The hospital industry has been experiencing a transformative shift in marketing, especially in the past few decades, thanks to the role of technology and the dynamic growth and advancements in medical care.
Any marketing campaign goes beyond being a necessity to a tool for building trust, connecting with patients and care providers and improving its brand value. Rising income levels, health awareness and an ageing population will increase the demand for quality healthcare. A positive trend observed in recent times is the increase in health awareness – more and more people are realising the importance of caring for oneself, getting regular health checkups and making informed decisions for treatments. To cater to the people and continue the legacy of excellence, marketing is the most vital tool for a hospital..
Marketing strategies for visibility
Carefully planned and executed healthcare marketing strategies offer many advantages:
increasing visibility, driving potential leads, engaging with patients across multiple platforms, increasing brand identity and patient base and improving business decision-making with the help of up-to-date data. Beyond traditional marketing methods, there are several other ways to make an impact on people. Ultimately, healthcare players must keep in mind what people really are looking for is transparency mobile-friendly experience, ease of access to information and good service.
Social media: With more and more people spending hours on popular social media platforms like Twitter (X), Facebook and Instagram, it is important to be active, share relevant and useful information and stay engaged with the audience to build trust and create an image of reliability.
Blogs and informative posts: Keeping in mind that people search for information on medical conditions online before visiting a doctor, providing trusted, reliable medical content is beneficial and high-quality content will rank higher on search engines over time and improve brand perception.
Location-based notifications: It is possible to identify location-specific audiences to promote facilities, services and special offers. Location- based marketing is an ideal tool for offering relevant, personalised health care options to people.
Videos and podcasts: Health and medical videos have a strong impact on viewers and can help improve reliability through regular posting. Audio and video podcasts are popular and they are perfect for those who like to listen on the go.
The ‘C section’ and their roles: A CEO can make accurate decisions when the goals of other top management executives like CFO, CMO and CTO are in alignment. This joint decision practice helps the CEO think beyond typical marketing activities and come up with sophisticated methods with a strong call to action. Agile marketing, in particular, can produce
favourable results in healthcare. It is also important to remember the vital role of data. Not all data is useful or relevant, which is why marketing efforts need to focus on generating high-quality, up-to-date data for the best results. It is not all about ROI, after all – our goal will always be to improve patient experience and outcomes. Focussing on this aspect, in turn, will ensure the hospital’s repute over the long term.
An emphasis on healthcare education: Today, a hospital gains recognition not just based on the type of treatments it offers, but also on its focus on education initiatives. A hospital that cares about imparting knowledge and sharing its skills can improve its image and reputation, while at the same time attracting students, young talented doctors and peers from other reputed establishments. Through workshops, training programmes and seminars, doctors can engage with learners in a meaningful way. At our hospital, we have advanced facilities to perform high-end cardiac procedures – but beyond that, the team conducts regular workshops and courses to benefit up-and-coming cardiologists.
Telemedicine and digital health platforms: the future of consultations During the COVID-19 lockdown, many things changed in the healthcare landscape, and one of the most important aspects that grew in importance during this time is ‘telemedicine’. People unable to visit hospitals and clinics found a better alternative in teleconsultations from the convenience of home. Even after the pandemic ended and the lockdowns were lifted, people found
telemedicine is a great alternative, especially for minor ailments and second opinions, available at the same or better cost. Hospitals and healthcare centres that promoted telemedicine also realised the potential of digital health platforms to benefit millions of people keep track of their health more efficiently. Through focused campaigns, creative ads and other strategies from data analytics, teleconsultation is becoming more popular and garnering attention.
The road ahead One of the biggest advantages of the Indian healthcare sector is that it is diversified. It provides opportunities for hospitals to offer superior medical care to patients at affordable costs and gain a reputation. To achieve this, hospitals must be willing to invest in advanced medical technology and make use of the right marketing and branding strategies to display their facilities and expertise to the public. Another optimistic trend is the growth of medical tourism, with the state of Tamil Nadu alone attracting 40 percent of patients who come to India for medical treatments. Effective marketing is the way forward – it is not just a luxury; it is an important lifeline for guiding patients to a healthier future and for the hospital to serve with purpose and precision.
Kaarthik Ramamurthy
Head of Operations
Kauvery Hospital
Radial Road, Chennai
