Washtenaw County Medical Society
Washtenaw County Medical Society (WCMS) engaged Keystone Media to develop an overall business strategy, website design and development.
The Background
WCMS was established in 1827. By 2014, the WCMS was in a completely different world and WCMS needed to change to be more effective. The healthcare industry was in the throes of merger mania, fast paced rising healthcare costs, and regulatory upheaval.
Independent doctors’ offices were losing ground and the needs of members were changing as a result. Membership numbers were slumping. In addition to this broader focus issue, the office phone was ringing at a rate of 3-6 times daily, with local residents looking for doctor referrals. WCMS hired a new Executive Director to bring in a new focus. Belinda hired us to “fix it”!
The Strategy
Through marketing surveys and research the team determined that WCMS members had little free time. With what little time they did have, they wanted to be involved in connecting with the community and impacting healthcare laws in the state Michigan.
Through our research we determined the WCMS is the most likely go-to resource for all things health related for Washtenaw County citizens. Armed with this knowledge, the leadership at WCMS was infused with new energy and a new programming focus effort was born, based on new knowledge about the community’s doctors’ interests. These new programs are drawing record numbers of attendees.
With the knowledge gleaned from our research, Keystone had the information required to create a new WCMS website with the right focus. Keystone Media also designed and programmed an online Physician directory to reduce call volume.
Impact
The new site made it easy for everyone to find events and keep current on all things health related in Washtenaw County. While the site just launched in July 2015, physician referral phone calls into the office have dropped to ZERO! The last event sponsored by WCMS saw double their previous typical attendance. And for the first time in at least a decade, WCMS membership is climbing!
It’s all good news at Washtenaw County Medical Society, thanks to their new website.
