When two healthcare systems join forces, the opportunity extends far beyond the boardroom. The true potential of a merger lies in its ability to transform patient care, creating a stronger, more unified healthcare experience for the communities these institutions serve
A large part of that journey is branding. When implemented strategically, it can also provide new opportunities to create meaningful connections between patients and the public. But succeeding with a healthcare rebrand requires more than just good intentions. Ryan Younger, VP of Marketing at Virtua Health, a health system serving South New Jersey, has seen firsthand how the timing and execution of a healthcare rebrand can determine its success. He emphasizes that the key is ensuring Marketing gets a seat at the table as early as possible.
Watch the full interview with Ryan Younger for more lessons learned from his experience guiding healthcare transformations.
The critical timing of Marketing involvement in healthcare M&As
“Normally what we see, particularly in healthcare, is that a deal happens followed by all the corporate due diligence. Much of the organizational structure and office integration is set up and brought up to speed. Once that’s all settled, people start communicating with marketing and saying, ‘You know what? We need to start figuring out the brand side of things.’”
Merging organizational and office logistics is important, but a merger is much more than the sum of its parts. Healthcare systems can miss big opportunities if Marketing doesn’t have a seat at the table from the onset. Specifically, opportunities to drive internal efficiencies and to ensure every decision reinforces a patient-centric brand story that builds positive momentum.
“When Marketing is brought into the picture after the fact, it creates an environment of ‘hurry up and get it done,’ rather than giving marketing and brand teams the time they need to plan out meaningful brand stories and optimize the newly merged brand,” Ryan said.
The benefits of bringing Marketing on early
When Marketing is involved early in the process, strategy discussions can form around the patient journey and the impact on business practices at every step. Marketing departments can also help the two merging teams understand how the legacy cultures and values will fit into a new unified entity.
Marketing can also ensure that everyone involved understands the new brand strategy. By mapping out every facet of the merger, and relating it through the lens of patient care, employees can align on the new organization’s public messaging and brand truth.
At the end of the day, a patient’s focus when interacting with a healthcare provider is receiving the best possible care. By shaping the narrative from day one, Marketing ensures that every patient touchpoint—from updated signage to staff communications—tells a cohesive story that emphasizes improved care and enhanced services.
Working with a brand implementation partner
Where things can get challenging, even when Marketing is brought on early, is in putting all the pieces of a rebrand together. The process of rebranding a healthcare system following a merger is complex with an incredible number of moving parts. It isn’t uncommon in large systems for brand inventories to include thousands of items that must transition to the new brand.
The lift is immense when a list of items to be rebranded might include tens of thousands of digital ID cards, invoices, uniforms, file folders, ambulances, service vehicles, and emergency helicopters. Further complicating the situation is the fact that implementation needs to take place without disrupting the patient experience or preventing the hospital from continuing operations.
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What’s more, anyone who works in a healthcare setting knows that no matter which department they’re in, staff face constant time pressures. For all these reasons, Ryan believes working with a brand implementation partner like BrandActive is an essential component of an effective rebrand.
“The creative agencies Virtua worked with were helpful in designing what the visual framework would look like, what the experience would be, and what the strategy would be. But their focus is not on operationalizing it,” Ryan said. “I think what sticks out when working with BrandActive is in the creation of value for my team, in understanding the investment that would be required and how that could be spread out over time.”
Embrace change
Overall, Ryan emphasizes that once a merger or acquisition is announced, executives need to consider branding as a key piece of the puzzle and embrace change as a positive. By working closely with brand and implementation teams, organizations can better overcome the multitude of complexities associated with a rebrand.
While change will always be difficult for some people within an organization, and change fatigue is always a risk, engaging stakeholders early can drive positive momentum and set a tone of optimism organization-wide.
“A rebrand is an exciting time to create something new, to create a new culture and set the tone with some new values. It’s an exciting time,” Ryan said.
Building a meaningful brand identity and rolling it out following a merger or acquisition in the world of healthcare is a large undertaking. But, with the right team in place the results can be meaningful for the newly merged healthcare system and patients alike. Watch back the full conversation with Ryan Younger for more insights from Virtua Health’s successful rebrand.
