Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) is a private network of cancer treatment hospitals and community oncology programs. It provides cancer patients with leading-edge treatments and technologies, science-based complementary medicine, community outreach and support services, as well as cancer research.

CTCA is in constant contact with its patients and their families, from the moment a diagnosis is made throughout the treatment process. When dealing with such critical issues, CTCA needed to ensure each communications is as sensitive, personalized and stressfree as possible.

"The patients and family members who contact CTCA are facing some of the hardest, most important decisions of their lives," said Eric Magnussen, manager of relationship marketing for CTCA. "These people are looking for hope and empathy, but most importantly, they need to know that CTCA listens to their concerns and understands their needs."

To this end, CTCA implemented software from Banta that enables the organization to provide sensitive, personalized information – via print, Web and e-mail -- that truly fits the needs of the patients.

When a patient or family member reaches out to CTCA over the phone or through Web-based click-to-chat or e-mail, the requests enter the organization’s 24/7 call center. CTCA’s staff of highly trained Oncology Information Specialists (OIS) work with each patient to discover the person’s needs, identify new options and help the patient determine if a visit to CTCA is the right place to receive care.

Then, using pre-defined guidelines, the OISs enter detailed information for each call into a highly secure CRM database. Using information from this database, CTCA’s Nurture Marketing Team can then create a variety of customized decision support materials for each person -- including print brochures, pamphlets, direct mail materials and even personalized e-mails and Web content. Using variable data and other technologies, CTCA is able to provide communications that are personalized to each recipient, including specific concerns voiced by the patient, treatment options, appointment details, physician and center details and educational information.

"Banta’s solutions enable our Oncology Information Specialists to build stronger relationships with each patient through meaningful print and Web communications personalized to fit the individual’s need," Magnussen said.