Patients, Come Back to Healthcare

Let’s face it – the pandemic has changed everything, for everyone in almost every industry. Marketing has been shifted, adapted or frankly non-existent over the last two months for many companies.

I saw some of these changes happen first hand. One day, I was working on local marketing plans and community events, then the next day I was cancelling everything. Marketing responsibilities shifted overnight and before I knew it, I was running around the hospitals posting signage for all the new COVID-19 policies in place.

Marketers are used to shifting, adapting and evolving, but this is different. Many industries aren’t just changing for the moment, but are changing to a “new normal” for good. I believe healthcare is one of these industries that will vastly change in the months and years to come.

Today, one major question comes to mind. How do we bring back all of those patients we told to stay away with the signage plastered in the parking lot, windows and doors? In all my free time (still on a stay at home order, as I write this), I’ve spend some time researching and thinking about this topic. Here are a few marketing strategy ideas:

The messenger matters

The key to effective messaging lies within the messenger. Hospitals need to have a messenger that can express the urgency necessary. Per Jarrad Inc., one a scale of one to 10, when asked how safe patients feel when going to a medical facility, the average was 5.4. Patients don’t feel safe yet, but messaging from a trusted voice can help with reassurance.

Clear and consistent messaging is important, but the voice is vital. Ideally, a physician is the most trusted voice when it comes to healthcare messaging. However, I know how hard it can be to track down a physician. An alternative trusted voice is a health system or hospital spokesperson. Patients should be familiar with this spokesperson in various forms of media and regard them as trustworthy when providing healthcare messaging. 

Another way to keep your hospital top of mind is to utilize your sponsorship with local personalities and celebrities. Note, these should not be the individuals delivering specific hospital messaging, but rather sharing stories of great experiences and expressing gratitude. Reiterating the brand and safe image of the hospital.

 The digital connection

Since the start of the pandemic, it’s likely patient’s behavior and media consumption has changed. From a personal perspective, I know my digital media consumption is much higher than it was previously. As digital consumption increases, it’s important to make sure you are leveraging your social media and website. 

According to Response Mine Health, websites need to be optimized including cities or zip codes served. When potential patients are frantically searching “hospitals near me” because their husband cut his hand while working on the latest DIY project at home, you want to be the first hospital to show up in the search.

It’s also a great time to evaluate your social media strategies. Social media is a great way to demonstrate the safety of the hospital. Share when services are open and preventative measures in place. Make sure you are providing not only COVID-19 updates, but helpful tips and tricks. We are all looking for ways to stay healthy and sane in our homes, so it’s a great time for healthcare organizations to become a trusted resource. Lastly, pay attention to the comments and messages on social media. If we know what patients are asking or looking for, we can create content relevant to them.

The art of personalization

Personalized safety communication is needed to address patient concerns. Now, I understand personalization can be a sticky tactic when it comes to health care. However, it can be effective in the right circumstance. First things first, no violating HIPPA rules or including any PHI.

Make sure ads are targeted. Let’s take direct mail for an example, patients should be receiving ads including the locations closest to them with relevant messaging including what that location is doing to ensure safety. This is also a great opportunity to include a quote from a patient story about their experience (non COVID-19) to show that others have begun visiting this location for additional healthcare needs.

Ads should include relatable images - physicians, nurses and patients in masks and at least six feet away from each other. I know this isn’t an easy feat and new photos aren’t as accessible during this time, but I think this needs to be considered on all new ads distributed to patients.

Finally, look into how your patients want to receive communications. Per a consumer data report from NRC Health, 56% of consumers would actually prefer to receive COVID-19 information from their physician via email. Physician offices should also be sending emails to patients, personalized to the location they frequent, with clear messaging on safety and relevant images.

We have a long road ahead to a “new normal” for healthcare, but step one is to get patients in the door. They will see that the hospital is actually safer and cleaner than some of the first places they will visit when the stay at home order is up. The next 3 to 6 months will be critical in bringing patients and revenue back to health systems. I think if we stay transparent and empathetic, while continuing to advertise the strengths of our hospitals, we will get there. One last shout out to the Touch Point Podcast, for including some of the resources referenced and always providing unique perspectives in their podcasts. Stay strong healthcare marketers!