Southeast Missouri Hospital (SMH) implemented Vericom's ChannelCare digital signage and SoundCare on-hold messaging systems to enhance communication among staff, patients, and the community. This platform improves information delivery, supports sustainability initiatives by reducing printed materials, and fosters a professional image through advanced digital technology. Additionally, it aids in preparing staff for surveys and enhances engagement by providing critical, timely messages tailored to various audiences.

1. Custom Messaging Fills Communications Gaps
for Southeast Missouri Hospital
Southeast Missouri Hospital (SMH),
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, is a
Magnet-designated 267 bed regional
medical complex. Connecting employees,
physicians, patients and their families,
SMH uses both Vericom’s SoundCare®
on-hold messaging and
ChannelCare™ digital signage to
communicate effectively with
diverse audiences both
on- and off-campus.
Closing the Communications Gap
vericom.net 800.800.1090

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Southeast Missouri Hospital (SMH) launched sustainable communications platform that provided
ChannelCare™digital signage in 2008 with 36 essential information we needed to routinely
monitor locations and immediately began delivering get to our audiences,” says Quinn. “We knew the
messages about patient safety, community health ChannelCare system would be able to support our
screenings, physician referral services, employee communications objectives for years to come. By
recognition, and even included jokes submitted effectively reaching audiences within your four walls,
by employees to “brighten” the day. SoundCare® you add value to a relationship that may have been
on-hold messaging was also implemented at the simply casual.”
same time to deliver marketing and informational
messages to callers placed on hold—an often-
overlooked and captive audience.
“We knew the ChannelCare system would
be able to support our communications
objectives for years to come.”
Candace Quinn
Senior Strategist and Strategic Consultant
“Both SoundCare and ChannelCare elevate
the professional image of the hospital by
demonstrating the hospital’s adoption of
advanced digital technology. This is a
significant benefit for SMH.”
Keith Whitworth, Marketing Manager
Eliminating paper and supporting
“Go Green” initiatives
ChannelCare has reduced the dependency on
posters, easels, and tacked-up messages that used
Supporting strategic initiatives to be scattered throughout the hospital. In the
past, in the event of a meeting schedule change,
A strategic consultant to Southeast Missouri, someone from the hospital’s education department
Candace Quinn of Brand = Experience helped to would physically walk over to each building to tack
bring ChannelCare on board to provide high-tech up a message. “ChannelCare eliminated this manual,
digital communications that would seamlessly ineffective system and gives us a high-tech image
integrate with and support strategic initiatives. “By with the added benefit of updating information in
partnering with Vericom, we were able to offer a real time,” says Keith Whitworth, marketing manager.
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“We can do a direct mail piece one time, and A communications partnership
subsequently follow up with messages on both
ChannelCare™ and SoundCare®. This message The ChannelCare system includes easy-to-use,
reinforcement is quite effective as well as helps web-based software where users can create and
with our “go green” initiatives,” adds Whitworth. upload their own content, have Vericom develop
ChannelCare’s ten different program channels high-definition content, as well as choose messages
enable marketing to ensure content is unique and from the ChannelCare health content library. “We
relevant to different audiences. The messages make appreciate the fact that Vericom is receptive to our
sense to viewers where they are, so they can easily ideas about how they can improve their software
respond and take appropriate action. “ChannelCare to enhance the client experience,” says Whitworth.
is one of our key marketing tactics. It allows us “Vericom is all about the customer and service. I
to focus on product line promotion where we cannot think of another vendor who contacts me to
consistently use call-to-action that gets results,” get my input on the software and their system.“
says Whitworth.
SMH has an in-house design team who creates
ChannelCare messages and then easily uploads
them into the ChannelCare system. “Our designers
enjoy creating ChannelCare messages. They are not
restricted as they are with designing a brochure and
can be very creative, yet keep our similar look and
branding,” says Whitworth.
Southeast marketing also ensures message
consistency across all media by taking messages
already created for outside digital billboards and
uploading these messages into ChannelCare.
To round out the many options for content
development, the marketing team also works with
Vericom’s design team to create high-definition
collaboration messages they can use at any time.
“The ability to use already-created billboard
messages via ChannelCare is very cost-effective.
Connecting off-campus locations For instance, when people see a message about
our physician referral service on the drive here, and
Connecting off-site locations is important to then the same message at the hospital, they’re more
communicating effectively and ensuring branding likely to remember it and take action, “ says Jay Wolz,
consistency. SMH has a wellness center located supervisor of market management.
inside the West Park Mall where ChannelCare
provides messaging similar to what plays at on-
campus locations. “ChannelCare is an important
extension of our branding that enhances our
community recognition,” says Whitworth. “This
increased presence has helped increase the number
of people who register for blood pressure and
diabetes screenings, among others.”
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ChannelCare helps prepare
for surveys and visits
As a Magnet-designated hospital for nursing
excellence, SMH is in a constant state of survey-
readiness, helping employees prepare for surveyors
who come to assess the facility. Marketing created
ChannelCare messages to remind employees and
staff about upcoming visits to put them in the frame
of mind of “thinking Magnet.” Messages provide
passive learning and reinforce what people need to
Reaching calling audiences first know— such as “the 14 forces of magnetism.” These
with SoundCare® messages energize employees and get everyone on
the same page, keeping the issue front-of-mind.
Both SoundCare® and ChannelCare™ elevate the
status and image of SMH. “SoundCare’s professional ChannelCare also helps staff prepare for Joint
voices are outstanding and because of the way Commission visits by displaying, “What would you do
messages engage callers, they have no idea how in case of fire?” for example. ”Enhancing employee
long they are holding,” says Whitworth. communications is a constant work in progress,”
says Quinn. “All organizations face obstacles when
Southeast’s marketing team focuses on seasonal it comes to getting important, consistent messages
messages, key product lines, as well as customizes to staff and physicians. With ChannelCare, we can
and tags messages selected from the SoundIdeas reach these audiences with messages designed just
content library. Readily available messages in the for them, in addition to marketing messages, and
library include signs of stroke that can be tagged engage employees through a more
with call-to-action to drive people to their on-line dynamic medium.”
stroke risk analysis. When SMH received their 5-star
rating from HealthGrades, they were able to take a
SoundIdeas message on stroke and tag it with their
new HealthGrades designation. “We always look at
what messages work best with a particular call-to-
action. We want to ensure our callers can
take action quickly and easily,” says Whitworth.
“We get a lot of support from Vericom and,
as a result, can do so much more and be
involved in technological developments and
product enhancements. As a customer, this
makes us feel important and highly valued.” For more information on ChannelCare digital signage and
SoundCare on-hold messaging, call 800-800-1090, email
Keith Whitworth, Marketing Manager marketing@vericom.net or visit www.vericom.net.
800.800.1090 vericom.net
Closing the Communications Gap