Healthcare marketing in 2020: How communicating with patients has changed

Learn how to build stronger relationships with current patients and prospective healthcare consumers

Healthcare businesses have not only had to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances due to the COVID-19 crisis, they’ve also had to think on their feet to continue to offer timely, quality health services to their patients.

With so many conflicting public health messages in circulation (not to mention the countless alarming health myths), there’s been a renewed focus among healthcare businesses on the importance of patient communication.

How you communicate now and in the near future with your patients and prospect healthcare consumers is key.

Healthcare businesses should be asking:

How can we stay connected with and prove ourselves a health ally to our current patients?
How can we demonstrate our value to new prospects?

Join us to explore how to tackle the challenge of healthcare marketing in 2020 and beyond.

Inform your patients

As well as the strain put on healthcare provisions by the coronavirus pandemic, recent stay-at-home orders have severely disrupted scheduling for many healthcare providers—resulting in missed or canceled appointments, delayed routine tests, and more.

Sharing up-to-the-moment information with your patients is more important now than ever before. Use your website, social media channels, email campaigns, and your Google My Business profile to share:

Your current operating hours
Any restrictions on services
The safety procedures you’ve put in place to protect your patients and employees.

By sharing this important information across your digital marketing platforms, you’ll not only keep your current patients in the loop but it’ll also serve as a trust signal to new prospects, too.

Learn more:

Online crisis communication checklist for businesses:

How to manage your digital presence and keep your customers updated

Help your patients

How can you bring extra value to new and existing patients? By providing free resources and advice across your digital channels, you’ll help people who are seeking knowledge now—and build loyalty with them in the future.
As well as COVID-19 related resources, you could consider sharing other health and wellness advice. For example: what people with chronic diseases should be doing to stay healthy at this time, and prenatal care tips for expectant mothers.

Surprise your patients

One of the biggest changes we’ve seen in healthcare marketing in 2020 is the huge shift to digital services. More and more healthcare businesses are using technology to safely serve patients and give them access to quality care in new, more convenient ways.
These digital health services include:

Telehealth, where patients can connect virtually with their healthcare provider. Amid the pandemic, there’s been a 2000% increase in the use of telehealth services.[1]
Medication pick-up and delivery services where prescriptions and refills can be ordered via website or app. This makes it much simpler for vulnerable or less mobile patients to stay on top of their health needs.
Virtual consultations, so you can showcase your services to new patients from the comfort of their own home.
Online wellness services such as guided meditation, yoga classes, and exercise routines that viewers can follow along with at home.

Because of the convenience and enhanced value these digital services can offer to patients, healthcare businesses should consider continuing to offer some or all of them once we return to the “new normal”.

Thank your patients

Possibly the most important part of your communications should focus on saying “thank you” to your patients for their continued support and loyalty.
Showing your gratitude and asking for feedback as you navigate these challenges together will demonstrate to both your patients and your prospects that you’re committed to building better healthcare for the people you serve.

By taking these steps to improve your healthcare marketing in 2020, you’ll lay the groundwork for today, for tomorrow, and for the years to come. Not only will you build stronger relationships with your existing patients, you’ll demonstrate your commitment to quality care to new prospects, too.