Top Trends That Will Transform The Healthcare Industry in 2019

Medicine is a noble profession and traditionally, advertising by doctors is both illegal and unethical. Even if a doctor cannot or should not advertise, it is open for clinics and hospitals to do so. It is, in fact, necessary and in the public interest for people to know about the services and medical options available to them; so they can make the most informed and viable decisions.

Hence, proper marketing by the healthcare industry is necessary; commercially as well as for the benefit of the public at large. Based on recent advancements in technology, industry experts predict that the following marketing trends are likely to transform the healthcare industry in 2019.

Telemedicine

Telemedicine has transformed the healthcare industry in many different ways. It provides remote rural communities the access to healthcare that they did not have earlier, and offers patients the option to get treatment and clinical care remotely; practically anywhere in the world using telecommunications technology.

Telemedicine also helps with marketing by helping physicians reach a wider audience of potential patients who would benefit from their treatments. It improves patient management and potentially increases revenue. It can help attract new patients and facilitate their interaction with trained physicians. It saves time and effort involved in clinic visits and avoids costly cancellations. Improving patient flows and revenues during off hours are some other benefits of telemedicine.

Patient-centric approach

It is vital for the healthcare industry to adopt a patient-centric approach that orients itself towards addressing customer concerns and improving patient experiences. The aim is to build a relationship between healthcare providers and patients and their families while keeping in mind the preferences, wants, and the well-being of the patient.

The idea is for services providers to provide useful and usable services and information, to offer services that are identifiable and credible. Doctors have to be accessible and open up effective channels of communication with their patients in order to provide desirable and valuable outcomes.

Marketing automation

In future, the healthcare industry will be required to disseminate their message to potential customers effectively; in a way that will work over the longer term, and in ways more sophisticated than conventional approaches such as email marketing. Marketing automation helps streamline repetitive tasks and helps healthcare professionals establish effective and constant contact with patients while saving time and effort.

One study revealed that marketing automation results in 107% greater lead conversion, 40% better deal sizes and 20% better quota attainment. Service providers create personalized connections and enable constant communication, analyses and improve campaign performance; freeing up time and resources for improved patient care and services.

One study revealed that marketing automation results in 107% greater lead conversion, 40% better deal sizes and 20% better quota attainment. Service providers create personalized connections and enable constant communication, analyses and improve campaign performance; freeing up time and resources for improved patient care and services.

Manage your online reputation

With every patient now being a potential reviewer of individual doctors, clinics, hospitals, and labs, management of one’s online reputation becomes of vital reputation. One survey found that 62% of respondents used online reviews to guide the choice of a new doctor and 19% relied on online reviews to grade their existing doctor. Nearly 44% of the respondents said that if reviews were good, they would consider consulting with an out-of-network doctor.

Managing an online reputation is vital because it helps prevent PR disasters and helps promote an accurate and positive brand image. It is important to remember that the internet is forever and that 93% of searchers will make their decisions based on that vital first page of Google results to make a choice and form an impression.

In light of this, online reputation management is going to continue to claim attention front and center for healthcare industry marketers. Promoting positive and relevant reviews while countering inaccurate, negative or irrelevant comments will be vital.

Patient portals

With an increased focus on a patient-centric approach to healthcare, patient portals will receive increased attention. These are secure cloud-based healthcare apps that let patients create a password-protected account to store and access their medical records and information, reach out to their healthcare providers, view test results and prescriptions and track and manage billing securely.

They translate into better patient experiences and fewer calls to the doctor’s office. We are looking at more sophisticated and intuitive patient portals in times to come. Patient portals will be offering better and more features, better design, and more user-friendly experiences in 2019 and later.

Advancement in technology

Consider how advancement in technology has transformed the way the healthcare industry functions. Robotic knee replacement surgery is one such example. Now, people not only surf the net to try and identify their medical issues based on symptoms they notice but they also look for specialists close to home or further afield to consult with. They read online reviews and make considered and well-researched decisions.

The constant end-of-arm availability of virtual assistants such as Siri, intuitive search such as Google Assistant and devices such as Amazon’s Alexa speaker, voice-driven SEO has emerged as a formidable new trend for healthcare marketers to understand and harness.

Voice searches now account for 20% of all searches and therefore, in times to come, medical marketers will have to adapt by focusing on user language, local information, and creating content specific to voice searches. A fast, responsive and intuitive website that offers easy access to relevant, accurate information about procedures, pricing, and specialists, helps in making appointments, quickly resolves queries and addresses concerns is also vital. With currently available advancements in technology, this is necessary and not difficult either.

Focus on social engagement

It is said that no business can afford not to have a website; now the same is said about social media presence. No business, profession or organization can afford not to be present and visible on social media. Right now, 42% people rely on health info they find on social media. While 30% engage with health-related posts of friends and acquaintances, 45% said that social media would influence their decisions about a second opinion.

Also, importantly, over 70% of those who got in touch with healthcare providers or organizations with an inquiry expected a response within a 24-hour frame. Given this, it is easy to see how vital social media presence is; how important it is for a healthcare professional or organization to come across as dependable, expert, experienced, concerned, and responsive. Marketers will continue to actively work towards Facebook likes and twitter re-tweets in 2019.

From the foregoing, it becomes clear that advancement in technology creates new opportunities for healthcare professionals to market their services positively and to reach and communicate with a larger audience. However, this same technology makes it imperative for marketers to keep pace with embracing new techniques that other professionals may already be employing. Staying abreast and even predicting market trends of 2019 is necessary not only to stay relevant; to exist in the current scenario.