A look back at hospital marketing trends: Click-to-schedule

2016 hospital marketing trends wrap-report

Note: This is part of a series of blog posts related to our 2016 Hospital Marketing Trends White Paper. We will review and discuss one trend a week, providing feedback about what happened in 2016 and what’s to expect in 2017. If you’re interested in finding out more, then download our 2017 Hospital Marketing Trends white paper today. 

Due to significant changes in government and our current political climate, the future of healthcare is more uncertain than ever before. Although we can’t predict what’s in store for next year, when you’re informed about the past, planning for the future is easier.

We recently challenged our agency to review our 2016 Hospital Marketing Trends white paper and report about what stayed the same and what changed for the future.

Here’s what we came up with:

What we said:

First, Amazon introduced 1-click buying to expedite the online shopping process. Then, Instagram and Pinterest rolled out advertising that featured click-to-buy buttons. Consumers spend a lot more time researching before making a purchase decision, consuming articles, videos, and reviews. When they interact with your hospital’s advertising or traditional marketing, it’s because they’re ready to buy. As a result, we’re going to see less dedicated campaign landing pages or ads asking consumers to ‘learn more.’ Instead, ads will bring consumers right to the POS. In healthcare, this POS would be a physician finder, an appointment scheduler or a seminar sign-up.

What happened:

Unfortunately,  hospitals and health systems have not bought into the idea of online appointment schedulers yet due to technological barriers. However, consumer demand for such convenience is growing. According to Accenture, 77 percent of patients believe that the ability to book, change or cancel appointments online is important. Personally, I can’t count how many times I’ve looked at the clock only to realize that my doctor’s office closed. Meaning, I’d have to wait until the next day to call to schedule. The ease of booking my appointment online or at any time of day is a game changer. 

The baby boomer generation is aging and is increasingly more responsible for not only their healthcare, but the healthcare of one (or more) of their parents. Online scheduling could very well be the deal maker or breaker in selecting providers. If traditional healthcare settings don’t catch on soon,  they will fall behind convenient platforms such as telehealth or 24/7 clinics.

-Lynn White