MISSION Receives Gold for Care Flows Both Ways

We’re proud to share that we won gold in the 6th Annual Healthcare Digital Marketing Awards for Care Flows Both Ways, a campaign in partnership with the Mid-Atlantic Patient Safety Center. HDMA celebrates excellence in the field of healthcare marketing across the nation. It’s an honor to be recognized—and to help raise awareness for such an important issue: protecting our healthcare workers against violence.

“This national competition began its efforts to recognize the field of healthcare marketing and advertising in the pioneering area of digital marketing.”.

Healthcare Digital Marketing Awards

Many people don’t realize that healthcare workers are five times more likely to experience violence than professionals in other fields. For too long, this has been seen as just part of the job, but no one should have to go to work fearing for their safety. Workplace violence burns out dedicated staff, contributes to turnover, and compromises the quality of care provided to patients.

From the outset of the project, we knew what we didn’t want to do. While shocking statistics, worst-case stories, and other fear-based messaging are traditional for public service campaigns, they wouldn’t serve the goal here. In fact, leading with them risked alienating our audiences and reinforcing burnout in an already strained workforce—or discouraging people from entering healthcare altogether.

Nor did we want to swing too far in the other direction. During COVID, healthcare workers were widely celebrated as “heroes.” While well-intentioned, the label totally missed the point. Most don’t want to be called heroes. Instead, they want to be safe. They want to be respected. And they want to be seen as professionals showing up every day and doing their jobs to the best of their abilities.

We took the opportunity to spotlight healthcare workers as people, not just providers, in an unexpected way. In partnership with the Mid-Atlantic Patient Safety Center, we organized a shoot built around clean, powerful visuals, stripping away distraction and putting the subject front and center. Through this work, we met individuals like Hershaw—an ER nurse and dog dad—and Lena—President of the Maryland Emergency Nurses Association and karaoke lover.

Static and video assets paired high-production content from the shoot with glimpses into healthcare workers’ day-to-day (like Tess raising chickens and Rosina dancing in the grocery store with her daughter). The point was to remind audiences the people behind hospital badges have full lives outside of their work and they deserve the same dignity and respect as anyone else.

Care Flows Both Ways ran across billboards and buses, radio, social media, and digital news platforms, all directing audiences to a dedicated landing page. The language was intentional. Care Flows Both Ways reflects the give-and-take at the heart of healthcare, while It Takes Patients quietly reminds people that patience matters too. Staying calm and respectful helps healthcare workers do what they’re there to do.

This campaign demonstrates how multichannel marketing can support healthcare systems in addressing real-world challenges. The award is a reflection of strong partnership, deep understanding of the audience, and a commitment to work that improves outcomes. We’re grateful to the Mid-Atlantic Patient Safety Center for their collaboration and trust, and excited about what’s possible when thoughtful strategy is paired with human insight.

“Thank you for taking the time to help with this campaign and especially [thinking] strategically about it.”

Mid-Atlantic Patient Safety Center