The healthcare train is speeding down the tracks. Many hospitals and other healthcare systems over the past few years have been rushing to implement EHRs (electronic health records) but they may have left one key passenger behind: the patient.
These days patients enter the healthcare world with a sense of dread way beyond their actual health concerns. They feel the system has left the station without them.
Effective healthcare marketing shifts from the traditional advertising concept of "convincing people to buy something" towards changing engaging the patient in the medical process. Understanding this key shift works towards getting patients back on the train and away from the platform.
This forward motion towards patient engagement is exciting and dynamic. It involves portals, apps, and electronic communication methods to facilitate interactions between doctors and patients. This had improved interactions during and after visits, but few companies are considering the span of time when there is no one-time or on-going direct interaction. This creates a vacuum in the industry.
Healthcare marketing isn't about changing patients' attitudes about a single interaction, it is about changing their minds about all interactions. How can the system interact with patients when they're not sick? How can consumers they feel so familiar with providers that they welcome engagement?
That is where marketing comes in.
As the healthcare technology increases, effective outreach efforts can create a sense of relationship. Crafting a feeling of familiarity with both the new technology as well as the traditional medical interactions will bring patients onboard. Connect and stay connected, and they can ride the rails in comfort, with peace of mind.
Jay Johnson is CEO of Five Minute Productions, a revenue accountable marketing strategy and development company. Follow them on Twitter or Linkedin for more articles about marketing.
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