When we talk about developments in the human race, the ones achieved in medicine always take one of the top positions. Rightly so, because medicines and healthcare are an important part of man’s life. However, the developments in the field of technology are almost at par with those of the medicine industry.
The reason we make this comparison, is because a lot of the advancements made in the field of medicine are with the help of technology. For instance, by the application of software and devices produced by tech giants such as IBM and Apple, people can now continuously keep a track of their health status, their medical history including doctor visits and prescription medicines.
They can also book future appointments. Even though individual doctors and large hospitals have been quick to adapt to this feature of the tech driven world of today, a major aspect they have missed out on, is the marketing solutions provided by digital media.
It is true that even the healthcare industry needs marketing strategies, because in the end it is also a customer driven business and it gets tougher each day to attract and maintain new customers. Let us read on to find out the scope Digital marketing has in medicine and healthcare, the reasons why it is picking up pace in this industry and the benefits provided by DM for the healthcare industry.
Scope of Digital Marketing in Healthcare
Getting straight to the point, here are some facts which prove the statement that digital marketing is here to stay for a long time and why more and more focus should be laid on it to drive better results-
1) Surveys have shown that 86% of patients first Google their symptoms whenever they feel something different before actually booking a doctor’s appointment.
2) More than 41% of all patients surveyed in a group agreed to the fact that comments on social media platforms have a significant impact when it comes to choosing a healthcare service provider. Moreover, close to 90% of adults ageing between 18-24 years agreed that they trust the medical information shared by their friends and relatives on social media.
3) Close to 80% of the people looking for healthcare information online, are prone to click on relevant ads for quicker results.
4) Unlike previous times, the healthcare industry is as transparent as it can be and all information is available online. Hence, the patients are now a lot more involved in their medicinal decisions than before and know exactly what they need. So, they do not have to rely on a single doctor or clinic and they can choose from the variety of options available which suits them.
Reasons why Digital Marketing is picking up pace in Medicine and Healthcare Sector
The biggest reason for such a fast growth of Digital Marketing needs in the healthcare industry, as mentioned above is the participation of the patient in their own healthcare issues. With so much of information being available online, the customer is becoming more and more aware of their needs and they know exactly where they can get it from.
Apart from this, the fact that people rely so much on social media comments while choosing their healthcare service provider, it becomes imperative for medicine companies and hospitals to be present in the virtual world and attend to the queries posted by prospective customers as well as the existing ones so as to retain most of them.
Not only does this help build a brand image but also increases customer interaction and at the end of the day, every business is all about being present at the right time for the customer.
Benefits provided by Digital Marketing for the Healthcare industry
Mentioned below are 2 of the biggest benefits provided by Digital Marketing for the healthcare industry-
1) 24/7 Virtual Care: Medical assistance is now available on the go with the help of application software and devices which track the patients or users’ health status, including their live vital stats and medical history and also help in managing future appointments. The data collected by these devices and applications can be accessed by the doctors and assistance can be provided at at the convenience of the user without actually having to go anywhere. This helps increase the mobility of services and can be a huge boost to the brand image.
This feature also entails that the channels to communicate between the patient and doctors have opened up to a larger extent. Further with continuous developments in the field of AI, soon enough people would be able to take complex decisions without actually having to talk to their physicians.
2) Enhanced Drug Development: This benefit is a direct result often patient’s data being recorded and analysed in real-time. The devices simultaneously read a patient’s vital body signs which gives drug manufacturers a better idea as to how a particular drug affects a certain condition and how side effects can be minimized so as to increase the efficiency.