Baseball legend Jackie Robinson was quoted as saying “life
is not a spectator sport.” His sentiment has a great deal of validity. We can
choose to be passive observers, but there is much that we must do (work), can
do (entertainment), and ought to do (well being). Thus, being a spectator is
not a viable option. The “ought to do” aspect of our lives has implications for
healthcare marketing.
A study done by Accenture reveals that when it comes to
managing our health, Americans want to come out of the grandstand and get in
the game.
Findings from the Accenture study show a desire for being
engaged in communication with healthcare providers:
- 90% want to use digital media to manage their
personal healthcare
- 88% want to receive reminders via email when it
is time for preventative or follow-up care
- 83% want to access personal medical information
- 76% want to communicate with their doctor via
email
- 72% want to
book, change or cancel appointments
- 72% want to
request prescription refills
Digital channels are significant for enabling patients to be
participants in their health care. Survey respondents placed particular
emphasis on email as a communications channel, but information access and
communication options via mobile devices is important, too. The one statistic
that cannot be overlooked in all of the interest in digital management of
healthcare: 85% said they still want to be able to communicate with their
doctor in person.
For healthcare marketers, findings from the Accenture study
send a clear message: Figure out how to turn patients into participants. Many
healthcare marketers may have some of these digital media in place already, but
the survey also found that about one-third of patients were unaware that they
could manage aspects of their healthcare using digital channels. Communicating
options for self-service and encouraging patients to be engaged on an ongoing
basis are two rather obvious solutions. Firms in other industries can reflect
on findings of this survey, too. How can customers get involved as participants
in managing their relationship with your company? Is interacting with your
company easy to do, or are barriers in place (intentional or unintentional) that
send a message of “don’t bother us.”
Life is not a spectator sport, nor is the customer
experience with your brand. Get your customers into the game to deepen their relationships
with your business.
Labels: Customer Experience, Digital Marketing, Healthcare Marketing