Special to
L’Observateur

LUTCHER — St. James Parish Hospital was recently awarded a Gold Aster Marketing Award, published in June’s edition of Marketing Healthcare Today, a national healthcare marketing magazine.

St. James Parish Hospital’s Community Benefit Report, earning a Gold level score above 95, which placed it in the top five percent of the nation, was the entry recognized.

The winning entry was created as an annual report, written and designed in a “storybook” format, which is mailed to residents each fall to summarize the many community health improvement activities and expansions St. James Parish Hospital leads.

The 2014 Aster Awards received nearly 3,000 entries from across the United States as well as Canada and South America.

“The creativity of this year’s health care marketing professionals continues to be at an all-time high,” Melinda Lucas, Aster Awards program coordinator, said. “The 2014 Aster Awards Program contained some of the best advertising arguably in the world.”

Kassie Roussel, St. James Parish Hospital director of marketing, said earning national distinction in marketing is wonderful for St. James small hospital, but “we are even more proud of the piece that won.”

“Our annual Community Benefit Report highlights the many ways we truly live our mission as a community hospital,” she said.