Kathryn Hughes

Strategic Healthcare Marketing Executive

Kathryn Hughes is widely recognized as a thought leader and innovator in the field of healthcare marketing. Distinguished by her strategic and innovative approach, she has consistently delivered record growth in market share, volume and revenue for many of the largest and most successful healthcare companies in the United States.

Today, Hughes serves as a strategy and marketing consultant to leading healthcare systems, digital health companies, and organizations focused on delivering medical services to consumer and providers. In this role, Hughes helps companies shape their vision, refine their go-to-market strategies, direct strategic initiatives and execute marketing programs that create brand differentiation and long-term, sustainable growth.

Previously, Hughes served as Chief Marketing Officer for Halifax Health, one of Florida's largest healthcare systems providing a continuum of care through a network of organizations including a tertiary hospital, a community hospital, psychiatric services, cancer treatment centers, the area's largest hospice, a health maintenance organization, and a preferred provider organization. In her executive leadership position, Hughes was responsible for defining and driving an overarching, integrated marketing strategy, as well as managing such day-to-day functions and initiatives as market research, corporate positioning, branding, service line development, public relations, advertising, web marketing and community affairs. During her tenure, Hughes increased market share by 1.1 % in less than 10 months, generated record, double-digit increases in patient and procedure volume for orthopedic, cardiac and neurosciences services. Hughes also developed the system's first digital marketing strategy which included the state of Florida's first online broadcasts of medical/surgical procedures, search engine marketing programs and the launch of the award-winning web site, www.halifaxhealth.org.

Prior to joining Halifax, Hughes served as Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer for Virginia Hospital Center where she led strategic marketing, brand management, volume development, physician recruiting, corporate development, product line commercialization, corporate communications and public relations since 2000. During her tenure, Hughes developed the marketing strategy that resulted in a 70% increase in consumer and professional market awareness and generated record double-digit increases in medical/surgical admissions.

Previously, Hughes served as Vice President, Marketing for TLC Laser Eye Centers, the world's largest provider of laser vision correction services, where she directed consumer/physician marketing and brand development for the company with locations in 63 markets across North America. At TLC, Hughes recruited and signed Tiger Woods to a multi-year agreement as a TLC spokesperson and to appear in the company's national advertising campaigns.

From 1994 to 1999, Hughes served as National Director of Marketing Operations at HealthSouth, the nation's largest provider of outpatient surgery and rehabilitative healthcare services. At HealthSouth, Hughes was responsible for developing the company's strategic marketing initiatives, including new product offerings, educational programs, and the national Physician Advisory Board. Additionally, Hughes was responsible for volume growth and development for HealthSouth's Inpatient Division representing 130 hospitals, five medical centers and 45 managed units with revenues of more than $2 billion dollars.

Hughes holds a B.A. in Advertising and Communications from the University of Alabama and been the recipient of numerous industry awards from the American Advertising Federation, the Public Relations Society of America, the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development and the American Marketing Association.