instantly health

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay An interesting question, isn't it? Across other industries, patients are exposed to and familiar with brand content that tells a story across different industries. Brands write compelling content that weaves a story giving the reader the answers to the "why us" reasons. As an industry, we need to move more fully into developing compelling content that engages and frames the patient's experience. And that means storytelling assumes greater importance. After all, when one looks at the hospital and health system advertising, it's still the shiny new building, panoramic views from the rooftop terrace of lounge, smiling doctors, award logos, or trophies and modern equipment. But does that meet the needs of the healthcare consumer or patient?   Those activities do not lend themselves to online or social media very much, where people are 41 percent of the time looking for information on the healthcare provider online. And with all the m...

Image by Kristin Riemer from Pixabay Where did 2021 go? It was a challenging year for providers with changes in reimbursement, a pandemic that continues unabated, innovations in care delivery away from the hospital, innovative new competitors, and significant declines in revenues. I am glad that it’s ending. I will not go into the litany of good and adverse events for 2021. The news organizations and others will all do their year-in-review pieces. It should be interesting to see what they choose to publish or broadcast. It was a good year from a blog writer’s perspective. I had what seemed to be a never-ending flow of topics. I di start a new feature in some of the posts called “Lessons from the Field,” which were well received. Topics ranged from characteristics of success for mid-sized healthcare vendors, leadership, and operations to new ways to look at markets.  Image by Alexas Fotos from Pixabay I am thankful and appreciative of you for taking the time to spend it with me fro...

Permission check image by Tumisu from Pixabay. Provider marketing is challenging, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a medical practice, home health agency, Ambulatory Surgical Center, hospital, or health system. With the HIPAA Privacy Rule and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance in Europe (read up if you’re not familiar), things are only going to be more challenging. Apple made user privacy and data control changes with the IOS 14 update , allowing individuals to stop Apps from tracking activity. Add in that browser cookies are a thing of the past; 2022 is shaping up as the year patients take control of their privacy and data. Your ability to digitally market to patients has changed. But that does not mean you can’t be effective. Job number one is now ensuring that patient privacy is protected. And from my point of view, there is a way around these patient control challenges. It’s about doing what you are allowed to in the spirit of the regulations and becoming the...

I mage by StartUpStockPhotos from Pixabay Well, I am trying something new. Beginning with the end of the month in October 2021, I recapped the posts published in the month, with a post summary and clickable links for each in one place. This way, if you missed a post or wanted to reread one, the months’ published content is in one easy-to-find place. During October, we looked at why providers need to market core values, moving to one view of the patient to the hospital system and vis versa and finished with removing ageism from healthcare marketing. I’ll be honest, and I am not sure if it will be of benefit for you, but I’m giving it a try anyway. As the saying goes, “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Image by Peter Linforth from Pixabay. October 5 - Why Healthcare Providers & Vendors Need to Market Core Values https://bit.ly/3DdD6Mz In the latest Healthcare Business & Marketing Insights blog post, I explore why healthcare providers and vendors consider marketing organizati...

Bitcoin image by Petre Barlea from Pixabay Cryptocurrency (Crypto) is a popular dizzying array, for the most part, of non-government regulated currency. With wildly fluctuating values, crypto is gaining more adherents each day and uses for paying bills. While not yet every day in healthcare, providers have started to accept digital currency for medical bills.  The hospitals that are known to accept cryptocurrency can be primarily found in the medical tourism industry. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano (ADA), Binance Coin (BNB), Tether, Solana, XRP, Dogecoin, Polkadot (DOT), and USD (USDC) are some of the more popular cryptocurrencies as outlined by SoFi Learn in “Understanding the Different Types of Cryptocurrency,” September 17, 2021.   CryptoSlate has compiled a list of 21 Healthcare Cryptocurrencies that you may wish to review, including performance along six dimensions. Ethereum image by WorldSpectrum from Pixabay. Now it is true that few counties have declared cryptocurrency t...

  Gay pride image by naemi_a from Pixabay And meet their healthcare needs in the process. In an interesting article wittier by Eric Burger in PRWeek on September 22 nd , “ More than one-third of LGBTQ individuals say healthcare companies don’t understand them. The data comes from a study by CMI Media Group with Wells Fargo and Human Rights Campaign.” If you’re a healthcare marketer, I would suggest that you read the article and consider how you can become the champion in your provider setting to change the narrative internally and in your community. You can’t market what you don’t understand. That is the issue given the scant attention in most healthcare providers who ignore the LGBTQ+ community. Political and religious views aside, failure to understand and create those marketing communications messages, content, and appropriate LGBTQ+ friendly images is a deal-breaker. I don’t think it’s necessarily intentional. Still, as healthcare marketers focus on traditional markets, i...

Idea image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay. The title, in a nutshell, explains why so much hospital marketing is features based, not a value proposition, brand promise, experience or benefits to the patients based. Ponder that statement for a minute. Now review some of your advertising and messaging- all about your beautiful facilities and locations, your technology for diagnosing and treating disease, third-party awards, how much you care about the patient, even specialized medical services that few people need. Hospital marketing, in that case, is focused on the Board, senior management, and medical staff with all the points they hold near and dear to their hearts.  Cold and soulless, these messages are devoid of meaning for the patient yet allow senior management to pat themselves on the back for a great job of building facilities. Other hospitals and health systems in the market take the same approach with a slightly different spin. And then you hear from the medical staff with...

  Image by Tumisu from Pixabay  One of the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic are that patient experience, how it's managed and communicated, how expectations are set and experienced by patients are the new normal.     Hospitals have been required to communicate efficiently and effectively what the patient experience is in light of COVID-19 restrictions, revised procedures, and general interactions.  I have to say, the answer to the headline is yes and no. I have seen major health systems change their marketing to reflect the new normal in the patient's experience, mask-wearing, telemedicine, alternative site care, etc. From the website to messaging and communications, the "new normal," positive experience and expectations are being established.  I'd also have to say no, as many community-independent and unaffiliated hospitals are still heavily invested in the features approach to marketing and communicating to patients. Telling the "all about us" story ...

Are you telling your patients what they want to hear, or are telling them what you want them to hear? It’s a valid question in the age of pandemic because there is a difference between the two thoughts—a large chasm in some cases. Image by Robin Higgins from Pixabay As a potential answer to the headline question, there is one question you should ask yourself that is fact-based.  But the adage “never ask a question you don’t want an answer too” applies.  You may get an answer you never wanted in the first place. Is telling patients what you want them to hear driving changes in your hospital or health system market share? Since the 1990s, when the talks began about consumerism in health care in the Clinton administration, hospitals and health systems have been telling patients what they want them to hear, not what the patient wants to hear.   I see print and electronic advertisements. I see social media and banner ads. etc., etc., etc. When the primary research market sh...