role in familys
life, especially after having children
Chooses providers based on proximity
Not familiar with FQHCs before
interview
Had not heard of Swope Health
Services
Wants appointments to be on schedule
Also important for facility to be clean
and organized, and have a friendly
staff
Doesnt want to feel rushed during
appointments; doesnt like it when
doctors act like the only have 10-15
minutes, (even if they do)
Stigma of FQHCs would not discourage
her
If her going as a patient that can
easily pay for services benefits
an organization that helps the
community, she would be interested
Going to FQHC wouldnt make a
difference if quality/convenience are
the same
Attracted to clean lines
Heidi is capable of paying more for
healthcare, and would therefore be within
SHSs target audience. The largest factor
that would deter her from using Swope is
if Swope is not in a convenient location
for her; she chose most of her providers
based on convenient locations. Like many,
she would love to use Swope because
she could then help the community, but
she wouldnt want to take away from
patients who needed affordable care
more than her. Because her time is very
important to her, she doesnt like to wait
long for appointments and is frustrated

if appointments do not run on-time.

Because she has a young family, health is
very important to her.
Name: Michelle Van Doren
Age: 39
Ethnic/Racial group: Black
City of Residence: Mission, Kan.
Grew up in Jamaica; did not see the
doctor often when growing up
Takes her children to the doctor all
the time
Uses minute-clinics like CVS
Has insurance through Healthcare.gov
Now often uses nurseline, can call and
ask for advice--saves money
Preventative care is important
Explains to children the importance
of eating healthy
Gets flu shots, immunizations, etc.
Exercises frequently
Dislikes when doctors arent running
on time
Felt discriminated against last time
went to OB/GYN, was asked to speak
to billing department
Wants hospitals to share information
via technology
Would use FQHC if it doesnt take
away from others and is clean, has
competent staff, etc. Has assumption
it is for poor people
Husband goes to KU Med because of
its good reputation
Chose current hospital because it
is clean, has Wi-Fi, accepted her
insurance and has a new delivery ward
Likes clean logos that stand out

parts of the interview is when Michelle

said that she felt discriminated against
at her OB/GYNs office because of her
appearance. This is an example of a
real problem in certain areas of the
healthcare industry. Swope has the
opportunity to set itself apart with its
values of respecting all patients.

Michelles perspective as someone

who now can easily afford healthcare but
understands what it is like to not have
access to healthcare could be helpful
to Swope. One of the most interesting

81

Appendix B
Style guide; news release
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2016

For More Information:

[Insert name of preferred contact]
[insert number]
[insert email]

Empowering Kansas City: A new identity for Swope Health Services

KANSAS CITY, Mo.Swope Health Services, a nonprofit network of federally qualified
health centers across the Kansas City area, is changing its name to EMPRIA Health. The new
name will be effective Aug. 1, 2016 and is the first step being taken to reposition Swope
Health Services.

[Insert quote from an EMPRIA Health representative about the new identity.]

EMPRIA is derived from the word empower, meaning to make someone stronger and
more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.

The name change will be accompanied by a new logo and slogan: Your life, empowered.
The website, www.empriahealth.org, will also be redesigned to reflect the organizations
new identity and make it easy to find information and make appointments online.

On Saturday, June 30, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., EMPRIA Health will host an open house to
celebrate associates and reveal the organizations new identity at its Central location: 3801
Blue Parkway, Kansas City, Missouri. This event is free and open to the public.

The organizations current identity no longer reflects its friendly, high-quality care that all
members of the Kansas City community can utilize regardless of socioeconomic status.

Since 1969, Swope Health Services has served the Kansas City community since it began in
the basement of the Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church. As EMPRIA Health, it
reaffirms its commitment to patients that it is determined to lift up all members of the
Kansas City community by providing quality healthcare.

EMPRIA Health offers medical, optical, dental, pediatric and behavioral health services. It
also has a team of Certified Application Counselors to assist with enrolling in health
insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Though hours of operation among clinics vary,
the Central location is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and has a
walk-in clinic from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

EMPRIA Health has clinics in the following locations: Kansas City, Missouri; Belton,
Missouri; Riverside, Missouri; Independence, Missouri; and Kansas City, Kansas.

###

82

Appendix C
Full website design
Heres an example of how the front
page of EMPRIA Healths website,
www.empriahealth.org,
could
look.
Notice that patients can easily find where
to make appointments, watch video
content, read patient stories, find what
services are provided and more.
Make website content inviting, engaging
and simple. Millennials use technology
more than any other generation, so
its important that our clients website
makes a good impression.

83

Appendix D
Video guide
Ascent Creative Marketing suggests
that promotional videos convey a sense of
pride in Kansas City. We have developed
a script based on this concept that your
organization could use to promote its
new identity. For this video, we suggest
shots at iconic Kansas City locations such
as Kauffman or Arrowhead Stadium,
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Country
Club Plaza and more.

EMPRIAHealth
AscentCreativeMarketing
BeKCStrongAugust1,2016

Music:Upbeatinstrumentalwithno
MUSIC(insertmusictitlehere)
vocalsshouldbeplayinginthe

(ESTABLISH,THENUNDER)

background.Themusicshouldbuild

(ANNOUNCER1)

towardstheend

KansasCity.

Itsourhome,unlikeanyother

RT:30Lengthofscript(RTisthe
abbreviationforrunningtime

84

Wehaveourownidentity,ourownstyle,
ourownwayoflife.

Wearewinners,wearedoers,were
innovatorsanddreamers.

Wearestrong.

KansasCityisgrowingandchanging,and
soarewe.

SwopeHealthServices,wovenintothe
fabricofthiscommunity,isnowEMPRIA
Health.

Samecare,samecommunity,different
name.

BeKCstrong.

85