The Role of Smart Technologies in French Hospitals’ Branding Strategies

Hospitals resort to different initiatives to build their brands, including media relations, events, and marketing campaigns. However, they face several challenges related to legal frameworks, patients’ new demands, and hospitals’ digital transformation. This paper analyzes how the best hospitals in France manage smart technologies to enhance their relationships with stakeholders and reinforce their brands. We resorted to the World’s Best Hospitals 2023 to identify the 150 best hospitals in this country. Then, we defined 34 branding indicators to evaluate how each hospital managed smart technologies for branding purposes. We adapted these criteria to different platforms and targets: homepage (patients), online newsroom (media companies), About Us section (suppliers, shareholders, and public authorities), and artificial intelligence department (employees). When analyzing these criteria, we resorted to a binary system and only considered hospitals’ official websites. Our results proved that 98% of hospitals had a website, but not all respected the criteria related to the homepage (4.54 of 11), online newsroom (2.52 of 11), or About Us section (1.56 of 6). The best hospitals in France, according to the number of criteria respected, were Institut Curie-Oncology (20), Institut Gustave Roussy–Oncology (19), and Hôpital Paris Saint-Joseph (19). We concluded that French hospitals should implement collective branding processes that include all stakeholders, not just patients: media companies, public authorities, suppliers, shareholders, and employees. Moreover, these organizations should implement an in-house artificial intelligence department that leads a digital transformation from a medical, branding, and communication perspective. Finally, French hospitals’ branding efforts on smart platforms should focus more on content about the brand so that stakeholders understand the uniqueness of these organizations

Online reputation management by cancer hospitals: A systematic literature review in the USA and Spain

Cancer hospitals manage social media platforms in a professional way to improve their relationships with internal and external stakeholders and reinforce their corporate brand. To do so, they need their health professionals to be involved: these professionals become brand ambassadors able to influence society. Nevertheless, they face different challenges: legal issues, new patients’ demands, privacy-related matters, or the difficulty of disseminating scientific content. This literature review paper analyzes how cancer hospitals manage their social media platforms to improve their reputation. To do this, we carry out a systematic literature review focused on papers published in the USA and Spain, based on the Salsa framework proposed by Grant and Booth (2009). We then define an online corporate communication model allowing cancer hospitals to improve their reputation through Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube (MedPac Model for Building Cancer Hospital Brands). The paper concludes that this model is useful for cancer hospitals because it prioritizes persons (brand ambassadors) rather than companies, focuses on scientific and emotional content rather than business information, and is based on human values.This paper is a result of the “Interactive storytelling and digital visibility in the digital documentary and structured journalism” research project funded by Feder and the Spanish Ministry of Sciences, Innovation, and Universities (RTI2018-095714-B-C21)

El impacto de las redes sociales en las iniciativas de marca de los hospitales: análisis sobre los mejores hospitales del mundo

Hospitals face a constantly changing context that leads them to accelerate their digital transformation: cyberhealth, new business models, global competition, etc. In this framework, social media platforms have become a useful tool for transforming hospitals and enhancing their public image. Objectives: This paper aims to analyze how the world’s best hospitals manage social media platforms to disseminate brand related content and this way reinforce their reputation. Methodology: To do that, we carried out a literature review about health communication, social media and brands; then, we analyzed how the world’s 100 best hospitals managed their social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube) as well as their own corporate websites for promoting their brand; and finally, we proposed different managerial implications. Results: Most hospitals resort to their corporate websites (76%) and corporate profiles on Facebook (78%), Twitter (73%) and Youtube (78%) for branding initiatives. Conclusions: Hospitals should prioritize a corporate communication approach, focus on useful content for each stakeholder, and promote learning sessions for helping employees become brand ambassadors.Los hospitales hacen frente a un contexto cambiante que les obliga a acelerar su transformación digital: cibersalud, nuevos modelos de negocio, competencia global, etc. En este contexto, las redes sociales se han convertido en una herramienta útil para transformar dichos hospitales y mejorar su imagen pública. Objetivo: Este artículo tiene como objetivo analizar cómo los mejores hospitales del mundo gestionan las redes sociales para difundir contenido relacionado con la marca y de este modo reforzar su reputación. Metodología: Para ello, realizamos una revisión bibliográfica sobre comunicación en salud, redes sociales y marcas; posteriormente, analizamos cómo los 100 mejores hospitales del mundo gestionan sus redes sociales (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube), así como sus propios sitios web corporativos para promover su marca; y finalmente, proponemos diferentes implicaciones de gestión. Resultados: La mayor parte de los hospitales recurren a su página web (76%) y sus perfiles corporativos en Facebook (78%), Twitter (73%) y Youtube (78%) para promocionar su marca. Conclusiones: Los hospitales deben priorizar un enfoque de comunicación corporativa, centrarse en contenido útil para cada stakeholder y promover sesiones de formación para ayudar a los empleados a convertirse en embajadores de marca

The Effectiveness of Comparative Standards in Health Promotion in OECD Countries

The application of the standard is its degree of achievement in Health Promotion, which makes it possible to retain the effectiveness of the application of the law. Effectiveness then refers to what prevails in practice and whose indisputable existence justifies its recognition in law. The receptivity of a rule of law through action and awareness-raising measures undertaken by entities in charge of health promotion in OECD countries is a realistic approach to the law. Public awareness, in terms of Health Promotion, is therefore the tool for regulating effectiveness or non-effectiveness, its power to guide the behaviour of subjects goes as far as the creation of the law

La gestión de la reputación online en las asociaciones españolas de enfermos de cáncer: una propuesta de modelo

Cancer patients’ associations have become valid public health players because they help patients to face this disease from physical, emotional and social perspectives. Some of these associations resort to social media platforms not only to improve their relationships with patients, but also to promote their own brand. This paper seeks to understand how Spanish cancer patients’ associations manage their social media platforms to promote their brand. To do that, we conducted a literature review about health communication; we considered 48 indicators to analyze how 107 associations belonging to the Spanish Group of Cancer Patients (Gepac) managed Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and their corporate website for branding initiatives; and we proposed a communication model for branding cancer patients’ associations on these platforms (MedPac Model). We concluded that Spanish cancer patients’ associations prioritize medical information but not brand-related elements, they lack the economic and human resources to produce a quality content, and they have not yet implemented a true corporate communication approach.Las asociaciones de enfermos de cáncer se han convertido en un verdadero actor de salud pública ya que ayudan a los pacientes a afrontar esta enfermedad desde un punto de vista físico, emocional y social. Algunas de estas asociaciones recurren a las redes sociales para mejorar sus relaciones con los pacientes, así como para promocionar su propia marca. Este artículo tiene como objetivo comprender cómo las asociaciones españolas de pacientes con cáncer gestionan sus redes sociales para promover su marca. Para ello, realizamos una revisión de literatura sobre comunicación en salud; recurrimos a 48 indicadores para analizar cómo las 107 asociaciones pertenecientes al Grupo Español de Enfermos de Cáncer (Gepac) gestionaban Facebook, Twitter, Youtube y su web corporativa para promocionar su marca; y finalmente proponemos un modelo de comunicación para ayudar a dichas asociaciones a promocionar su marca en las redes sociales (Modelo MedPac). Concluimos que las asociaciones españolas de enfermos de cáncer priorizan la información médica pero no la arquitectura de marca, carecen de los recursos económicos y humanos necesarios para producir contenidos de calidad, y no implementan un verdadero enfoque de comunicación corporativa

Digital Reputation Management in American Cancer Hospitals: A Proposed Model

Cancer patients face complicated situations from an emotional, social and physical perspective. Hospitals help them through implementing corporate communication initiatives based on social media platforms. This win-win relationship allows hospitals to reinforce their brand reputation. This paper aims to better understand how cancer hospitals manage social media platforms for enhancing their brand as well as their relationships with stakeholders. To do that, we carried out a literature review about corporate communication in health organizations, as well as a content analysis about how the top 100 American cancer hospitals managed their corporate website as well as their corporate profile on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for branding initiatives. Finally, we proposed the Reb Model for Branding Cancer Hospitals. We concluded that thanks to social media, cancer hospitals can reinforce their brand because these platforms allow them to promote human values, improve their internal processes and become a true source of scientific information

Promoting Health Brands through Social Media. A Quantitative Analysis about the World’s Best Cancer Hospitals

Cancer hospitals enforce different initiatives to accelerate digital transformation, such as mobile health or artificial intelligence. Nevertheless, some health professionals are not willing to adopt these technologies. In order to change some employees’ perspectives, these hospitals resort to social media platforms. This paper aims to evaluate how the worlds’ best cancer hospitals manage social media platforms, as well as their corporate website, with the aim of disseminating brand-related content and reinforce their reputation. Therefore, we reviewed literature on cancer hospitals’ corporate communication strategies, brand, social media platforms and online patient communities. We then resorted to 48 quantitative indicators to analyze how the 200 best cancer hospitals in the world managed Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, as well as their corporate website, for branding purposes. In order to identify the 200 best hospitals, we explored the World’s Best Specialized Hospitals 2021, an annual ranking published by Newsweek and Statista. The 48 indicators covered different elements concerning the hospitals’ identity and communication activities, as well as patient engagement on social media platforms. Our quantitative analysis proved that most cancer hospitals had a corporate website (70.5%) as well as a profile on Facebook (74%), Twitter (74.5%) and YouTube (67.5%). Nevertheless, most of them did not respect the 48 key performance indicators. Finally, we proposed three main conclusions: a) cancer hospitals should establish a Corporate Communication Department employing different experts in communication, health and big data; b) they should promote an integrated corporate communication approach; and c) they should implement brand ambassador programmes

La promoción de la reputación de marca hospitalaria a través de las mobile apps. Un análisis cuantitativo sobre los mejores hospitales de España

This paper aims to evaluate how hospitals manage mobile applications to reinforce their relations with patients and promote their brands. To do that, we conducted a literature review about hospitals’ corporate communication, their branding initiatives, and their use of mobile apps for this purpose; then, we defined 36 indicators to quantitively analyze how the 150 best hospitals in Spain managed mobile apps to promote their brands: online integration, global app for patients, mobile apps for other targets, and mobile apps for patients facing non communicable diseases. We concluded that hospitals should follow a public health and branding logic to develop mobile apps that contribute to establish a new communication paradigm among these organizations and their patients.Este artículo evalúa cómo los hospitales gestionan las aplicaciones móviles para reforzar sus relaciones con el paciente y así promover sus marcas. Para ello, realizamos una revisión de literatura sobre la comunicación corporativa de estas organizaciones, sus iniciativas de marca y sus uso de las aplicaciones móviles en esta área; posteriormente, definimos 36 indicadores para analizar de un modo cuantitativo cómo los 150 mejores hospitales de España utilizan las aplicaciones móviles para promocionar sus marcas: integración online, app general para pacientes, apps para otros públicos, y apps para pacientes que sufren enfermedades no transmisibles. Concluimos que los hospitales deberían seguir una lógica de salud pública y de marca para desarrollar aplicaciones móviles que contribuyan a implementar un nuevo paradigma comunicativo entre dichas organizaciones y sus pacientes

Promoting Health Education through Mobile Apps: A Quantitative Analysis of American Hospitals

Using mobile apps as a corporate communication tool helps hospitals to improve their health education initiatives. This paper aims to analyze how these organizations can use mobile apps to implement health education initiatives addressed to patients. To achieve this, we conducted a literature review (health education, mobile apps, role of doctors and patients), and we resorted to using 38 quantitative indicators to evaluate how the 100 best hospitals in the United States manage mobile apps for implementing health education initiatives addressed to patients. Our results prove that 95% of hospitals displayed general mobile apps for patients, but just some of these organizations proposed mobile apps for patients suffering from non-communicable diseases, including: heart diseases (9.47%), cancer (7.37%), chronic respiratory diseases (3.26%), and diabetes (3.16%). We concluded that hospitals should create a department specializing in designing mobile apps that are adapted to patients’ medical and social needs, and that are also consistent with public health priorities

Promoting Hospitals’ Reputation through Smart Branding Initiatives. A Quantitative Analysis of the Best Hospitals in the United States

Hospitals use different technological tools to implement corporate communication initiatives and, in this way, improve their relationships with stakeholders (employees, patients, media companies) and build a reputed brand. However, they face different barriers: limited budgets for corporate communication, strict legal frameworks, and stakeholders’ new needs regarding information and emotional support. This paper aims to analyze how the 100 best hospitals in the United States manage smart technologies to promote their brand. To do that, we conducted a literature review about smart hospitals, branding, and corporate communication; and then we defined 34 quantitative indicators to evaluate how the hospitals previously mentioned managed their websites, online newsrooms, about us sections, and artificial intelligence department web sites for reputation purposes. Our results proved that most hospitals respected indicators related to the homepage (8.67/11) but not those referring to online newsrooms (4.44/11) or about us sections (2.66/6). Besides, only 23 hospitals had implemented a department specialized in artificial intelligence that collaborated with external organizations. We concluded that most American hospitals focused their reputation efforts on patients rather than other targets (media companies, employees, suppliers, shareholders); and that these organizations did not integrate enough artificial intelligence projects into their smart branding initiatives