Building A Health Care System

The Situation

St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center, Idaho’s largest hospital in Boise, had been approached by county-owned Magic Valley Regional in Twin Falls to consider a merger. As a publicly owned hospital, Magic Valley Regional labored under certain financial constraints which complicated the hospital’s need to modernize its facilities. In order for the two hospitals to develop a strategy to realize greater service to patients and more substantial financial strength, the Twin Falls community — political, business, and general public — had to be comfortable with a merger and ultimately vote for the creation of a new, Idaho, not-for-profit health care system.

The Gallatin Strategy

With St. Luke’s Board and management fully supporting an approach that would allow the community to “invite” St. Luke’s in, we worked closely with the St. Luke’s communications team to develop a comprehensive public affairs and strategic communications plan to build community support from the ground up. Utilizing solid research, earned media, community meetings, issue advertising, and extensive public outreach we systematically helped St. Luke’s build community and political support for the merger. A critical component of the overall effort was the integrated working relationship between The Gallatin Group and St. Luke’s in-house communications professionals. County Commissioners authorized a vote on the hospital merger in May 2006 and Gallatin provided strategic advice and implementation on the public campaign.

The Outcome

On May 25, 2006 Twin Falls County, Idaho voters approved the hospital merger with an 88% positive vote. County Commissioners and hospital officials finalized the agreement that created a true, Idaho-based health care system. Twin Falls area residents will benefit by the creation of a new, $120 million state of the art hospital at no cost to taxpayers.

“Our strategy from the beginning was to work with citizens and community leaders to develop a hospital and health care system that will benefit the community and the state for the long run. The Gallatin Group helped us at every step with strategic communications advice and implementation. The results of the community campaign speak for themselves — 88% of the voters approved of our approach.”