Six Ideas to Build Patient Loyalty and Optimize Marketing Results

Results. They are what every marketer looks to improve – whether it be attracting more patients to specific wellness programs, increasing use of certain ancillary services or successfully recruiting highly qualified healthcare professionals for specific specialties.   As our readers affirmed in Insight’s quarterly survey, improving Marketing ROI is the number one challenge they face.

In the interest of sharing best practices, the Insights editorial staff scouted the marketplace to see how different healthcare marketers are optimizing results. Then we picked the best to share with you. The outcome of our efforts are presented here -- six practical ideas, which employ a common marketing strategy – customization or personalization to better target and connect with various market segments.

1. Targeted Educational Programs – One large IDN uses customized mailers to attract attendees to their expansive educational program.  Mailers are targeted by one of 12 geographic regions and by area of health interest – smoke cessation, weight control/reduction, maternity care, etc., then personalized with patient name.

2. Personalized Physician Services - To build patient loyalty and improve service to their patients, doctors affiliated with one HMO are distributing customized brochures in their offices.  The flyers are personalized with their name, office hours and contact information, and also point their patients to a personalized Website where they can schedule appointments, refill prescriptions and find information on various health topics.

3. Targeted Recruiting Program – Eager to attract the best and brightest healthcare professionals, one health system is targeting students at leading medical schools with mailings and materials, personalized by both name and specialty.

4. Medical Staff Services Loyalty Program - As part of a service to patients and in an effort to build loyalty, one hospital system is sending a special magnet mailing to patients who have used their medical staff services.  The personalized mailings integrate a convenient refrigerator magnet right on the letter that recipients can place on their refrigerator or a file by their phone for easy access to the clinician’s phone number, hours and other useful information.

5. Personalized Surgical Appointment Kits - One large hospital system has elevated the quality care for its surgical patients to a new level through a customized appointment system.  Once scheduled for surgery, the hospital issues the patient an appointment notice that lists the time and location of all pre-surgical tests, includes a map of the campus along with appropriate pre- and post-surgery advisories.

6. Revenue Improvement Program   Ever-conscious of declining reimbursements and a growing population of uninsured, one hospital system is focusing its marketing dollars on that segment of the community that have demonstrated they have hospital insurance.  Communications target specific specialties, based on the recipient’s location and profile.