As technology and advertising strategies become more intertwined, incorporating both in your marketing plan is increasingly essential. Technology—spanning everything from platforms to processes—not only boosts efficiency and accuracy, but also strengthens personalized approaches. And in industries like healthcare, that personalization is paramount. During our most recent healthcare marketing forum, we spoke with four healthcare marketers to discuss how they’re embracing technology to drive success in a progressively digital era.
Generative AI is reviving old processes.
Incorporating open AI platforms into healthcare services has transformed healthcare administration. While human oversight from internal communications teams remains crucial, AI tools can streamline processes with the click of a key. Platforms like ChatGPT can summarize extensive research and UX data within seconds, or crawl digital asset management systems to safeguard against releasing outdated or sensitive information. And AI is pushing the user experience forward, offering users direct interaction rather than acting solely as a search tool. It’s particularly adept at managing templated information, which frees up more time for creative and strategic planning.
Chatting it up with telehealth communications.
The pandemic kickstarted the telehealth revolution, and it’s still going strong post-2020. Chatbots are crucial in boosting site and patient engagement and supporting the overall user experience. So healthcare institutions like Northwestern Medicine, which boasts an impressive in-house technology team, have begun to incorporate vendor tech platforms to improve patient interactions. Specialized telehealth apps like Loyal and Tyto offer everything from symptom checking and medical record scans to appointment booking—and, while they do rely on content databases, can reduce patient wait times and enhance user satisfaction with little administrative support.
Make sure your culture clicks with employees.
When it comes to boosting employee engagement, don’t overlook the impact of social media. Platforms like LinkedIn offer a powerful means to reinforce company culture, especially when the messaging comes from top executives. Northwestern Medicine’s Director of Digital Consumer Products, Stephen Strong, emphasizes the importance of managing CEO posts for this purpose: “We use social media to promote Northwestern’s culture,” he explains. “Increasing CEO visibility has significantly enhanced employee engagement levels. LinkedIn has been instrumental in actively shaping our company culture.” If outward-facing tools aren’t available, consider an intranet platform like Sharepoint to bolster community. For Helio Health, a behavioral health system in upstate New York, even small initiatives like company-wide emails and intranet updates have helped to unify employees across five separate markets.
As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, keeping abreast of the current technology trends is critical. It’s a matter of building employee and patient engagement, streamlining business practices—and ultimately staying ahead of the competition.