Healthcare Success

Successful practices and businesses are built from great service, good leadership and rock-solid strategies. A good marketing plan is important so you know whom to target.   But before you get to the planning stage, you need to determine what you want to accomplish in the next 12 months. You may already have a strategy […]

Primary care practices don’t need to look far to find new patients. Two surveys found that 20 percent of consumers are willing to jump to a video-enabled provider. Here’s why the convenience of telehealth is driving a consumer trend in primary and chronic care.   To set the stage, a friend talks about technically-backwards medical offices. None […]

It was only a year or two ago that the trendy marketing watchword was "personalization." It seems like everyone was using the P-word in email marketing. Everyone’s ambition was to take email (and other content) to the high-impact, “next level.” Internet and computer sophistication provides the ability to deliver relevant content to the right reader. […]

Customer testimonials offer great benefits to your marketing and business health for very little cost and effort. In the dictionary, marketing is defined as the action or business of promoting and selling products or services. That’s as simple as it gets; too simple, really. Marketing is communication for a particular goal or set of goals, […]

A confounding notion in our industry is that medicine is a profession, but healthcare is a business. Think of these as opposite sides of the same business coin. The medicine/profession side leaves little time for the healthcare/business side. But, it turns out that a marketing outsource strategy can achieve critical objectives for both. Most of the time, a […]

One of the unique dynamics and challenges in devising a healthcare marketing plan is to properly anticipate why people buy.    A health and medical services plan considers the future needs of an ever-present audience. As the familiar expression reminds us, the challenge is to engage consumers today for solutions they may need tomorrow.   […]

There’s a connection between busy practices and doctors who embrace selling. Marketing savvy doctors understand how healthcare marketing builds their business. The breakthrough business doctors understand how salesmanship is a key to success. The dreaded “S-word” isn’t in the vocabulary of many doctors. Sales gets relabeled as business development or case acceptance. In many practices, cost factors […]

More than a few doctors have become marketing warriors among our circle of friends and professional peers. It seems like they recognize that medicine is their profession, but healthcare is a business. They had resolved to become recognized thought leaders in their profession. Hence, swimming against the current of provider competition, they have a business-ninja […]

Throughout his campaign, president-elect Donald Trump promised an early demise of the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA). Today, “repealing and replacing” Obamacare remains a priority. However, details remain elusive. Consequently what that means for healthcare marketing plans, strategy, and tactics in coming months isn't clear. In fact, surveys reveal that segments of the general public didn't understand the […]

Medical practices, groups and provider organizations often invite me to be a “mystery shopper.” That’s where the principals of the business ask Healthcare Success to call the practice posing as a prospective patient. The technique is most effective when a healthcare marketing agency provides an independent—and unbiased—third-party assessment of the quality of service. Recently, we discovered a […]

The inspiration for this article came from my favorite grocery store, Publix. I was raised in the southeast, and developed a strong attachment for the chain. If you haven’t visited a Publix before, it’s hard to image what makes this grocery store different from others. Every time I walk in, I feel a sense of […]

A marketing website doesn’t have an end-date or use-by date. Instead, the effectiveness quietly fades away. Without an obvious signal, how do you know that it’s time for a new design? Here’s a healthcare website checklist of the things that top ranked sites have in common. Healthcare Website Checklist: Characteristics Most of all, if you miss the mark […]

The annual Google Partner Summit is a pretty big deal in the agency business. Visiting the “Googleplex” headquarters in Mountain View is an experience. Plus, this is one of several continuing education sessions that Healthcare Success attends throughout the year. Moreover, attending a Summit session is an educational pathway for a healthcare advertising agency to improve […]

Can you tell me—exactly—how much you are really spending on marketing? It seems like many medical groups and healthcare institutions are not aware that their budgets are out of control. Often, it takes an independent marketing audit and plan to expose the problem. First of all, these healthcare providers simply do not know how much they are […]

Doctors aren’t the only people concerned about their online reputation. It is every brand, business and service provider with an Internet presence. But there are higher standards of quality with healthcare reputation management. Health care delivery in America is more intimate than an Amazon shopping experience. Consequently, patient experience has become a significant driver of success. Among […]

Facebook’s organic reach is becoming obsolete at an alarming pace. Over the last few years, and even the last few months, we’ve noticed a striking loss in Facebook’s organic reach for our own clients.

SEO is a critical marketing-related factor. And the guidance of a healthcare advertising agency is highly recommended. It’s far too easy for well-intended individuals to create search engine optimization blunders. One reason you need professional SEO help is that the big search engines have us all outnumbered. They use dozens of uber-smart people to create […]

It's likely that your health system, hospital or practice will soon be the victim of a cyber crime. Your medical public relations disaster is not “if,” but “when.” The actual victims include patients and the loss of personal data. Compromised health record information is a medical public relations emergency waiting to happen. Your brand and marketing […]

[GUEST POST BY PAUL ROSEN, MD] When I graduated medical school almost 20 years ago, the majority of my classmates were planning to work in a private practice environment after residency training. Now, the opposite is true. Ninety percent of medical students plan to work for a health system. Most will skip private practice work. […]

The nation’s healthcare delivery system continues to evolve. A curious thing about trend-watching is not that trends suddenly appear. Sometimes that’s true, but not always. In fact, marketing professionals are aware of the healthcare marketing trends on our list. What is important--the significant dynamic at work here--is change. It is the degree of change that marks a […]

For the sake of this doctor marketing discussion, I think we can agree on two things. First, that “the US health industry is undergoing seismic change.” PwC’s respected Health Research Institute (HRI) observes that newly empowered patient/consumers “are playing a critical role in this transformation.” The second point of agreement is that the speed of […]

Only a few segments of the medical marketing industry have embraced the “big data” advantages. Some health systems, hospitals and the larger provider practices are now willing and able to collect and use data-smart information for marketing. There was a time when only the biggest industry organizations could draw down on healthcare data. That, however, […]

The adoption curve for virtual healthcare and telehealth has been mighty steep. In the real world, a large slice of the American public expects everyday living to be “digitally-enabled”...faster, quicker and easier. But healthcare delivery has been a sluggish exception. This picture is changing, and with it, your healthcare marketing and advertising plans may be […]

Sometimes ideas emerge on the Internet without a final name. There’s a fresh design technique that you’ve probably seen recently on healthcare website design of home pages and landing pages. And, if you didn’t know the label, the various names include “long-scrolling,” “infinity scrolling” or "single-page" sites. There are some technical differences among the various […]

Every industry has its share of truly moronic comments, witless ideas and brainless advice. And healthcare advertising is certainly no exception. Over time, it becomes a bit easier to identify silly comments for what they are. Providers have an excuse, after all healthcare marketing isn't their profession. However, healthcare advertising agency people should know better. Extremely […]

Before you do anything else, a healthcare website design must plan for Search Engine Optimization. All too often, SEO is a neglected afterthought. And just as often, a poorly performing website will need major repair work or a complete re-build. Surprisingly, it comes up often. Just the other day, a practitioner proudly asked us, “What […]

[Series Installment] As the US healthcare delivery system becomes increasingly consumer-driven, patient satisfaction is more important than ever. Forward thinking medical practices routinely put the patient/consumer at the center of their progressive planning. Hospitals and medical systems have the standardized HCAHPS instruments. Increasingly providers and marketing professionals want to hear the voice of the customer through […]

[Healthcare Success Leadership Podcast Series] What does it take to upset longstanding “tradition” in healthcare delivery and to provide patients with quick, convenient access to care via same day appointments and other innovative approaches. Cleveland Clinic’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Paul Matsen, and Stewart Gandolf, CEO of Healthcare Success discuss the process of change, top-tier […]

Breaking through the noise and promotional clutter at an important business conference of hospital marketing professionals was a stiff creative challenge. But here’s a brief success story—how a creative approach by Healthcare Success was a big winner at the SHSMD16 conference…without spending a fortune. Attendees at national SHSMD16 conference (the Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development) […]

[Series Installment] There’s an important lesson here for healthcare marketing. It seems the retail world is increasingly hungry for consumer feedback. Here’s why doctors, hospitals and medical marketing professionals need, more than ever, to take a page from service industries, brand names and merchandisers. A reliable measure of customer satisfaction—how products or services meet or exceed […]

Hospitals, as well as some medical practices, can use public service announcements (PSAs) to communicate “messages in the public interest.” The good new and the bad news about creating a public service announcement is that it’s free. Well…that is to say, it’s nearly free. There’s no charge for any broadcast time or print ad space, which can […]

In healthcare marketing, video for social media has got to be one of the fastest moving and important trends. Don't miss these recent upgrade moves by three of the biggest social platforms. If the rapid growth and popularity of social media has been amazing, the social video trend is downright explosive. Hospital and healthcare marketing […]

What exactly is "digital healthcare marketing?" Does it mean that your dentist is posting before and after snapshots in an online Smile Gallery on Facebook? In addition, will your orthopedic surgeon share videos of patients that have made a miraculous recovery from a partial knee replacement? Does “online healthcare marketing” describe the newsletter that you received from your primary physician […]

From a five-mile-high perspective, there are two kinds of relationships between a client and a healthcare advertising agency. Let’s label the first type a “vendor” relationship. In this arrangement, the client—a medical practice or hospital, for example—intends to buy specific ad agency services much as they might order and restock surgical masks. Passive. Detached. Truly […]

By Charlie DeNatale, Healthcare Success Media Supervisor Reaching and attracting new patients in the Hispanic audience is a healthcare marketing opportunity that can’t be ignored. But marketing to Hispanic audiences holds challenges for healthcare providers, due to the Affordable Care Act and changing demographics. And regardless of your location, this may be a largely untapped […]

If you’re a doctor—or plan a medical or healthcare marketing career—you can take a seat. There is (or will be) an app for that. If the futurologists are right, technology will eliminate doctors (and the need for physician marketing) in just a couple of decades. Agree or disagree? Let us know what you think about […]

Your name, or the name of your practice, can be an important asset or an unfortunate liability for providers in doctor or healthcare marketing and advertising. Consider the legendary saga of  Edgar “Painless” Parker, a turn of the century street dentist. It seems the ethical standards for dentistry were sometimes cringe-worthy at the time. “After […]

The global obsession with Pokémon GO is an instant healthcare marketing opportunity for many providers and facilities. This timely tool is especially adaptable for healthcare businesses with a retail component including dental, optometry, family practice, pediatricians, orthodontists…even urgent care or LASIK practices. You can also include anyone doing event marketing, such as health fairs, trade…

There are times when medical practices should get help with their doctor marketing and advertising from a specialist. There are appropriate occasions, and valid business reasons to outsource professional support. To illustrate, consider this parallel illustration from the healthcare profession. A friend of mine has the greatest respect for his doctor…and for good reason. It seems the GP—an […]

The secret to “getting it right” in medical marketing and advertising is essentially two-fold. Regardless of size—multi-location health system, hospital, doctor group practice, or individual provider—the challenges involve many, constantly moving business considerations. And in the end, "it ain’t easy” to get it right…and produce measurable marketing results. One side of the coin is the application […]

Google, the Search Engine Goliath, has been relentlessly pushing everyone— including medical marketing websites —toward a more perfect mobile-friendly experience. Google's latest mobile search algorithm update is killing, or rewarding, websites according to “mobile friendliness” factors. Without getting too technical or lost in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) jargon, here’s what you need to know, and why, […]

The concept of consumerism in healthcare delivery is a page from the retail world. Although it predates the Affordable Care Act—a major driver in consumerism—it’s a trend that has gained significant traction with health systems, hospitals and medical practices. And, by most indicators, healthcare consumerism is rapidly becoming a top imperative for marketing professionals. The […]

[Series Installment] There’s a line of thinking quietly at work among a few healthcare practices that says: “Simply being a good doctor will guarantee success.” A few satisfied patients will fuel “word-of- mouth,” and that’s all you need in business. There’s a lot of appeal to the idea of attracting new patients with near-no-cost marketing […]

[Guest Post by Dr. Paul Rosen] For the past two months, I have been taking Uber cars around Delaware when I go to the train or to the airport. I have taken about 10 rides and every one has been a pleasurable experience. The drivers are friendly, the cars are clean, the car arrives in […]

At first, I really couldn’t believe what I was reading: “The decline of medicine as a profession began,” according to the blog post, “when it became legal for doctors and hospitals to advertise.” Really? Now that’s an effective, attention-getting lead sentence, especially for a seasoned healthcare marketing professional like myself. Evidently, the demise of modern […]

Early in his journalism career, a professional colleague worked as a field reporter for a top-rated radio station. On any given day, his assignments could range from (boring) City Council sessions to catastrophic five-alarm fires. Some of the most interesting and challenging journalism sprang from the opportunity to report on issues and candidates in the […]

Healthcare marketing professionals have embraced video as a compelling communications power tool. Hospitals, medical practices and individual providers have invented dozens of purposes and places to present their marketing story via a video format. As a quick reference point, take a minute to review our previous article titled: 36 Uses for Video: Magnify Your Healthcare […]

There’s something addictive about Facebook. At least some people I know will dip into the social stream several times a day. Not everyone, of course, but with over 150-million monthly active users in the US alone, that’s better than half the adult population. And, as you’re probably aware, Facebook has more than 1.6 billion monthly […]

Healthcare consumers—the audiences that hospital and medical marketing professionals target—are increasingly difficult to reach effectively with video content. Some of the trends in this techno-mash-up include cable television subscriptions, where the programming bundle includes a zillion channels…including dozens that you pay for, but seldom watch. Homes with Internet and wi-fi service are streaming Netflix and other digital […]

An ophthalmologist approached us for marketing help with his well-established vision care practice. It’s a story we’ve heard from time to time in the past, and perhaps you can relate. It seems that the return on marketing ophthalmology services has, somewhat to his surprise, quietly slipped downhill. He believed that he, personally, was a recognized […]