What is "effective" hospital advertising?

Many hospitals are claiming poor results from their advertising efforts. However, the problems with hospital advertising may be a result of the lack of specific goals for the advertising programs. Rather than expecting a "quick fix" in the form of short-term increased utilization, hospital advertising goals should be specified in the form of communications objectives that take into consideration the process by which a consumer moves from "awareness" to "purchase" of a product or service. Russell H. Colley's writings for the Association of National Advertisers in the early 1960s can provide guidance for hospitals trying to specify advertising goals.