As we jog steadily towards 2023, the healthcare industry has yet another calendar year of challenges, opportunities, and innovations under its belt.
In light of all that the last two years have thrown in its way, one area of the industry has seen a sharp increase in adaptation and investment as it contends with the new normal: marketing.
In this blog, we’ll break down a few of the most pressing trends in healthcare marketing, explain why they matter, and show how you can ensure your marketing efforts are keeping pace with your competitors.
The Digital Transformation Marches On
Besides “The New Normal” and “COVID-19,” perhaps no other headline has dominated healthcare more than “Digital Transformation” in the past few years. And for good reason.
In times of talent shortages and increased competition, digital transformation has become a key differentiator—and hospitals are paying attention.
In an effort to improve operational efficiency, we’re seeing investment increases in healthcare marketing and patient experience technologies like CRMs, chatbots, online appointment booking, and more.
While ramping up technology adoption is only picking up steam industry-wide, there is still plenty of opportunity for organizations to plant their feet in the ground and separate themselves from the competition. For example, a recent healthcare marketing survey showed that, among healthcare organizations, “47% still do not use a customer relationship management (CRM) solution.”
Investing in digital transformation initiatives is also increasingly important to healthcare consumers. Today, consumers expect a smooth, convenient, and digital experience when seeking appointments. A report from Kyruus shows that a whopping 40% of people changed providers solely to get an appointment sooner, and 46% indicated “speed of access” as a key reason when choosing between providers.
Personalization
As the average American becomes more of an active consumer in their healthcare decisions, personalization has become a business imperative.
Today’s care journey has become increasingly focused and specialized toward the individual, boosting both patient engagement and outcomes and reducing easily avoidable healthcare costs.
Serving as just one example, Duke Health recently leveraged personalized outreach to drive participation in its smoking cessation program. Because they delivered personalized content to the right people, they saw a sizeable 30%-35% success rate among enrollees, and over a thousand patients requested program information.
Targeted messaging, great content, and an informed understanding of the customer journey for any particular service will continue to be key for healthcare organizations in 2023.
Website User Experience (UX)
If we had to pick one trend to pay the most attention to in the coming months, it would probably be this. As the use of smartphones and other devices only increases, the difference between a website that engages and converts and one that confuses and deters is paramount in today’s landscape.
Just like when shopping for shoes or the best cast-iron skillet, patients desire an optimized user experience when visiting your healthcare organization’s website. You simply can’t afford for someone to land on your page, be confused or frustrated, and leave your site for another—and this reaction can take only seconds.
Your website should be easy to navigate, pleasant to look at, reflect your brand accurately, and provide information in a clear and accessible manner. More than just helping potential patients, a cutting-edge site that has a smooth experience for scheduling appointments (as just one example) can be a tremendous relief for your administrative staff as well.
Here’s a great guide on website UX fundamentals from LinkedIn*
Hire Your Next Healthcare Marketing All-Star Today
At Healthcare Recruiters International (HCRI), we intimately understand how critical talented healthcare marketing professionals are for your business. Our specialized marketing recruiters wield over 350 years of experience helping organizations like yours hire the best and brightest across the country. Contact us today to learn how we can do it for you.