Revamping a MarComm department to increase effectiveness

We began by interviewing more than 60 stakeholders, including system and department leaders, team members and internal clients. We also conducted a robust review of the marketing and communications team’s work products and materials, from organizational charts to budgets to staff meeting notes and collateral pieces. Through this research, we learned the department was strong in its talent, technical expertise and creativity, but that there were some functioned inefficiencies. Roles and responsibilities were muddled, and team members worked in silos, territorial about their knowledge and projects.

Based on our findings and our insider perspective into effective health system communications teams, we developed a comprehensive set of clear recommendations for how to help the department advance. These included an organizational restructuring, processes to enable better collaboration across teams and steps to take toward a reorientation of the department’s culture around client service.

Because of the initial assessment, the department was restructured in several to break down silos and provide clarity on roles and responsibilities. A follow-up assessment 12 months later showed stronger collaborative relationships, increased engagement with leaders and more efficient use of team resources.