James Lutes

Olga Walsh

Note: This plan was developed between myself and my classmate Olga Walsh

Guidant Plan Heart Stent Public Relations Plan

 

Opportunity statement

 

Guidant has been known as late to market with key technology innovations until recently when the company created a new stenting technology that serves as a viable alternative to open-neck surgery for carotid artery disease. In the highly competitive cardiovascular device market, Guidant is currently the leader in this technology. Guidant now has the opportunity to overcome its old reputation and lead the way with new carotid artery stenting technology. 

 

Situation Analysis

Carotid artery disease occurs when the carotid arteries, which are blood vessels in the neck that supply blood to the brain, become narrower and clogged. Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is a non-surgical procedure of unblocking these arteries. Embolic protection prevents any particles that become dislodged during CAS from floating to the brain, where they can cause stroke or even death.

            After a number of extensive studies and tests, Guidant has announced that its market leading carotid artery stent has proven to be a viable alternative to invasive, open-neck surgery for patients in danger of stroke due to advanced carotid artery disease. Guidant conducted CAPTURE, which is an FDA-required study, to determine whether carotid artery stenting can be performed safely in real-world clinical settings. The results of the study proved the stent to be consistently successful in treating carotid artery disease.

The stent itself is a tiny mesh tube that props open an artery for the surgery. Stenting is a non-surgical method of unclogging the carotid artery without having to perform the highly invasive open-neck surgery. Carotid artery stenting with embolic protection is just as effective and much less invasive than the surgery in preventing stroke. In a SAPPHIRE trial, which was the first study to compare stenting to traditional surgery, CAS was preferred over surgical procedures.

Guidant Corporation is a world leader in the treatment of cardiac and vascular disease. The company pioneers life-saving technology, giving an opportunity for better life today to millions of cardiac and vascular patients worldwide. Guidant develops, manufactures and markets a broad array of products and services that enable less invasive care for some of life's most threatening medical conditions.

 

 

Defining Target Publics

• Physicians – They are the target public that is vital for our product use, therefore we need to win their approval in order to effectively distribute the stent.
• Hospital administrators – They are the individuals responsible for making all the executive purchasing decisions.
• Insurance companies – They are natural allies with Guidant and they will be able to help us promote our product.
• Medical trade journals – A form of media that appeals to the above target publics and will provide accurate coverage about our new product.

 

Key Messages

 

• The new Guidant stent is equally effective to the open-neck surgery
• The stenting procedure is less invasive than traditional surgery
• The stent is a safer alternative to surgery
• The technology is less expensive than the traditional surgery
• Guidant is the sole owner and distributor of this technology

 

 

Communications Goal

 

Guidant hopes to redefine its reputation as the leading innovator in the field of medical technology.

 

Objective #1 [Surgeons and Primary Care Physicians]

 

Win the approval of physicians nationwide to facilitate seamless implementation of the Guidant stent.

 

Strategy:

To win approval and gain support from sergeants and primary care physicians who will be using Guidant’s new stent

 

Tactics:

• Attend physicians’ conferences and set-up Guidant stent demonstration booths. In the booths set up promotional displays and brochures.
• Hold a seminar hosted by reputable figures from the medical field to attract physicians. 
• Invite physicians to Guidant’s hospital tour in order to learn more about the new stent and its use.
• Create an interactive blog for Guidant’s new stent that includes a discussion forum. This blog will generate product publicity to physicians.

 

 

 

Objective/ Audience	Activity	On schedule On target On budget	Behind schedule Off target Over budget	Completed
Objective # 2 Sergeants and Primary Care Physicians

 

 

Objective # 2 [Hospital Administrators]

 

To create an interest to invest Guidant stent technology among hospital administrators

 

Strategy:

To accomplish objective # 4 a variety of media will be utilized to communicate to hospital administrators that the Guidant stent is a safe, effective, and most importantly, inexpensive alternative to open-neck carotid surgery. Hospital administrators are willing to make substantial investments in the state-of-the-art medical technology if they are convinced in its safety and reliability. Therefore, the dependability of the stent as an alternative to surgery must be emphasized in all communications with hospital administrators.

 

Tactics:

• Develop an electronic brochure that highlights the cost-effectiveness and reliability of the Guidant stent
• Develop detailed spreadsheets that specifically outline the differences in cost between the Guidant stent and open-neck surgery
• Distribute all electronic media via e-mail to the private addresses of hospital administrators
• Attend major seminars for hospital administrators and host promotional booths for the Guidant stent
• Implement a campaign to present the Guidant stent to administrators at hospitals across the nation

 

Progress Tracker

 

Objective/ Audience	Activity	On schedule On target On budget	Behind schedule Off target Over budget	Completed
Objective # 4 Hospital Administration

 

Objective# 3 [Insurance Companies]

 

To effectively and directly communicate with insurance companies in order to receive their help in promoting Guidant’s new technology.

 

Strategy:

Guidant wants to directly communicate with representatives from insurance companies to inform them about the effectiveness of our new technology that is a viable alternative to invasive open-neck surgery. The procedure is also less expensive than traditional surgery. Guidant hopes to create interest in the new carotid artery stent among this key audience.

 

Tactics:

·         Distribute an electronic brochure informing insurance companies of the new  Guidant stent

·         Mail personalized invitations to insurance companies about a seminar that will be held for more information about Guidant’s new stent. During the seminar there will be informational tables set up with promotional brochures to give out. Food and drinks will be provided.

·         Create an interactive blog for the stent that includes a discussion forum. This blog will generate product publicity to insurance companies.

 

Objective/ Audience	Activity	On schedule On target On budget	Behind schedule Off target Over budget	Completed
Objective # 1 Insurance companies

 

Objective # 4 [Medial Trade Journals]

 

To generate coverage and publicity for Guidant’s drug-eluting stent in medical trade journals

 

Strategy:

A news release and backgrounder will be crafted to alert trade journals of Guidant’s drug-eluting stent. The news release will briefly detail the development of the stent, include third party testimonies asserting that the stent is a viable option to dangerous open-neck surgery, and emphasize Guidant’s key role in the development of the technology. The backgrounder will include a more thorough discussion the development of the stent, as well as more specified information about the technology. The news release and backgrounder will be attached to a quick story pitch and distributed via e-mail. The angle of the pitch will focus on the stent’s capability to change the field of cardiology by significantly reducing the amount of necessary open-neck carotid surgery. Follow-up phone calls to the editorial staffs of trade journals will be initiated a day after the releases are sent.

 

Tactics:

 

• Draft a news release summarizing key information regarding the stent for quick dissemination.
• Draft a backgrounder with more a more detailed explanation of the technology.
• Develop an e-mail pitch that emphasizes the stent’s potential to revolutionize the field of cardiology.
• Send news releases and backgrounders to medical trade journals nationwide.
• Initiate follow-up phone calls to the editorial staffs of all targeted trade journals.

 

Progress Tracker

 

Objective/ Audience	Activity	On schedule On target On budget	Behind schedule Off target Over budget	Completed
Objective # 3 Medical Trade Journals

 

Timeline

 

5/25/2008 - 5/31/2008	Develop an electronic brochure for insurance companies
	Develop an electronic brochure for hospital administrators
	Draft a news release for medical trade journals
	Draft a backgrounder for medical trade journals
	Develop a cost-effectiveness spreadsheet for administrators
	Develop an interactive Guidant stent blog
6/1/2008 - 6/4/2008	Distribute all promotional content to target audiences
	Invite insurance companies to a Guidant stent seminar
	Arrange dates for the nationwide Guidant stent hospital tour
6/10/2008 - 9/31/2008	Conduct nationwide Guidant stent promotional hospital tour
6/31/2008 - 7/1/2008	Promote stent at national seminar of hospital adminstrators in Washington, D.C.
7/12/2008 - 7/13/2008	Promote stent at national seminar of physicians in Baltimore, MD
8/12/2008 - 8/13/2008	Promote stent at national seminar for insurance companies in Las Vegas, NV
9/1/2008 - 9/2/2008	Host an informational seminar about the Guidant stent in Los Angeles, CA

Budget

 

Development of Electronic Press Materials	15,000
Distribution of Promotional Material	10,000
Guidant Stent Promotional Hospital Tour	750,000
Stent Promotion at Hospital Administrators Seminar	50,000
Stent Promotion at Physicans Conference	50,000
Stent Promotion at Insurance Company Seminar	50,000
Promotional Stent Seminar Hosted by Guidant	75,000
Total	1,000,000

 

Evaluation

 

Evaluation of this plan would be reviewed in two ways. Guidant’s new stent will be evaluated through short-term progress tracking. This will consist of weekly reports included with every objective that monitors the progress towards Guidant’s goal. Guidant will also evaluate the objectives through a long-term assessment of outcomes. The measurement of these outcomes is described in the section following each objective.

 

Objective # 1  Win the approval of physicians nationwide to facilitate seamless implementation of the Guidant stent.

Assessment:    Success in achieving this objective will be measured by surveys to determine whether physicians decide to utilize and promote the Guidant stent over the traditional open-neck surgery. Success will also depend on the comments left on the Guidant company blog. 

 

Objective #2   To interest hospital administrators in purchasing the new Guidant stents.

Assessment: Success in achieving this objective will be determined based on sales figures resulting from hospitals that purchase the product and if the administrators comment on the Guidant company blog. 

 

Objective #3   To effectively and directly communicate with insurance companies in order to receive their help in promoting Guidant’s new technology

Assessment:    Success in achieving this objective will be determined by whether the insurance companies will promote the new Guidant stent. Success will also come from product evaluation surveys that the companies will receive at seminars.

 

Objective #4 To generate coverage and publicity for Guidant’s drug-eluting stent in medical trade journals.

Assessment: Success in achieving this objective will be determined by the tone of the coverage and the feedback from journal readers.