Hospital marketing is now making a surprising shift. Due to a policy which binds a third of the healthcare facility’s Medicare reimbursements to patient satisfaction grades, there are hospitals who now use amenities similar to that of hotels to draw and indulge patients. Such extravagances though, do not ease the numerous different issues regarding hefty healthcare costs. Fortunately, there are modern hospital marketing techniques that you can use to improve access to healthcare services and at the same time establish a reputable, patient-centred brand.
Essential Points for Hospital Marketing
Hospital marketing can benefit both healthcare facilities and patients alike. Today though, direct mail magazines are no longer the popular messengers for consumers. Postcards and newsletters often make their way to the garbage without even getting read. Nowadays, people first visit the internet if they are looking for health related information. A lot go to Google and there are those who rely on reputable websites like WebMD or social media to get what they are looking for as well.
In the 21s century, hospital marketing has taken an unexpected turn. Here are some of the most effecting marketing strategies that you can use today and the ways you can optimally benefit not just the hospital but the community as well.
Make Social Media a Priority. Hospitals are especially sluggish when it comes it adopting to social media. However, these outlets are amazingly effective and not to mention free portals to connect to potential patients. Throughout industries, marketing departments spend only a sixth of their total budgets on social media but 8 out of 10 of them consider social media as the foremost effective digital channel.
Those who engage in hospital marketing must look at Mayo Clinic for inspiration in terms of developing a social media practical strategy. Mayo Clinic’s Center for Social Media was unique from the rest. The globally renowned medical company also operates a YouTube channel which features doctor interviews, how-to video content and stories regarding regular folks getting care. People receive eyewitness accounts of the Mayo Clinic experience, from checking-in to getting follow-up care. It is a more effective way of acquainting patients regarding their health and at the same positions the Mayo Clinic as a global authority when it comes to care.
Boost Content Marketing. Almost 8 out of ten online users rely on the internet for answer to their health queries. For this reason, it makes complete sense for hospitals and healthcare facilities to boost their content generation.
Cleveland Clinic is one of the pioneers of content marketing in the health industry. Its Health Hub provides visitors with a wide array of health tips and topics, doctor’s blog posts and professional Q&As. Its physicians and other healthcare providers offer special content and online users have arrived in hordes. From the time of its launching in May 2012, the website has garnered traffic numbers more than a hundred thousand visitors monthly.
Participate in Community Health. The United States Department of Health and Human Services allocates hundreds of millions dollars for community health projects connected with the Affordable Care Act. If hospitals embrace this model for hospital marketing, they can benefit not just the community but enhance mindshare as well.
Alina Health, one of the pioneers of community health projects, gave donations to programs that enhance environmental and social conditions. These include community gardening, better transportation and nutrition awareness for pupils. Kaiser Permanente, for its part, discovered that schools are one of the best avenues to connect with the community and must be considered as a branch of the delivery system.
Try to foster partnerships with interested parties in a community like schools and centres for elder care. Establish an outreach program that caters health issues that are relevant to the community. These include enhancing availability of health care, strengthening preventive services, handling chronic illnesses and providing behavioral health initiatives.
Try Applying these Points in your Hospital Marketing Strategy
Almost every hospital in America is trying to get their hands on the latest health care technologies. Sadly though, only a few would invest in effective marketing. Find out whether or not your hospital might be missing on the marketing side. If it is, determine how it’s lagging behind and use these three essential points for hospital marketing mentioned above. It will surely help your goals and objectives and the community as well.