Ramsay Health Care has appointed Karen Phipson to a newly created role of general manager, marketing and patient experience. The position builds marketing into a strategic growth capability as part of the company’s transformation under Group CEO and managing director Natalie Davis.
Phipson has joined Ramsay in the newly created role, reporting to chief commercial officer, Andrew Coombs. Her remit brings together brand, patient and referrer marketing, digital, patient experience and demand generation.
Phipson joins from Life Without Barriers, where she was executive general manager, marketing and communications. She has more than 20 years’ experience across marketing, sales, customer strategy and commercial transformation, including senior roles at Australian Unity Home Health and Optus.
The appointment comes as Ramsay strengthens its focus on growth in local hospital catchments, more connected patient, GP and specialist journeys, and a more measurable marketing capability.
Coombs said marketing would play an increasingly important role in Ramsay’s growth strategy.
“Our intention is to build marketing as a growth capability that improves patient experience, strengthens connections with patients, GPs and specialists, supports growth in our local hospital catchments and creates measurable commercial value,” he said.
“Ultimately, that means making it easier for people to find and access the right care when they need it. Karen’s experience across customer, commercial growth and transformation makes her well placed to lead that next phase.”
Phipson said the opportunity to make healthcare easier to navigate was a key attraction of the role.
“Healthcare decisions can be some of the most important people make, but they can also be some of the hardest to navigate. The opportunity is to make it easier for patients to understand their options and access care with greater confidence, while demonstrating the commercial value marketing can create,” she said.
“Ramsay has significant scale, trusted relationships with doctors and patients, and a clear ambition for the future. Marketing can help connect those strengths through better journeys, stronger engagement and a more consistent patient experience.”
