Like any business, hospitals look for ways to engage people, promote their own brand and forge relationships with the public. And a local company has found an innovative, and effective way to do that through specialty e-mail newsletters. Dan Ansel has built a thriving business around the concept that has caught the eye of healthcare providers across the country.
Ansel,
Private Health News' co-founder, developed the idea of offering hospitals a health-focused news service in 2002 after working for three decades in hospital communication and administration. He launched the company in 2003, and now is linked with more than 150 healthcare related web sites in 30 states, including
Tri-Health locally.
"I saw data that a large number of people are going to the internet for health information and (hospital web sites) were one of the most trusted places to get that information," Ansel said.
Private Health News vets information and articles from hundreds of sources. It provides the most current, round up of that information by email to subscribers who opt-in. Each user can design a custom newsletter based on medical topics that interest them. Newsletters are tailored toward the general public or healthcare providers.
"We medically review the information, make sure it's current, and through email we push that information to people," Ansel said.
Private Health News is located in the
HCBC incubator in Norwood and has 12 Cincinnati employees and three based in India. The vast majority of Private Health News clients are hospitals, but include other health providers like pharmaceutical companies.
Hospitals like the service because it's a quick, trustworthy and effective way to connect with the public.
"We are web-based, and we are branded as (the hospital). So it's their brand, their relationship. What we allow a hospital to do is to create ongoing targeted relationships with people."
Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Dan Ansel, Private Health News cofounder
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