While certain industry sectors have surged ahead in using technology to boost customer engagement, health and wellness brands have slightly lagged behind in optimizing patient engagement opportunities. Health and wellness brands have yet to embrace the rapidly changing digital space as over 70% of healthcare brands are concerned that engagement metrics do not translate into favorable business outcomes. Not only is the healthcare sector worried about the lack of profitable business outcomes, but there is also a struggle to distinguish their practice in an oversaturated market. 

Although certain healthcare brands are not certain of how to achieve favorable business outcomes, reports have indicated that investing in customer engagement strategies has significantly improved patient retention and patient lifetime value. However, in order to reap these benefits, it is necessary to understand the rapidly changing nature of consumer behavior and the importance of utilizing modern technological advancements.

Ways to Utilize New Technology and Changing Customer Behavior

Marketing strategies are changing at a pace that we have never seen before, and it is essential to stay on top of these trends to remain relevant, retain existing patients and reach new ones. 

Below are a few ways to increase patient engagement that take into consideration new and innovative technology, as well as the trends in shifting patient behavior.

Encourage Mobile App Use

As of August 2020, reports indicated that healthcare brands ranked at 21.85% and 2.29% for mobile app usage and completed purchases, while overall performance for these metrics across other sectors stood at 26.29% and 5.72%. 

Developing a mobile healthcare app is an extremely effective way to bolster patient engagement. However, if your practice wants to boost these metrics, you need to create an app that will meet your consumers’ needs. Studies indicate that over half of mobile phone users have downloaded a health-related app, but research also suggests that most users stop engaging with the app soon after initial use. 

Able to provide customized healthcare services from anywhere at any time for a relatively low cost, mobile apps can significantly benefit healthcare practices in our increasingly mobilized world if they are designed efficiently.

In order to do so, your healthcare practice should create an app that has: 

• A clean and aesthetically pleasing interface
• Automatic data collection
• Understandable information
• Effortless navigation through different parts of the app
• Simple data entry methods

Introduce Cross-Channel Messaging

With an increase in mobile use, cross-channel messaging is one of the most beneficial ways to promote patient engagement. Research depicts that customers who received cross-channeling messages from in-app push notifications, emails, and texts saw 94% higher customer lifetime values than those who only received messages on two of the channels.

One way to take advantage of cross-channel messaging is to optimize your mobile app and craft personalized app messaging campaigns to target your most engaged customers. Remember to monitor the performance of these messages to ensure that they are reaching optimal conversions. 

Enhance Transparency and Access to Information

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, transparency and accountability in the health system are no longer optional. Paired with an era of immense digitization, information has become more available than ever before to patients. The goal of your healthcare practice should be to make your patients’ healthcare information easily understandable. However, the information you provide should also be: 

• Timely
• High-quality
• Accurate
• Engaging
• Accessible 

Increased patient education is proven to enhance patient engagement and retention, meaning it is essential to incorporate into your healthcare practice.

How LEVO Health Can Help Boost Patient Engagement

As a full-service healthcare marketing agency, LEVO Health has all the resources available to help you optimize your digital footprint, increase cross-channel messaging, and provide clear and accessible information to your patients. Start taking advantage of customer behavior trends and innovative technological advancements to propel your practice into a new space.

Contact us today to learn more about the services we can provide for your health and wellness brand.