MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center Publications Win Five Golds, One Silver, and Two Bronze Aster Awards for Excellence in Healthcare Communication

CLINTON, MD -  MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center’s community magazine, Health, and four pieces of its 2018 Hospital Week marketing materials have won 2019 Gold Aster Awards. MedStar Southern Maryland’s associate newsletter Connections won a Silver Aster Award, and MedStar Southern Maryland’s Annual Nursing Report and Hospital Week CNA and Tech Luncheon Invitation won Bronze Aster Awards. Aster Awards are granted annually for excellence in healthcare communication. 

“I’m very proud of our Marketing Team,” said MedStar Southern Maryland President Christine Wray. “We try not only to be a great hospital for our patients, but also a great place to come and work. We attract talented people to every team in the building and the Marketing Department is no exception. They come up with great content to inform our community members in Health magazine and important articles to inform associates in Connections. I applaud MedStar Southern Maryland’s Marketing associates for earning this recognition.” 

Health is a glossy magazine mailed out to more than 220,000 households surrounding the hospital. This magazine is shot by professional photographer Ryan Smith**. The publication also begins with a Letter from MedStar Southern Maryland President Christine Wray. It contains a Patient Testimonial cover story, and feature articles promoting the work of the hospital, educational articles on medical conditions and treatments, and a Heart&Soul section featuring MedStar Southern Maryland’s Cardiology Department. Current and past issues of Health are available on the MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center website. 

Connections is published monthly and mailed to associates’ homes. It features a Letter from the President, stories about physicians and the latest innovations at MedStar Southern Maryland, department spotlights, and contributions from human resources and nursing. 

Hospital Week is celebrated annually in May with a series of fun events for hospital associates. The hospital’s annual nursing reports are created yearly to provide a detailed report of accomplishments throughout the year. 

To be considered for an Aster Award, a healthcare facility had to submit all advertising/marketing materials developed, produced and/or distributed during the calendar year 2018 to be eligible for the 2019 program. All entries for each category are placed together for judging by a panel of design and healthcare marketing professionals with decades of combined experience. Entries are judged on: Creativity, Layout/Design, Typography, Production, and Quality & Overall Effectiveness. For more information, visit www.asterawards.com. 
**For more information on photographer Ryan Smith, visit ryansmithproductions.com or call 267-712-9501. 

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About MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center

MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, located in Clinton, Maryland, is a 176 bed acute care hospital serving the Washington, D.C., metro and Southern Maryland area. The hospital is focused on caring for patients and their loved ones utilizing advanced technology under the guidance of expert clinicians. Quality, Safety, Wellness, and Patient Satisfaction are achieved through a spirit of patient centered services that connect us to the community we serve. 
For more information, visit MedStarSouthernMaryland.org.