Challenge: Plan-it has worked closely with Partners HealthCare (now Mass General Brigham) and its major member hospitals, Mass General (MGH), Brigham & Women’s (BWH), and Spaulding Rehabilitation Network on branding, creative/communications development, physician referrals, and merger work among others.

Objective/Solution: Plan-it’s relationship began with Partners HealthCare during the merger of MGH and BWH, when Plan-it’s principals consulted with physicians, nurses, hospital staff members and consumers, to determine the effect of the merger and how it should be communicated to all key stakeholders. More recently, Plan-it partnered with FORGE Worldwide to develop the optimal positioning and naming strategies for Partners Continuing Care (now Mass General Brigham Home Care), including its in-home care and Spaulding rehabilitation services. Comprehensive two-phased Qualitative and Quantitative studies included all critical constituencies: Case managers, Patient liaisons, Staff and clinicians, Patients and competitive patients. Key issues explored the equity of the varied local identities, attitudes toward the Partners and Spaulding brands and reactions to various positioning’s and a new naming strategy.

Result: Based on our work, Partners renamed its home care services Partners HealthCare at Home, and all Partners rehabilitation facilities took the Spalding name, to leverage the strong heritage of rehabilitation excellence associated with Spalding. Additionally, an umbrella positioning strategy was developed, to encompass all continuing care services.