How Health Companies Must Communicate With Patients

From consumer-focused apps to groundbreaking 3d printing techniques, the healthcare industry is constantly in the process of being revolutionized by new technologies.

These changes are disrupting the status quo of how business has been done for years – and they are even forcing companies to pivot in the areas of business that aren’t as traditionally driven by innovation or R&D.

One such area: how companies communicate with potential and active patients.

THE PIVOT TO CONTENT STRATEGY

Today’s infographic comes to us from Publicis Health, and it shows that technology is changing the way that life sciences and pharmaceutical companies will need to market and inform consumers.

For an industry in which one-way communication has traditionally been the norm, a multitude of factors are converging to make it essential for healthcare companies to pivot to a new way of doing things. Instead of using a loudspeaker to broadcast their message, companies must listen to customers while inspiring authentic discussions.

A NEW CONTENT MODEL

New media is driving more dynamic content than ever – and with a galaxy of content channels available, massive amounts of information are shared every minute on the internet.

But in this new environment, traditional one-way advertising is less effective. After all, it must compete against millions of user-generated posts shared on social platforms.

To add to the problem, consumers are becoming skeptical about the health information they find online:

• 86% of users are concerned about unreliable or inaccurate information on internet sources
• 30% of users had to checked out four or more websites in their search for information
• 71% were very concerned that a health-related website would give away or sell their data

How can health companies thrive in this new environment? How can they get the attention of customers, while still remaining credible and authentic?

THE STRATEGIC ROADMAP

Healthcare marketers need to think about the spaces in which their brand will live, and the different conversations that will need to happen along a patient’s journey.

To approach customers on a one-on-one basis with a pivot to content strategy, healthcare brands will need to follow the following framework:

1. Purpose: Guiding insight that pinpoints why people will want to use and share the content
2. Personas: An intimate guide to the people whom the content is designed for
3. Platforms: Where content will be the most effective for an audience and brand
4. Pillars: What topics and themes make up the content mix
5. Behaviors: Actions people need to take to help get to better health outcomes
6. Tactics: Sample visualizations of how the audience will be activated in platforms
7. ROI Design: Framework for measuring business success, mapped to existing strategic imperatives

A high-quality content strategy can have a far-reaching impact on the bottom line for healthcare companies, improving both health outcomes and business along the way.