How health systems can translate their physical access approach into digital catchment strategies
A core, governing business rule that all health system leaders must address is building and maintaining a footprint that effectively serves their organization’s identified communities and populations. This is the core of a catchment strategy: determining the mechanisms used to “catch” patients. Health systems have historically split their catchment efforts between two primary categories: physical clinical care sites and marketing strategies that drive awareness of the system and generate traffic to their facilities. As the modern consumer is turning more to digital solutions to meet their healthcare needs, strategies for driving awareness and traffic require not only a well-established physical footprint, but also a diversified online presence.
Today’s consumer takes an active approach to health-related decisions. They are empowered with an abundance of information and choice, taking the time to build confidence and validate their buying decisions. Digital resources have an increasing influence on the consumer journey, with 77% of online health inquiries starting with online search.1 Creating a digital footprint offers a unique opportunity to increase access, inform resource deployment, and ultimately, drive patient volume and growth.
Hospitals are now challenged to have a deep understanding of the consumer journey and a compelling set of digital tools to captivate consumers. With digital marketing approaching peak utilization, health systems continue to struggle with their ideal online channel mix. How do you determine the best allocation of resources to converge physical access with digital efforts? This answer will allow you to effectively reach active consumers online and optimize your digital catchment area.
Connecting with current and potential patients during their online decision-making journey
There is no typical healthcare consumer. Each person has varied and complex needs, with assorted preferences, values, and attitudes towards healthcare. With such a wide spectrum of sentiments, the advantage goes to the health system that has tactics in place to identify, reach, and engage this highly selective consumer. For a successful digital catchment strategy, healthcare leaders need to allocate resources to marketing channels that deliver on the following three steps.
Identifying the consumer
A digital catchment strategy allows you to undertake precision marketing. Marketers should divide consumers into groups and personalize messages that best resonate with their differing value sets and discerning preferences. Psychographic segments create an opportunity for the provider to maximize the effectiveness of their interactions and tailor their approach to each unique set of needs.
For example, a consumer that likes to weigh options and explore alternatives wouldn’t benefit from tools or messages that fail to offer choices. Alternately, a consumer that prefers to take direction would be more likely to engage with authoritative content that provides guidance. Understanding the varied backgrounds and experiences of consumers will help you segment them into like-minded groups and influence the ideal methods of engagement for each.
For organizations that are looking to break into consumer segmentation, make sure you get a complete picture of in-house marketing data. What sources of consumer and customer data are available? Where is it, and how do you access it?
Data sources outside of marketing may also be available to better understand customer and market opportunities. Reach out to your IT, finance, human resources, medical records, and population health department to get them on board and integrate their data.
If it feels overwhelming, start small. Consider the differences between patients that are highly engaged, versus those who prefer not to interact with a provider until absolutely necessary. Moving towards this consumer-centric approach helps marketers focus on the different incentives that drive behavior change for each segment.
Reaching the consumer
Once the target segments and their motivations have been identified, information must be delivered or made accessible to them. Marketers often feel that it can be a shot in the dark determining which digital channels and tactics to deploy. This is because catchment strategies and digital marketing efforts must converge in a meaningful way to drive the most value for the health system. To determine the best allocation of resources to digital strategies and tactics, consider the following:
- Reach. What percentage of the target audience can I talk to through this particular channel?
- Cost. How much of the budget does the hospital need to dedicate to this channel?
- Control. What levers does the hospital pull to engage with consumers and patients and create traction?
- Attribution. Who is responding through the channel and what is the next step in the funnel?
Healthcare consumers are searching for credibility and validation. Almost three-quarters (72%) of patients use online reviews as their first step in finding a new doctor.2
Yet, most hospitals are focused primarily on their website and social media presence, and a much smaller percentage focus on online reputation management. Facebook and Google AdWords are popular advertising outlets, but consumer health websites are overlooked. F. Brian Whitman, President at Corrigan, believes a diversified online strategy is necessary to reach the curious consumer.
“Healthcare has always been behind retail in strategically understanding, engaging and converting customers. But with the rise of consumerism hospitals and healthcare systems must now look for targeted engagement strategies that cultivate a relationship with potential customers—where the customer is online."
It’s useful to compared Cost-Per-Click (CPC) and conversion rates across executed campaigns, which can help determine how direct mail, social media, paid search, and other types of marketing perform. The impact of these tactics can change based on a wide array of variables, including call-to-action (CTA), message, service, and demand.
With a limited resources, it’s easy to view different digital marketing channels as competing options for budget spend. Planning these channels in concert, as well as utilization of a CRM to store metrics and data, will yield the most value for the system.
Once the right set of tactics is in place, the consumer benefits from the accessible information guidance and touch-points along their decision-making journey.
Engaging the Consumer
After identifying and segmenting the target market and expanding your online presence, the next step is to engage the consumer and inspire them to take action. Look at the consumer segments and appeal to the motivations that drive behavior change for each. For instance, individuals who take an active role in managing their care would likely engage with a message offering proactive, health-focused tips.
Personalization of content is key to influencing behavior change. Engaging consumers requires an emotional and logical connection to their needs. What are the goals of your consumer? How does your organization help them accomplish those goals? Tailor the marketing message to relate to consumer needs and make sure to evolve digital engagement over time.
Driving behavior change can also be accomplished by providing tools that enhance the consumer’s experience. Online appointment scheduling is likely to appeal to consumers who place a high value on convenience. Online reputation management should also be considered, as Healthgrades’ research shows that consumers are 82% more likely to schedule an appointment with a provider that has a clear photo, care philosophy, detailed insurance information, and positive reviews. Establishing a reputation for improving consumer experiences will increase engagement and loyalty.
Laying the foundation for the digital footprint
Serving the needs of the digital consumer requires a diversified set of marketing tactics that establish the providers online presence and footprint. Taking advantage of enhanced digital asset tools and strategically distributing media across multiple channels can catch the consumer where they are searching to provide a simplified, informed decision-making journey. Health systems will increase engagement, establish a strong digital presence, and inspire consumer loyalty.
With the majority of consumers turning to digital solutions to meet their healthcare needs, health systems must invest in digital marketing channels that effectively connect with their target audience and yield the most value in return.
Consumer needs will continue to shift as technology evolves and matures. A well-executed digital catchment strategy requires an investment in a unique online channel mix that can be leveraged to understand your consumer, guide them with the information they’re seeking, and engage them with an accessible, positive experience. The idea of a geographic footprint needs to grow to include the digital space, and health systems should embrace the opportunity to meet organizational goals with a more engaged and satisfied patient.
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1 2016 Google/Millward Brown Digital “Path to Treatment” study. http://www.liftconversions.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Partners_Healthcare_OneSheeter_v5.pdf
2 Loria, G. (2016) How Patients Use Online Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.softwareadvice.com/resources/how-patients-use-online-reviews/