Attached is a press release from a client, Emory Johns Creek Hospital (EJCH), who just won the E-HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP AWARD.  

We at Town Planner Calendar are both proud and honored to have been chosen to develop this project with Emory Johns Creek Hospital.  I appreciate EJCH’s leap of faith in choosing our agency to help them in launching their first social media site.  We at Town Planner Calendar are very passionate about Social Media and its limitless roles in procuring tangible results for our clients.

Congratulations Emory Johns Creek Hospital!!!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                          Media Contact: Johnel Reid                                November 18, 2008

EMORY JOHNS CREEK HOSPITAL WINS E-HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR VIDEO BLOG

JOHNS CREEK, GA – Emory Johns Creek Hospital was recognized for its outstanding website at a special presentation in Orlando on November 11 during the Twelfth Annual Healthcare Internet Conference.  The EJCH blog and video blog sites earned the Award of Distinction, the number one award among hospitals of 200 beds or less, in the category of Best Web 2.0/Rich Media category.  “It is an honor to be recognized for our considerable efforts this past year,” said Johnel Reid, Director of Marketing for the hospital.  “What began as an experiment for us, has gained momentum and produced significant results,” she added.

Emory Johns Creek Hospital’s site was chosen from among 1,100 entries by a panel of 114 judges familiar with healthcare and the Internet. “A growing number of healthcare organizations are clearly embracing the Web and emerging technologies,” says Mark Gothberg, eHealthcare Leadership Awards chairman.  Gothberg notes that many organizations have invested in new sites or made significant improvements in their existing sites.  “Such rich media forms as video, audio, blogs, and discussion groups are changing the landscape of Web sites,” he says. 

The hospital launched its blog and video health library with the help and video production of Scott Dunn, of SONARconnects.  “We know that people are changing the way they receive their news and information and we know the Internet plays a significant role,” said Reid.  The team videotaped interviews with their medical staff about a variety of health related issues and then posted the videos to the Internet.  “In less than four months, the 150 videos we have posted have received more than 11,000 views,” Reid said. 

“Our audience can expect to see our blog continue to evolve,” said Reid.  “We are finding ways to become more interactive and build relationships with our patients and the community.  Healthcare marketing, at its core, is about relationships — building trust among physicians, hospitals and patients,” she said.   “Traditionally, healthcare marketing has been fairly conservative.  We are fortunate to have leadership that embraces this experiment ,” Reid added.  “We have exciting plans for 2009 that will include improving the quality, server response and using more social media elements.”

“It’s rewarding to work with clients to help them find ways to reach their markets in new ways.  The Internet is changing how people get their news, their information, even their entertainment.  It is changing how people connect with each other and with the companies they choose to do business with,” said Dunn.  “In the case of Emory Johns Creek, we found a way for doctors to reach their target audiences in a very personal, non-traditional way.  It’s a win-win situation for everyone – the doctors get the value of knowing their messages are being heard, the audience gets the information they were looking for, and the hospital builds relationships with the communities they serve.

Emory Johns Creek Hospital is known for its state-of-the-art technology in a luxurious, hotel-like setting.  Services include advanced orthopaedic surgery, joint replacement, spine surgery, 24/7 emergency care, state-of-the-art all digital imaging including a 64 slice CT,  The Birth Place with Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, 24-hour anesthesiologists, intensive care, advanced cardiac care, rehabilitation services and women’s services.  Emory Johns Creek Hospital is home to the Atlanta Bariatric Center, designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons.   

For more information, please visit emoryjohnscreek.com.   To find a physician close to where you live or work, call 678.474.8200