TOPEKA – Kansas hospitals and health systems were recently recognized for excellence in public relations and marketing efforts by the Kansas Association of Health Care Communicators through its Emerald Awards competition. 

Emerald Awards are given annually to Kansas hospitals and health systems that excel in internal communications, external communications, special events, advertising and other categories. Three marketing professionals from Georgia with extensive experience in health-care marketing evaluated this year’s 54 entries for planning and research, implementation, cost effectiveness and results. 

The 2020 Emerald Awards were presented at the Kansas Association of Health Care Communicators Virtual Fall Conference on Sept. 11. 

In the video category, the “Family Birth Center Promotional Video,” by Katie Marcum, executive assistant at Rice County District Hospital in Lyons, took an emerald award, and Marcum’s “Rehabilitation Promotional Video” took a certificate of merit.

In addition to the 29 Emerald Awards and 25 Certificates of Merit presented this year, judges selected two entries as Best of Show. This year’s winners were “Gala 2019: The Greatest Show,” William Newton Hospital Marketing and William Newton Healthcare Foundation, Winfield. The 12th annual gala sold out and was the highest grossing in the event’s history, and it has become the biggest fundraiser in the county. Judges praised the circus theme and said the creativity of this event exceeded most big hospitals with large marketing staffs.

The second Best of Show winner was “Mammography Spot,” Amy Northrop, LMH Health, Lawrence. This successful ad for television and social media compared the time an average person spends on social media, watching TV and driving to the time it takes to get a mammogram. It helped the hospital achieve a 9.5% increase in mammograms in 2019 compared to the previous year. Judges said it was a great plan, great execution and exceptionally effective.