The Crucial Role of Marketing in Hospital Virtual Care Success

by Jairus Marketing | May 12, 2023 | B2C / HCP

Last year, nearly a quarter of U.S. patients used telehealth services – a dramatic increase from pre-pandemic utilization of 5%.¹ It’s a trend that the healthcare industry predicts will continue, and for good reason: Patients like it.

While patient demand for hybrid care grows, many hospitals struggle to fully capitalize on the opportunity. The right marketing strategy helps hospitals scale existing telehealth services and lays the foundation for future program expansion by meeting patients exactly where they want to be: Online. Dive into the case for increasing emphasis on virtual care and marketing’s role in that process:

Understanding the evolution of virtual care in the U.S.

In a 2022 survey from JD Power, 94% of respondents who had utilized telehealth services in the past year indicated that they intended to do so again.² In the same survey, patients cited three key benefits behind their preference for telehealth: Convenience, speed of care and access to health information.

An infographic showing the reasons patients prefer telehealth services: convenience, speed of care, and access to health information.

While much of telehealth adoption has centered around primary care in recent years, the shift to virtual care is one hospitals can’t afford to ignore either, especially in the face of continuing provider shortages (which the American Hospital Association predicts will reach a deficit of 124,000 physicians by 2033) and increasing cost of care. Beyond primary care, more providers are turning to telehealth for other medical services – from mental health to physical therapy and management of chronic conditions.³

An infographic showing services patients prefer telehealth for: common illnesses, follow-up visits, talk therapy, chronic disease management, and physical therapy.

How digital marketing can help hospitals capitalize on virtual care as a growing revenue stream

A July 2022 survey found that Gen Zers – those between ages 12 and 26 – are currently the fast-growing users of telehealth care4 with lower cost of care cited as a top reason.5 But other generations also see high rates of utilization – including older adults. In 2021, the CDC reported that 43% of adults age 65 and over had used telemedicine in the last year.

That widespread usage further highlights the opportunity virtual care presents as a driver of new patient visits for hospitals that adopt and market telehealth programs correctly. Digital marketing plays an integral role in doing so, allowing healthcare organizations to more effectively target patients, streamline intake processes and measure overall impact of those efforts on revenue goals (bonus: it’s often more cost-effective than traditional marketing too!)

Given patients already turn to digital platforms for health information (Google fields nearly a billion health-related questions daily6), hospitals that implement an omnichannel marketing strategy have a significant advantage – especially when it comes to virtual care. The patient experience, from first touch point to point-of-care to post-visit followup can be digitally seamless, providing unprecedented insights into patient behaviors that drive revenue growth and positioning hospital marketing departments to pinpoint ROI like never before.

Doing so effectively means laying a strong foundation for your organization’s digital presence with search engine optimization and a content strategy, layered with engagement-driven outreach on the organic and digital ad channels already used by your patient population.

Interested in learning how digital healthcare marketing can help your hospital better reach patients, drive service line growth and meet revenue goals? Let us know.

Sources

1. https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/digital/what-expect-telehealth-2023-here-are-5-predictions
2. https://mhealthintelligence.com/news/patients-indicate-high-levels-of-satisfaction-following-telehealth-use#:~:text=At%20the%20beginning%20of%20the,it%20to%20in%2Dperson%20care.
3. https://www.singlecare.com/blog/telehealth-survey/
4. https://www.pymnts.com/healthcare/2022/the-data-point-16-percent-youthful-generation-z-use-telehealth-leading-all-age-groups/#:~:text=Starting%20out%20in%20life%20and,so%2C%E2%80%9D%20the%20study%20stated.
5. https://www.insiderintelligence.com/chart/252784/what-top-reasons-using-planning-use-telehealth-services-according-us-telehealth-users-of-respondents-by-generation-oct-2021
6. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/google-receives-more-than-1-billion-health-questions-every-day.html

6 Stats for Winning Over Physicians with Digital Health Tools

by Jairus Marketing | Apr 19, 2023 | B2B / Medtech

Physicians are increasingly recognizing the advantages of using digital tools and technology to support patient healthcare. A recent digital health report by the American Medical Association spotlights shifting physician attitudes toward digital health solutions over the past six years. For medtech companies and those marketing to physicians, this research provides new insights and opportunities for strategic initiative and audience development tactics.

Here are six notable statistics from the study that can guide medtech companies and physician marketers in their marketing efforts:

Statistic #1 | Closing the Gap Between Digital Tools and Patient Care

From 2016 to 2022, both primary care providers (PCPs) and physician specialists in all age groups grew in affinity for digital health solutions – a continual increase from 85% to 93%. Medtech companies employing digital outreach strategies to reach their target decision-makers can leverage this trend to increase digital literacy and enhance engagement with online messaging and marketing efforts.

Statistic #2 | An Inside Look Into Digital Utilization

Among the 1,300 physicians surveyed, the average number of digital tools increased from 2.2 to 3.8. This figure remained consistent across age groups, gender, and years of practice. Furthermore, those who were particularly enthusiastic about adopting technology used an average of 4.2 digital tools for their practice operations. These statistics highlight that physicians are increasingly moving towards digital solutions in their practices, and it can be safely assumed that this pattern extends beyond professional settings.

Statistic #3 | Characterizing the Digital User

The physician groups with the highest interest in digital tools include practices that are mid-to-large-sized, partially owned, in a multi-specialty setting, and those offering primary care services. Medtech companies who can activate their physician marketing strategy now have the opportunity to capitalize on this current interest with these audience segments..

Statistic #4 | Top Drivers of Digital Adoption

The three most persuasive benefits of digital health solutions include:

Improved patient outcomes (88%)
Streamlined workflow (88%)
Stronger diagnostic capabilities (83%)

Knowing the value propositions that resonate with each audience can help marketing teams focus on associated pain points and offer powerful solutions to address them.

Statistic #5 | Roadblocks to Digital Engagement

In addition to identifying what your audience does want in their ideal health solution, an equally important strategy is understanding what your audience doesn’t want. The three highest ranking red flags in digital tools include:

Tools that do not improve the standard of care (80%)
Additional training requirements (78%)
Any device presented without peer-reviewed research confirmation (73%)

These key elements will be hurdles if they are not cleared before employing your medtech go-to-market strategy.

Statistic #6 | Pinpointing The Decision-Maker

Despite growing interest in digital tools and health solutions, physicians prefer the passenger seat in the decision-making process. Overall, there was an 11% decline in physicians interested in spearheading these initiatives – most would rather be consulted or simply informed. Historically, physicians took the wheel for these decisions – now, the best audience may be other leaders in the same practice. However, sole practice owners remain the most invested in this process, with 27% more interest than partial owners. Physician marketers must carefully consider how this information impacts targeting efforts and suggest strategy shifts.

These are just some of the insights provided from this study. Meanwhile, the team of marketing experts at Jairus specializes in being on the leading edge of medtech market research and go-to-market strategy like this as we provide successful outcomes for our clients every day. We’d be pleased to meet with you to discuss how we can partner with you to elevate your medtech marketing efforts. Let’s talk.