Monadnock Community Hospital Peterborough, NH

Since 2002, LaRose Marketing has supported the VP of Philanthropy and Community Relations by providing a range of strategic marketing consulting services that allow her to focus her efforts on fundraising. LaRose Marketing works directly with hospital staff at all levels and partners with the hospital's creative firm, CC Stephens, to develop all marketing materials.

Highlights of this long-term engagement include:

Building Project Communications — Creation and oversight of a comprehensive internal and external communications plan for a $25 million renovation and expansion. The plan launched in mid-2008 and is now in progress. Because employees are the best ambassadors in the community, the plan includes a series of employee surveys over the 5-year project to identify and measure the success of marketing objectives and messages.

Issues/Crisis Management — Worked with senior management to develop a transparent communications plan and messaging when the hospital's giveaway mugs were thought to contain lead exceeding FDA standards. This strategy brought unsolicited praise from community leaders and generated goodwill in the community.

Public Consensus Building — Provided guidance on communications for a Town Meeting vote that required a two-thirds majority to fund a new access road to the Hospital. Because of aggressive communications and a clear open-door policy with the community, an opposition group felt comfortable contacting the hospital prior to the vote. The group dropped their opposition after having their questions and concerns personally answered during a meeting with the VP of Community Relations. The vote passed by a wide margin and voters came to the meeting prepared to ask highly informed questions.

Critical Access Hospital Conversion — Created and implemented an external communications program, including facilitating a series of listening sessions for conversion to Critical Access Hospital status in 2005. The hospital received strong community support for this project.

Program Launch — In 2003, LaRose Marketing helped the hospital develop and launch Monadnock Healthy Teeth, a free school-based dental program for underserved children in the region. LaRose Marketing identified an appropriate model, developed a business plan and secured approximately $150,000 in start-up funding through grants and a major fundraising event. This service continues to run throughout the region. The program is expanding to address childhood obesity in the 2008/2009 school year.

Ongoing Advisory Services — LaRose Marketing provides ongoing advice for projects large and small, as well as targeted marketing and communication plans for specific hospital departments such as physician practices, maternity, and rehabilitation.