by Anthony Cirillo

When Health Grades announced its 50 Best Hospitals Report a few months back, it marked the beginning of that silly season of health care ratings.

Step right up ladies and gentlemen. I present you the best of the best from: US News and World Report, CMS, The Joint Commission and yes, even Angie's List. What did you say Mr. and Mrs. Consumer? You don't understand these ratings? Every list ranks hospitals differently, you say? You're confused? I get it!

Doctors are confused too.

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Researcher Ashwini R. Sehgal, MD, regarding the U.S. News ranking, concluded that "the relative standings of the top 50 hospitals largely reflect the subjective reputations of those hospitals. Moreover, little relationship exists between subjective reputation and objective measures of hospital quality among the top 50 hospitals."

And then hospitals weigh in, griping about criterion used and all other manner of flaws with these rankings. My wife has a saying, "Suck it up cupcake!" Ratings are here to stay. They may be perceived as authoritative (think CMS), popular (think U.S. News and Consumer Reports), and questionable (Angie's List).

People may not understand the ratings but they are reading the ratings. People are talking to each other. They are forming perceptions. And that may be good or bad for you. Want to do something about it? Tell your story and engage your ambassadors.

Tell Your Story
There are hundreds of small miracles that happen in all kinds of healthcare facilities every day. Most are undocumented. Stories. People are moved by stories. It is not enough to write stories but you need to establish a culture where employees are bringing stories to administration and marketing. Then write and run with them.

Spread Your Story
You don't need a social media rehash here but suffice to say that there are a myriad of ways to push your story to the public. The beauty is that stories of a great patient experience are human-interest pieces not overt selling tools. It's not about your infection rates, latest technologies, whiz-bang doctors. It's about everyday people. Good stories are spread. Good stories are believed. Good stories have a halo effect on your brand.

Identify Your Ambassadors
Who is passionate about your services? Who passionately recommends you? Who offers unsolicited advice? Who comes to your defense? These are potential ambassadors for your brand. They might be an employee, a board member, a volunteer, a patient, a resident, a family member. They may have surfaced through a letter they write to you, an op-ed piece in the newspaper or in an on-line chat. Engage them.

So don't gripe about the latest and greatest ratings. Just craft your story and cede your army of ambassadors to spread it through that old reliable word of mouth.

Anthony Cirillo, FACHE, ABC, is president of Fast Forward Consulting, which specializes in patient- and person-centered care and strategic marketing for healthcare facilities.