The point of Shila Renee Mullins's brain surgery was to remove a malignant tumor threatening to paralyze her left side.
But Methodist University Hospital in Memphis also saw an opportunity to promote the hospital to prospective patients.
So, a video Webcast of Ms. Mullins's awake craniotomy, in which the patient remains conscious and talking while surgeons prod and cut inside her brain, was promoted with infomercials and newspaper advertisements featuring a photograph of a beautiful model, not Ms. Mullins.
This time, Methodist did not use billboards as it has with other operations, deeming this procedure too sensitive. But its marketing department monitors how many people have watched the Webcast (2,212), seen a preview on YouTube (21,555) and requested appointments (3).
"The goal is to further our reputation as well as to educate the community, who will ask their physicians about our care," said Jill Fazakerly, Methodist's marketing director.
Faced with economic pressures and patients with abundant choices, hospitals are using unconventional, even audacious, ways of connecting directly with the public. Seeking to attract or educate patients, entice donors, gain recognition and recruit or retain top doctors, hospitals are using Twitter from operating rooms, showing surgery on YouTube and having patients blog about their procedures.
They consider the methods inexpensive ways to stand out in an era of reality TV and voluminous medical information available online.
Some ethicists and physicians say the practices raise questions about patient privacy and could paint overly-rosy medical pictures, leaving the hospitals and patients vulnerable if things go awry.
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