The HÄVG (Hausärztliche Vertragsgemeinschaft) supports the Deutscher Hausärzteverband by operating and managing the HZV – the Hausarztzentrierte Versorgung, a major nationwide care model that connects general practitioners, patients, and health insurers.

To strengthen communication with physicians, partners, and regional associations, the organisation needed a modern and professional marketing function — something it had never had before.

Marketing existed only in fragments:

• Sales created its own sales marketing.

• Customer service communicated for its own purposes.

• Regional associations communicated independently.

• The federal association also produced communication.
  
  

But nothing was aligned:

• no unified CI

• no central communication plan

• no shared priorities

• no clear ownership of messaging or channels
  
  

The result was a fragmented communication landscape with inconsistent signals — internally and externally.

Into this environment stepped one person, tasked by the board with building a marketing function from scratch.

To develop — from zero — a fully functional, scalable, and strategically anchored marketing department, capable of supporting:

• physicians

• patients

• MFAs

• regional associations

• federal-level initiatives

• and the entire communication for the HZV

And to do so with clear roles, transparent responsibilities, and a team structure that could grow sustainably.

The early phase was not about transforming the entire organisation.
It was about creating marketing from the ground up.

The first steps included:

• establishing social media channels

• building PR and agency relations

• conducting studies and research

• running focus groups with doctors, patients, and MFAs

• setting up a content and blog strategy

• developing physician-targeted LinkedIn formats

• building the new hzv.de website

All of this happened while the team had to be assembled in parallel.

From day one, teamdecoder played a central role.

1. Defining roles when there were no people yet

The marketing lead used teamdecoder to map all roles needed for a modern marketing function:

• technical & web competence

• social media

• content & editorial work

• design & graphics

• research & analytics

• campaign management

At the beginning: Many roles, very few people. teamdecoder made these gaps visible — and created the blueprint for growth.

2. Hiring with structural clarity

As new team members joined, roles could be filled one by one.
teamdecoder made it possible to:

• justify new hires

• define expectations

• show skill gaps

• track growing responsibilities

3. Prioritisation in an environment of constant overload

As a small team with a rapidly expanding mandate, clarity was essential:

• What can we do now?

• What can we not do yet?

• What would require more people?

• Which topics belong in the backlog or archive?

teamdecoder provided a transparent map of reality — including the things the team couldn’t take on yet.

Before launching teamdecoder, the marketing lead presented the structure in the organisation’s IT Board, where members of the executive board were present. The reaction was immediate:

“Why don’t all our teams work like this?”

For the first time, the board saw:

• all roles

• all responsibilities

• all projects

• all gaps

• all priorities

in a single, transparent system. This moment cemented marketing’s legitimacy — and demonstrated the power of structural clarity.

Even today, years later, the marketing department holds a monthly Campfire meeting using teamdecoder.

In these sessions the team:

• sharpens priorities

• identifies overload early

• adjusts focus across campaigns and target groups

• questions outdated responsibilities

• makes explicit what can be done now and what must wait

Campfire has become a continuing alignment ritual — essential for a growing team in a dynamic environment.

Outcome

1. From one person to an official department

The team grew steadily — guided by the structure in teamdecoder — until it became a formal marketing department with defined roles, workflows, and responsibilities.

2. A stronger position inside the organisation

The marketing department now has:

• a clear mandate

• recognisable value

• higher credibility

• a strong standing with the board

• alignment with regional and federal stakeholders

3. Integration into a larger organisational unit

Marketing is now part of a broader area together with Sales and Customer Service. teamdecoder is used to:

• identify overlaps

• clarify ownership

• structure cross-functional collaboration

— essential steps in reducing long-standing silos.

4. A confident team ready for its next stage

Thanks to years of role clarity, structured growth, and transparent prioritisation, the department is well-prepared to take on new responsibilities and position itself strongly within the larger organisational context.