“Ultimately, consumers will have deep respect for a truly demanding brand: one that pushes them towards taking action that — while painful — they know to be right.”
Certainly health systems face different business challenges than most consumer-directed businesses. Healthcare providers can’t achieve their missions if the alienate individuals who don’t want to be prodded into maintaining healthier lifestyles. Instead, these are the individuals that health systems will need to most engage.
However, the idea of demanding brands is useful to some extent. If healthcare providers were a bit more demanding of their patients’ behaviors, would the patients have greater respect for the provider, and be more inclined to demonstrate healthy behaviors?
Most people can think of a teacher or boss who demanded greatness from them. I think of my high school chemistry teacher, the toughest teacher I’ve ever had, even more so than graduate school professors! He challenged every student, and I never worked harder or felt more accomplished than when I’d ace one of his tests (only possible after the curve).
Perhaps patients would feel compelled to similarly give their best effort to providers who demanded it from them?
Certainly physicians need to be sensitive to patients and their challenges, but part of me wonders if physicians don’t demand enough of their patients now. Do they really push them to lose weight, or is it casually mentioned? The same goes for giving up smoking. Hopefully the introduction of patient-centered medical homes and payments tied to population health will improve this, but until then, perhaps providers could learn a thing or two from demanding brands.
