While studies show that patients consistently praise their doctors and medical care, accessing that care remains complicated. 

That was one of the main messages that Pamela Landis, SVP of digital engagement at Hackensack Meridian Health System and Deepak Goyal, partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services LLC gave to attendees during their presentation, “A Value Focused Approach to Digital Strategic Planning” at the Healthcare Internet Conference in Austin.

Hackensack Meridian Health is focused on key areas: acquisition, activation, access and adoption. Using these domains, HMH has driven nearly $2 billion in documentable value to the organization. The financial growth was driven by a mindset shift from the marketing team, Landis says.

“We're not digital marketers,” Landis says. “We are people who are creating digital experiences to make it easier to access and manage care. If you think it’s only about SEO, SEM or targeted emails, you’re missing the point.”

Here’s the point: “How many of you get calls from your friends and family, saying, ‘Hey, can you get me into so-and-so’s office?’ And while it might feel rewarding to help, that’s not a good way to deliver healthcare in the communities we serve.”

She pointed out that the disconnect between digital capabilities and healthcare is striking.

“How is it that my cable company offers me a better digital experience? Our patients have personal, emotional relationships with their doctors — and then, we give them marketing stuff that doesn’t even show that we know them,” Landis says. “We’ve got to do better.” 

Modern healthcare digital strategy requires these approaches, she says.

• Patient acquisition: Move beyond generic marketing to targeted engagement. “Stop sending out emails about allergy season to people who don’t have allergies.”
• Digital activation: Create seamless digital experiences through your website, mobile apps and patient portals. For example, HMH gained 87,000 net new patients (1.9 billion in revenue) through comprehensive digital campaigns.
• Re-think your call center: “We can’t continue to hire agents to answer the phones for routine things,” Landis says. “We need those people to help with complex scheduling and care navigation. The routine stuff can be handled by digital tools.” 
• Don’t forget about your doctors: Healthcare organizations must focus on patient and provider experience. “Changing how care gets delivered needs the support of your doctors,” Landis says. “If it's not easier for your doctors, then it’s not going to be easier for the patients.”