Driving Earned Media and Thought Leadership for Caravan Health Up to Acquisition by Signify Health (NYSE: SGFY)

Results:

Challenge:

As Caravan Health continued to lead in value-based healthcare and sign new ACO hospital and provider partners across the U.S., it was also open to an acquisition by the right buyer. It needed to create awareness of its competitive strength through editorial placements, thought leadership, and content that spoke to its changes and goals.

Solution:

Clearpoint Agency has worked with numerous companies with goals to eventually be acquired. For Caravan Health, we developed an earned media and thought leadership campaign that kept it highly visible among prospects, media, industry analysts and potential acquirers. Case studies and marketing materials supported growth as the company entertained potential acquirers.

Objectives and Goals:

Clearpoint assessed Caravan’s existing communications, did a competitive communications assessment, and recommended a 12-point PR plan to position Caravan Health as the leader in accountable care and a worthy acquisition target.

Less than a year later—and over 140 hits obtained in leading business and healthcare publications—the media attention worked to position Caravan Health as a leader among ACO providers and a pioneer in value-based healthcare. As the leading provider in accountable care, Caravan Health was acquired by Signify Health in March 2022, forming one of the largest national networks of providers engaged in value-based payment models. CVS then acquired (NYSE: SGF) Caravan Health group from Signify.

Plan:

Positioning the Leader in Accountable Care Key. Clearpoint Agency strategized with Caravan Health, creating a PR scope of work, including press releases, contributed articles, podcasts, and customer successes stories to communicate Caravan’s value proposition. The agency identified and worked with internal subject matter experts and promoted key thought leadership topics. Clearpoint secured 11 contributed articles for executives and the company on topics from forming an ACO, to preventing physician and nurse burnout, to addressing regulatory updates, and others focused on customer needs and the evolving industry.

Clearpoint obtained inclusion on 5 podcasts for Caravan Health thought leaders, including in AJMC Carecast, Healthbiz Podcast, HIMSSCast podcast, Managed Healthcare Executive (2X).

It wrote, distributed, and pitched press releases on partnerships, rapid growth, new health systems joining the ACO, programs added, and executives promoted. It advised Caravan on PR as it was going through its acquisition.

It capitalized on hospitals and medical systems, like Eaton Rapids Medical Center, that have increased quality of service and reduced costs in working with Caravan Health as an ACO. Clearpoint coached ERMC executives and care coordinators on talking with the media and facilitated interviews, landing powerful third-party testimonials for the VBC provider.

Strategy:

Strategy was an essential part of Clearpoint’s campaign with Signify/Caravan Health, including the ability to frequently pivot given changing situations. PR strategy included:

• Outreach to hundreds of media on Caravan Health’s behalf. Regularly pitching reporters, including those covering the competition and/or healthcare, Medicare, population health, and other topics.
• Recommendations on story ideas and topics  that would resonate with the media
• Writing/editing and pitching of press releases
• Briefing sheets for media opportunities secured
• Media interview coaching for executives
• Target media lists of key outlets, editors, and journalists
• Recommendations on analyst relations strategy

Results:

Caravan Health was acquired by Signify Health (NYSE: SGFY) in October of 2021, creating one of largest national networks of healthcare providers engagement in value-based payment models. The Caravan Health value-based healthcare platform eventually became part of CVS in May 2023.