Marketing....4/9

FROM:Charlie Therrien
TO:Staff
SUBJECT:Common questions
March 30, 2009

As I meet with departments and individuals there are a few questions that come up that I thought I would respond to across the hospital.
Will DTO continue?
We will continue to make sure that we maintain the correct level of staff for the fluctuating level ofpatients in both the inpatient and outpatient areas, clinical and non-clinical. I understand that this creates anxiety and financial pressure during difficult times; however we are trying to reduce our expenses and avoid the elimination of positions.
Why spend money on Studer at this time?
The investment in Studer is an investment in the training and development of our people. It is consistent with our educational assistance program, CME, and other training that are all investments in the employees. The measurable outcome from all of these initiatives is to improve employee satisfaction, which drives patient satisfaction, which drives volume growth.
What is the hospital doing to increase business?
National trends indicate that people are putting off elective and non-urgent healthcare services due to the economic issues that we all are facing. In order to offset these trends we are actively pursuing strategies to grow new business. For example, we are actively working on a plan to open an urgent care center in New York, we are in the process of developing a coordinated women's health program, we have hired nurse practitioners and physician assistants to improve access to primary care services, and we continue to actively recruit more physicians to the area.
Please don't hesitate to contact me with any additional questions. Thank you very
much.

Marketing ideas, hmmmmm:

• They've tried suing me, that really helped publicize Essent.
• They've tried putting a happy employee's face on TV, extolling Essent's virtues--while laying off more staff.
• They start the bidding for another hospital, at the same time cutting managers' salaries by 10%
• They give a bonus...and pull matching retirement contributions. (Oh, yeah, that wasn't a bonus, that was retention.)

So rather than pay what they promised, they'll promise to pay.... Looks like Ducky and Charlie have been talking....