Can Digital Technology Breathe New Life into Healthcare Marketing?
Digital technology may be changing the way patients seek healthcare today, but it can also help healthcare organizations survive and thrive in the new patient landscape. New digital tools and technology are at healthcare marketers’ fingertips, but is the conservative healthcare industry accepting these helpful aids? Luckily, a new online study of healthcare marketers called Healthcare Study: Organizing Marketing in the Digital Age from Econsultancy, in partnership with Ogilvy CommonHealth and OgilvyRED, examined the current trends and tactics of healthcare organizations in the digital age. econsultancy.com shared the results of this healthcare check-up.
3 Reasons Why Healthcare Marketers May Seek the Aid of Digital Technology
While many industries are open to innovation, healthcare isn’t always one of them. But the study found three important areas that are opening the eyes and minds of healthcare marketing professionals:
- 75% of survey respondents said that changing patient behavior in the use of digital technology for healthcare research and access is making personalization and targeting much more rewarding.
- 58% believed that the rise of the digital healthcare provider will significantly affect healthcare marketing over the next two years.
- 52% thought that new digital sources of patient behavioral data and treatment will impact healthcare marketing.
Healthcare is Not Treating Marketing Technology Seriously Enough
While many healthcare organizations are making good use of digital marketing technology like web analytics and social measurement, far too many are not. The survey showed that:
- 71% are using web or mobile analytics
- 60% are using content management systems
- 54% are using social media measurement
- 39% are using multichannel campaign management
- 37% are using testing and optimization
- 33% are using data management platforms
- 33% are using marketing automation
- 26% are using personalization
Preparation is the Problem
Digital data sources can provide a wealth of patient information, but most healthcare marketers are just not prepared to use them. Some struggle with staying up to date on the latest digital sources, while others think it’s too challenging to change their conventional practices. According to the study, healthcare organizations reported their current levels of digital data preparedness:
- 66% were unprepared to implement emerging data sources into their marketing to gain patient insight.
- 53% were not prepared to collect and manage high volumes of data rapidly.
- 44% were unprepared to acquire and implement patient data from existing digital data sources like medical databases and CRM.
- 37% were not prepared to create proper privacy policies for gathering and using patient data.
Even though many healthcare professionals are not making the most of digital data tactics and tools, it’s never to late to start integrating and implementing these vital digital technologies.
Discover how digital technology can help revive healthcare marketing. Contact MDG.
MDG, a full-service advertising agency with offices in Boca Raton and New York, NY, is one of Florida’s top healthcare marketing companies and branding firms, whose healthcare clients include Dental Care Alliance, MDVIP, Max Planck Florida Institute, HCA East Florida, Primary Pharmaceuticals, and MD Now. MDG’s core capabilities include branding, logo design, print advertising, digital marketing, mobile marketing, email marketing, media planning and buying, radio and TV advertising, outdoor, newspaper, video marketing, infographic development, website design and development, content marketing, social media marketing, and SEO. To learn more about the latest trends in healthcare marketing, contact MDG.