This document summarizes a mid-year presentation reviewing efforts to improve the market position for middle- and high-income residents in the South End neighborhood. Key findings include competitors like other community health centers and hospitals, as well as customer segmentation groups. Three pilot options are proposed: physician-led health sessions at the center, leveraging gateway dental and eye services, and partnerships with local businesses and groups. Longer-term recommendations include reducing wait times, streamlining private insurance, and changing urgent care hours.

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Mid Year Presentation
February 23, 2016
Nina Jain
Ritika Tawani

2. Agenda
Overview
• Objective
• Findings to date
Recommendations
• Pilot Selection
• Longer-Term Operational Recommendations
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Objective

3. Objective of the project
• Evaluate and improve our market position for middle- and high-
income residents of the South End neighborhood. This includes:
• an analysis of competitors and substitutes,
• development of customer segmentation, and
• proposing recommendations to change our marketing and operations to
better appeal to these residents.
• This will assist in:
• Improving our reputation throughout the community
• Increasing patient visits
• Increasing revenue
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4. Agenda
Overview
• Objective
• Findings to date
Recommendations
• Pilot Selection
• Longer-Term Operational Recommendations
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Findings to date

5. Findings to date
Competitors:
● Other community health centers (Whittier, Fenway South End)
● Harvard Vanguard (Dartmouth Street)
● Boston Medical Center ambulatory care
Substitutes:
Customer Segmentation:
● Newcomers to the city
● New parents
● Employees of local businesses
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6. Findings to date: providers
Customer value proposition:
● Small, personable and bilingually friendly in a prime location
● Lower wait times than academic medical centers
Services not geared to high income patients:
● Longer wait times to see a provider, longer wait times at the Center due to
no-show rate; Lower procedure times allocated (eg: Dental)
● Cumbersome private insurance reimbursement process
● Registration requirement for gateway services
● Low awareness and the word “community” in name; Lower level of
customer service
● Insufficient # of providers and inaccurate provider perception
● Unavailability of certain physical infrastructure (eg WiFi, TV)
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7. Findings to date: community members
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● SECHC Perception - Low awareness and perception of lower quality
geared towards low income / hispanic populations (word “community”)
● For their kids, people want the best quality possible, thus, perception of
superior quality is extremely important in pediatrics
● Most people choose their PCP based on recommendations, proximity to
work / home and are averse to changing it
● When choosing urgent care, proximity and longer hours are important
● Health center has longer appointment wait times (~2 weeks) compared to
other clinics / hospitals (~2 days)
● Lot of people rely on word of mouth / recommendations for health care
● Eye care / dental care could be good gateway services to introduce people
to the health center - People more open to experimentation

8. Agenda
Overview
• Objective
• Findings to date
Recommendations
• Pilot Selection
• Longer-Term Operational Recommendations
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Pilot Selection

9. Pilot Option 1: Physician-led Sessions
Pain point: Community members may be unaware of the Center and the
services it offers. Potential customers may incorrectly perceive that the Center
offers lower quality care as compared to local alternatives.
Solution: Hold monthly physician-led sessions at the Center on health-related
topics of interest.
● Increase awareness of the Center through advertising these sessions.
• In local businesses.
• Via social/local media.
• Through board members.
● Showcase physician talent.
● Demonstrate the quality of the Center’s facilities.
● Potential topics: Wellness for New Moms, Seasonal Affective Disorder
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10. Pilot Option 2: Leverage Gateway Services
Pain point: Dental and Eye Care services are not currently utilized as recruiting
tools for primary care patients.
Solution: Leverage gateway services to increase the number of middle/high
income patients using the Center for primary care.
● Simplify registration process for these gateway services. Eliminate
required registration to the Center if possible.
● Advertise primary care services in Dental and Eye Care waiting rooms.
● Facilitate connection with Insurance Coordinators if patient is interested.
● Giveaways (e.g. pediatric thermometers) as enticements to sign up for a
PCP at the Center.
● Follow-up with advertising materials accompanying patient satisfaction
survey.
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11. Pilot Option 3: Partnerships
Pain Point: Low awareness of the community health center among south end
residents
Solution: Partnerships with smaller business and communities in the South
End to spread awareness and provide incentives to people to check out the
health center (giving out branded thermometers for eg)
• SMB Businesses - Restaurants
• Professional Schools - BU Dental
• Classes for Kids / Groups for Working Moms - Little Lovage, Little
Groove, Garden Moms
• Mom Blogs - http://boston.citymomsblog.com,
http://mommypoppins.com/kids/13-boston-parent-blogs-we-loved-in-2013
• Buildings - Immunizations for the residents
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12. Agenda
Overview
• Objective
• Findings to date
Recommendations
• Pilot Selection
• Longer-Term Operational Recommendations
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Longer-Term Operational Recommendations

13. Longer-Term Operational Recommendations
● Building relationships with the Center
• Office staff
• Christmas cards
● Additional hires to reduce appointment wait times
• Nurse practitioners
• Certified diabetes educator
● Streamline private insurance procedures
● Ensure minimal doctor churn (it is expensive!)
● Smooth transition for patients when a doctor leaves
● Reduce no-show rate
• Care message
• Virtual physician”1
● Change urgent care hours
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1. Izard 2005