Hospital and health system chief marketing officers told Becker's that to keep up with the changing landscape of the healthcare industry, marketing and communication leaders must take the lead in raising awareness to specific needs and challenges and drive strategic direction to address them effectively.
When asked about the biggest needs in marketing and communication departments, four chief marketing officers shared with Becker's five prominent problems accompanied by five innovative solutions they are employing to navigate the changing healthcare industry.
Problem: "There are disruptors around every corner," said Susan Jablonski, senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer at Columbus-based OhioHealth. In addition to prevalent disruptors such as provider burnout, physician shortages and the increased demand for healthcare services, Ms. Jablonski drew attention to the growing array of choices that diverse consumers are presented with when choosing a health system.
Solution: "Applying lessons learned from retail, finance and other industries that have faced these challenges for years," said Ms. Jablonski. Marketing and communication professionals must shift their mindsets to gain a fresh perspective of the healthcare industry, responding to the disruptive forces in a way marketing teams in other industries would. Healthcare systems cannot stray from the basics, ensuring all marketing tools and strategies are focused on demonstrating return, driving business and building loyalty, Ms. Jablonski told Becker's.
Problem: The constant stream of new platforms, technology and media can be overwhelming. As advancements in technology are accelerating faster than ever, the landscape of healthcare marketing is in a constant state of flux. Staying up to date with the introduction of new platforms, cutting-edge technology and evolving media channels requires dedicated effort, and it becomes especially overwhelming for smaller organizations, Amy Stevens, vice president of marketing and communications at Tidelands Health based in Georgetown, S.C., told Becker's.
Solution: Good communicators are the "secret sauce," said Ms. Stevens. Despite the ever-changing technological tools being introduced, a consistent tool marketing teams need to master for success is communication. The collective communication skills of a marketing department is the fundamental building block that allows teams to take advantage of the growing list of tools and platforms that become available, and it starts with being effective listeners first, Ms. Stevens told Becker's.
Problem: Health systems nationwide are feeling staffing and financial pressure from the pandemic. Hospitals and health systems faced never-before-seen financial challenges during the pandemic, and they are still battling to reverse the damage. 2022 marked the worst financial year for hospitals since the start of the pandemic, as the majority of hospitals experienced negative monthly margins in 11 months out of the year. Rising inflation, limited access to supplies and increased labor expenses are making marketing roles "more critical than ever," Jenny Collopy, vice president and chief marketing and communications officer of the Christ Hospital Health Network based in Cincinnati, told Becker's.
Solution: "Increase new patient volume, recruit top talent, and maintain high brand awareness and loyalty" are three damage control strategies Ms. Collopy told Becker's. Higher levels of new patient intake will help offset the increasing expenses of providing healthcare services with low reimbursement rates. Targeting and maintaining top talent will assist in providing the best care to patients, ideally resulting in stronger brand awareness and customer loyalty to increase patient retention.
Problem: "Marketing budgets are often the first to be cut," said Ms. Collopy. It is becoming more difficult, costly and time consuming for healthcare systems to meet customers where they are by providing necessary information and actionable steps. As marketing budgets are frequently the first to face budget reductions because the departments are not providing direct patient care, these tasks are becoming even more challenging for marketers, Ms. Collopy told Becker's.
Solution: Teams must be "grittier in all aspects." Marketing departments must be willing to embrace setbacks and think outside of the box to accomplish desired outcomes. Combating financial and time-intensive challenges requires employing strategic spending and effective time management. Optimizing spending and maximizing time efficiency will assist in more strategic problem-solving to stay level with or get ahead of competitors within their respective markets.
Problem: The needs of consumers are constantly changing, Christine Albert, chief experience officer at LCMC Health System based in New Orleans, told Becker's. Whether it be customer expectations for other industries infiltrating into healthcare or growing interests in must-have emerging technologies, evolving consumer demands and behavior are keeping hospitals and health system CMOs on their toes.
Solution: Focus on what will positively impact the organization's "bottom line," said Ms. Albert. It is crucial for marketing and communication leaders to stay updated on the dynamic needs of consumers and industry landscape, as they play an increasingly significant role in understanding these needs and effectively tailoring strategies to meet them. Ms. Albert listed three strategies to meet prevalent needs in the changing industry: utilize data to inform strategic decision-making, map out internal growth to improve care and organization culture, and create connections across high-touch and high-impact moments to cultivate meaningful relationships with target audiences.
"While it's challenging (and sometimes frustrating) it's also super exciting. We're stretching ourselves. We're exploring new areas. We're helping to reset the table and we have a seat at the table as consumerism continues to dominate our world," said OhioHealth's Ms. Jablonski.