Diabetes for Life Campaign
Integrated Communications / Consumer Services / Category 15B

Submitted by Washington Hospital Center

In the spring of 2001, Washington Hospital Center (WHC), the 12th largest hospital in the U.S., located in the nation's capital, launched the Diabetes for Life campaign in response to the overwhelming healthcare needs of Washington metropolitan area residents. Diabetes is a nationwide epidemic and the link between heart disease and diabetes is also a major public health issue. This was of special interest to WHC, which offers a nationally recognized heart program and was well-positioned to accept more cardiac referrals, particularly such complex cases involving diabetes. The communications challenge was this: How to create a simple, but compelling public health / marketing campaign "hook" that would provide valuable information, generate consumer response and at the same time support the hospital's goal of expanding referrals to its heart program.

Hospital physicians gave us the answer. People with diabetes can significantly lower their risk of such life-threatening complications as heart disease by managing the "ABCs of Diabetes Care" - A1C, Blood Pressure and Cholesterol, yet most patients didn't know it. Here was a simple, and vital, public health message on which to build a campaign! After considerable research, WHC launched an integrated communications initiative called Diabetes for Life to accomplish two major goals: (1) to position the hospital as a leader on this increasingly critical health issue, and (2) to expand its position as a referral center for diabetes patients with difficult-to-manage heart disease and other serious complications.

Over its three-year lifespan, the campaign, in partnership with the local NBC station and a corporate co-sponsor, reached 5 million people with a significant public health message, helped increase diabetes admissions to the hospital by 30%, generated a 12% increase in diabetes revenue, and in its final year, was instrumental in launching a unique, free diabetes education program with the DC Public Library System, which was funded entirely by contributions and grants and is now serving as a national model.

Prior to launching the campaign, PR and Marketing Department planners:

Interviewed 20 physicians and diabetes educators to collect data and fine-tune messages.

Collected data on the incidence of diabetes among area residents through the city's Diabetes Control Center.

Collected and analyzed financial, strategic planning, and medical coding data to determine the impact and scope of the disease within the hospital's patient population, particularly its correlation to heart disease.

Conducted a market assessment survey in which 10.5% of respondents identified diabetes as one of the hospital's clinical strengths, much higher than any other area hospital, but with significant room for growth.

Conducted a consumer literature search, finding almost no articles on the basic ABCs of diabetes care, particularly the vital A1C test, sometimes called such complex names as "glycosolated hemoglobin."

Commissioned a national survey of 203 primary care physicians (PCPs) to assess their understanding of basic diabetes management. The results were astounding: 90% of the country's PCPs could not correctly name the top three tests that a person with diabetes should have regularly (the "ABC" tests), and they listed 29 different names when referring to the vital "A1C." These results became our news angle.

Audiences:

Primary Audiences: Men and women age 45+ with diabetes; internists, cardiologists, other specialists. Secondary Audiences: Civic, political, business leaders; employees; and associations and grant-making organizations - all in the Washington and mid-Atlantic areas. Goals:

To position WHC as a regional and national leader on this important public health issue.

To leverage this leadership position to increase the number of people who utilize the hospital for diabetes care, as well as for the serious complications associated with this disease, particularly heart disease.

To generate co-sponsorship dollars to support the campaign and improve patients' self-care.

Strategies:

First, to ensure buy-in throughout the organization, an Advisory Committee of doctors was established to provide planning guidance and support throughout the initiative.

Next, an existing advertising partnership was expanded with NBC4, the local NBC owned-and-operated station, which offers the area's top-rated TV news programs and has a major commitment to health. Through negotiations, WHC secured the following comprehensive public education and advocacy package with an advertising budget of $200,000 per year over three years:

3 station-produced, "public-service-style" ads per year to promote WHC's Diabetes for Life kit, plus station-produced "PSAs" to promote the diabetes seminars. While public service in style, they received paid air time.

WHC sponsorship of the station's annual Health Expo, which draws 65,000 people to the Convention Center. Sponsors are recognized on TV promotions of the Expo, and during the 3-year campaign, WHC's Expo-related promotions focused heavily on diabetes.

In addition to the hospital's main sponsor's booth, NBC4 provided space and equipment for the establishment of a first-ever Diabetes Corner at the Expo for screenings, A1C testing and education.

A Diabetes for Life link on the station's web site that incorporated hospital-written content.

In addition, the campaign was implemented for 3 years for a total of $225,000, including the fees of a part-time campaign director. But corporate co-sponsorship totaling $165,000 helped to offset some of these direct costs and to increase the TV air time.

1) A colorful and dramatic logo was created and a unique Diabetes for Life kit was developed to serve as the TV call-to-action collateral item.

2) All callers were directed to WHC's Physician Referral Line, whose staff codes and enters the information into a data base. These callers can then be tracked to generate hospital utilization and revenue results.

3) The campaign was launched with a press briefing at the National Press Club to announce the results of the physician survey, and simultaneously, the ads began airing on NBC4 promoting the kit.

4) Four, full-day diabetes seminars were held, attended by standing-room-only crowds, sometimes exceeding 350 people, and smaller sessions were offered throughout the region at such locations as the Jewish Community Center and the headquarters of Black Entertainment Television.

5) An important financial and promotional partnership with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield expanded the campaign's reach. CareFirst reprinted campaign materials to distribute to thousands of their members, wrote articles for their publications and helped support the Diabetes Corner at the Expo.

6) WHC included diabetes topics in existing hospital publications; sponsored Continuing Medical Education programs for physicians; featured the Diabetes Team on TV and radio, in print and on the web; and expanded the campaign's reach through its sister hospitals in the MedStar Health system.

7) The campaign culminated with the launch of a unique program with the DC Public Library called the Diabetes for Life Learning Center, which offers area residents free diabetes classes and is now serving as a national model for hospital/library partnerships. The program is fully funded by grants and contributions. The Honorary Chairperson of the launch was NBA All-Star Jerry Stackhouse, founder of a diabetes foundation. Keynote speakers were former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a long-time diabetes education advocate, Rep. George Nethercutt, co-chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus and Dr. Michael Richardson, deputy director of the D.C. Department of Health.

More than 11,000 individual consumers called the hotline to request the Diabetes Kit; more than 1,600 people attended the seminars; 300 people have taken the 2-day classes at the DC Public Library; 400 physicians attended continuing education programs; nearly 4,000 people were screened at the Expos; over 26,000 people viewed the diabetes page on NBC4's website in 2003 alone; and more than 100,000 people viewed the diabetes page on the Hospital Center web site over the course of the campaign.

The hospital saw a 30% increase in the number of diabetes patients admitted over the past three years, and these patients generated $257 million in revenue, a 12% increase over three years.

Total revenue generated by those calling for a kit or registering for a seminar: nearly $8 million.

A 2003 market assessment survey showed that 13.9% of respondents listed diabetes as a WHC strength, up from 10.5% three years earlier. The next closest hospital was recognized by just 3.4% of respondents.

WHC received $165,000 from corporate sponsors to support the campaign and increase TV air-time.

The Diabetes for Life Learning Center received $100,000 in grants and contributions.

The campaign generated tens of millions of media impressions in such outlets at CNN, The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, WebMD, Diabetes Forecast, AHA News, EPress, BET and Reuters.