Is your data supporting your patient acquisition strategy? Patient acquisition is critical to a health system’s growth, but it requires balancing operational constraints and access issues and delivering a seamless patient experience.
While there is no perfect recipe to drive consistent patient growth and engagement, there is a secret sauce: how you use data to engage your patients and grow your high-value service lines.
Jaci Haack, VP of Strategic Development, Health Systems, at Personify Health, shared how in the 12 years she’s been connected to health systems, she hasn’t “met one hospital system where patient acquisition isn’t a KPI they’re measuring.”
In a recent Becker’s Hospital Review webinar, a panel of healthcare marketing experts shared their best practices for using data to enhance patient acquisition and engagement and how they translate these practices into real-world results.
Read below for our top takeaways or visit the replay for the full discussion: Put Data to Use for Patient Acquisition: How Top Systems Reach the Right Patients + Increase ROI.
The panel included Don Stanziano, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Geisinger; Amy Stevens, Chief Marketing Officer at Tidelands Health; Brian Deffaa, Chief Marketing Officer at LifeBridge Health; and Jaci Haack, VP of Strategic Development, Health Systems, at Personify Health.
Are you data rich but insights poor?
Your marketing toolkit is filled with data. And while there’s no shortage of information—from patient demographics and behaviors to engagement rates and conversion metrics—it’s what you do with this data that matters.
Despite the abundance of data, extracting actionable insights remains a real challenge for many health systems today.
Are you data rich, but insights poor? This panel of healthcare marketers can relate.
Dan Stanziano, Chief Marketing Officer of Geisginer, voiced this sentiment, stating that his team is leaning into actionable data to make the best use of their limited resources, helping to identify, target, and reach their high-value patients. This approach is helping them to:
- Know what to do next with data-backed decision-making
- Show marketing ROI and deliver strong financial performance
So, how do you turn these data points into insights?
What to do with your data
Let’s talk about those pesky “data silos” that hinder the flow of information in many health organizations. Brian Deffaa, Chief Marketing Officer of LifeBridge Health, hit the nail on the head when he pointed out this real barrier.
These silos disrupt the patient experience. But don’t lose hope! Investing in data integration platforms and interoperability solutions can help break down these barriers and provide a better view of the patient journey.
Data integration is powerful. It streamlines processes and supercharges the effectiveness of patient acquisition campaigns. It also allows you to target the right patients and demonstrate a return on investment (ROI).
Pro tip! Check out our Smart Guide to Data for Health Systems to learn more.
What if you had a deeper understanding of patient interactions at every touchpoint
That’s the kind of insight Jaci believes is essential for health system marketers.
It’s not just about collecting data, but it’s about making sure it speaks to every system in the hospital. When data flows smoothly and purposefully, it can enhance the patient experience and guide them meaningfully on their journey.
How do you engage and delight your patients? With a deep, data-driven approach to patient engagement.
Data can help you dig deeper by uncovering patterns, preferences, and behaviors. It can also help you:
- Identify which patients are most likely in need of your services (including high-value specialties like cardiology, oncology, and orthopedics)
- Pinpoint the best ways to reach them (direct mail, IVR, text messages, etc.)
- And provide insight on how to get them to act.
This approach empowers you to deliver personalized and relevant communications that resonate with your patients.
However, let’s not stop at data collection and analysis. The real challenge—and opportunity—lies in translating those insights into strategic actions that connect with existing and potential patients.
Pro tip! For more insights on creating a seamless patient experience, starting from day 1, check out our Patient Acquisition & Engagement Playbook.
Tips for showing marketing ROI
Measuring the value and ROI of marketing initiatives is no easy feat. And disjointed data systems can make it difficult to track the entire patient journey.
Jaci suggests defining clear success metrics and embracing multi-touch attribution models. These approaches give a clear and detailed view of how each marketing channel contributes to your overall strategy.
Imagine having a bird’s-eye view and being able to see the impact of every touchpoint. With these insights, you can make informed decisions and take data-based action toward long-term goals.
Defining and measuring goals is a crucial next step. Not only that, as Amy Stevens, Chief Marketing Officer at Tidelands Health, commented, you need to show a correlation between marketing efforts and results. Connect the dots between visits, the dollars spent, and the marketing efforts behind them.
By tying everything together, you can truly understand the impact of your marketing initiatives.
Ready to level up your strategy? Check out our Healthcare Marketing Guide: How to improve your campaign performance.
Step into a future of data-driven patient acquisition
As healthcare continues to evolve, the role of data becomes even more crucial.
It’s no longer just about collecting information but embracing the challenges and opportunities that data presents. By doing so, you can unlock new avenues for growth, deliver exceptional patient experiences, and achieve unparalleled marketing ROI.
It’s a complex journey, but with the right strategies, tools, and insights, you can navigate it with confidence.
Grow your service lines with Personify Health
We have the lifestyle data and behavioral insights you don’t, so we can help you grow your most profitable service lines. Ready to take a data-driven path to patient acquisition? Connect with our team to learn more.