With the healthcare consumer
having a higher cost stake in the process with larger deductibles and co-pays, your
price, and outcomes data readily available, it would seem that the time for
change has come.
Remember, when you are
marketing to individuals, they don't become a patient until they receive a
service from you. So in one-third of the
time in their interactions with you, the healthcare consumer is only a
"patient" during diagnosis and treatment. Two-thirds of the time they
are not patients, and most likely are arguing with your billing department
about the charges.
Arguments aside, what
should hospitals be advertising to create an unassailable market position, a
strong brand, as well as an enlightened and informed consumer?
Is it the "we are
unique and world-class", best doctors, hundreds of locations, even though
The Joint Commission was just there for a sentential event?
Our technology is
state-of-the-art. Never mind that a new
technology was just introduced and you don't have it.
Another winner; we have
the most shiny trophies and quality awards for several services. Oh, and even
though we don't have a quality award for all services, if everybody else was as
good as us message to go with it, “a 100,000 lives would be saved
annually"! Really.
How about the ever
present focus on the physicians with messaging about having the best primary
care or specialists in the region that drones on about everything other than healthcare. Prove it.
Maybe the healthcare consumer will take you seriously when you finally report
Dr. Hodad and remove him from your medical staff.
I think, that pretty
much for the most part, sums up the current state of hospital advertising. And when several hospitals are staying all of
these things at the same time in a market, do you really believe that the
consumer is paying any attention at all, when there is so little
differentiation, it all looks like
"me too" and just shouting for attention?
It makes the Board,
senior management and physicians feel good, while your audience receives
absolutely no information that will help them make some of the most critical
choices and decisions in their life.
The time has come
healthcare providers to provide meaningful information in the marketplace that
will allow the healthcare consumer to become informed, educated and
participatory in the care decision-making process.
You should be transparent
and talking about your outcomes and prices.
The healthcare consumer is hungry for information and searching the internet
as well as other sources about you and how you perform. They are paying more of
the cost. Demanding more say in what goes on. And don't like being treated like
they are some small child who can't make a decision.
To use an often quoted
metaphor, the wave of change is upon the hospital industry as we move from
provider-dominated and controlled decision-making model, to a healthcare consumer
and patient-directed, controlled model.
Your choice so chose wisely,
the future of your organizations depends on it.
Michael J. Krivich, MHA, FACHE, PCM,
is an internationally followed healthcare marketing blogger with over 5,000
monthly pages views read in over 52 countries worldwide on Healthcare Marketing
Matters. These views are my own. He is founder of the
michael J group, a Fellow, American
College of Healthcare Executives
and a Professional Certified Marketer, American
Marketing Association. Like us on facebook at the michael J group, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Twitter.