Contest catches patients in the act…of traveling

ROSEVILLE, Minn. - Among the millions of travelers to hit the road last week for the Thanksgiving holiday were young patients of Pediatric Home Service (PHS).

“These days, vents are so much smaller, and CPAP and suction machines are more compact and portable,” said Dana Akerson, marketing supervisor. “They are traveling for the holidays and are able to be with family.”

In November, PHS held one of several Facebook photo contests to draw attention to its young patients traveling with their medical equipment. Parents uploaded photos of them and encouraged friends to vote.

Of the top five vote getters, PHS selected two for $75 Visa gift cards.

“They want to show off their kids and since they are already on these platforms, it doesn't take extra time for them to engage with our brand that way,” said Akerson.

Voters had to “like” the PHS's Facebook page to vote. That builds traffic, says Katlyn Bourget, digital specialist.

“We've seen a lot of engagement and a lot of traffic growth as a result of these contests,” she said. “People see it, they share it, and they encourage their family and friends to look at it.”

PHS has been ramping up its social media presence since April, when Bourget came on board. Its Facebook page has more than 3,000 likes and its twitter handle has nearly 700 followers. The provider recently added Pinterest to its social media platform. It plans to build “pinboards” around tips for home care and ideas for crafts parents can do with their kids.

“A lot of Pinterest is about being helpful,” said Bourget. “That's what we do on all of our platforms. There are things that may not exactly relate to our services, but it's another way for us to be helpful and be top of mind to the consumer.”