Marketing to Today’s Informed & Active Patient

We – marketers and healthcare professionals alike – are all fully aware that patients are people first. They base decisions regarding their healthcare on information they can gather online and their own personal experiences. They’re looking for less clinical and more personalized experiences with their physicians and pharmacy providers. For healthcare marketers, this presents a LOT of variables. It’s difficult to know where your audience is, what you can tell them and how you should reach them.  

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The right approach is balance.

Patients want more personalized, yet private and HIPPA compliant messaging. 

76% of consumers find a lack of personalized messaging frustrating.¹

Targeting is crucial, but how much can you say and when? 

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The right time is now.

Patients are searching for a diagnosis online BEFORE making appointments with their physician.  

69% of millennial patients  turn to the internet for medical advice instead of their physician.²

And patients are doing their own research AFTER seeing their physician. 

83% of patients do their own research after hearing a doctor’s advice.²

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The right place is a robust SEO strategy.

Leveraging as much data as HIPPA compliance will allow, you can customize content to their diagnosis needs and where they are in their healthcare journey. Patients search symptoms and conditions terms before and after their healthcare appointments.  

Patients who book healthcare appointments ran 3x more searches than those who didn’t.³

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You likely have more opportunities for reach than you think.

Some patients can be remarketed and retargeted based on trending demographics and social media usage. Using a well-segmented email campaign can personalize their experience even more to build confidence in MedTech or therapies. 

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Inform them so they talk to their doctor.

The more personalized content a patient receives in their research, the more likely they are to talk about it with their doctors.  

People who talk to their HCP about specific therapies are 20x more likely to utilize that therapy

If you’re interested in learning more about targeted, personalized content for patients and how we at Umbrellas on the Beach can help you enhance your strategy, email jboisseau@umbrellasonthebeach.com so we can talk about opportunities and ensure your success! 

1. McKinsey & Company. The value of getting personalization right – or wrong – is multiplying. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-value-of-getting-personalization-right-or-wrong-is-multiplying 

2. Harmony Healthcare It. Survey reveals how COVID-19 pandemic has impacted millennial health. https://www.harmonyhit.com/survey-reveals-how-covid-19-pandemic-has-impacted-millennial-health/ 

3. INVOCA. 42 statistics healthcare marketings need to know in 2024. https://www.invoca.com/blog/healthcare-marketing-statistics 

4. Healthcare Dive. The consumerization of healthcare and its impact on DTC Marketing.