Digital trends that will stick around in healthcare’s “new normal”
Industries across the world continue to feel the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Social distancing, temporary closures, complex economic factors and more are colliding to create a wave of change and uncertainty for virtually everyone, though these changes are perhaps most poignantly felt in healthcare organizations. In healthcare, COVID-19 has ushered in an overwhelming era of transformation, redefining how providers engage with their patients and how healthcare organizations approach their business operations.
And while these changes came about suddenly, there’s reason to believe that industries around the world – including healthcare – will see long-term effects. Below are five key digital trends related to COVID-19 that will likely continue to impact healthcare businesses for years to come.
1. Virtual visits and online/remote access. When the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made the decision that telehealth visits could replace in-person appointments to help mitigate the quick spread of the virus, they may have laid the foundation to change healthcare forever. Providers were quick to jump on the telehealth bandwagon, with many services reporting staggering increases in telehealth visits virtually overnight, and payers will likely cover these virtual visits in future, further reinforcing this trend. Finally, patients are much more receptive to telehealth than they were in the past and have found the two-fold benefit of avoiding viral infection and discovering new flexibility and eases of access with their appointments. As video appointments become the new normal, healthcare organizations must also adapt to deliver a better online experience.
Organizations that offer easy-to-navigate telehealth options and other free resources will be ahead of the game. For instance, our client, Augusta University Health, implemented a simple, streamlined solution for virtual COVID-19 screenings, and easily accessible resources to inform their patients about the virus.
2. Revisiting the digital experience. Hospitals and health systems in particular have vast amounts of information that must be communicated to their audiences online. This can lead to websites having complex information hierarchies and multiple on-page CTAs. In the wake of COVID-19, many patients turn to their local healthcare organizations as a source of the latest, most reliable information about the virus and what it means for their families. As such, many savvy organizations have updated their websites to prioritize COVID-19 information first. This new information hierarchy is likely to continue into the post-COVID-19 world as patients become accustomed to this practice. Organizations must revisit their digital content experiences to make sure they’re focused on patient-centric information, making the most critical information as easy to access as possible.
For instance, our clients Parkview Health and VCU Health have both updated the layouts and priority information on their homepages, adding in prominent alerts at the top of the page, and above-the-fold COVID resources and information to help users find the most relevant information quickly.
3. Self-screening and more refined chat bots. Another way organizations have made it easier for users to locate the right information quickly is through chatbots equipped with self-screening and custom screenings. While healthcare organizations have started to use chatbots in earnest over the last few years, the pandemic has made these tools invaluable. However, it’s important to remember that not all chatbots are created equal. Some organizations opt to use “quick-to-market” solutions or plugins that can be integrated in existing websites. While these chat plug-ins often cover the bases to start, some organizations may be frustrated with their limited functionality later on. Custom-built bots can be more flexible about meeting an individual organization’s needs, as well as point to custom resources or outcomes, like self-evaluations and other tools you are using.
For an example of a useful, and sophisticated, chatbot, check out Baptist Health South Florida.
4. Go where the people are – online. More people right now are online than out in the community. COVID-19 has forced almost everyone to stay inside and interact with screens in a way most were previously unaccustomed to. Because of that, search traffic has increased significantly and will continue to climb. Staying ahead of SEO can help you improve your ranking in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), and while organizations may be cutting down on unnecessary marketing programs, halting your SEO efforts now could be a critical mistake, especially for the long-term success of your SEO strategy.
Learn more about keeping your SEO strategy running smoothly in our recent blog post.
5. A new world of communication. COVID-19 has taught us a lot, but one of the more important lessons for marketers is that the status quo of communications is no longer acceptable. Companies have been lauded or lamented due to their response (or lack of response) to the pandemic. Audiences are increasingly excelling at spotting self-serving messaging in this time of crisis, but still crave authentic, people-centric communications from the brands that are part of their lives. It’s a delicate balance for any organization to strike, and your audience’s thirst for authenticity will certainly continue after the worst of the pandemic passes. Some of the best campaigns we’ve seen include transparent, user-centric messages for both internal and external audiences, driven by brands that aren’t afraid to try new communications tactics and digital tools. Now is the time to try new things and experiment to ensure more fruitful engagements with your audiences.
Across industries, across the world, everything seems to have fundamentally changed, and will likely continue to do so. While we’re looking forward to some normalcy once the threat subsides, we can guarantee that there are some aspects of life and business that will never be the same again. Keeping these lasting trends top-of-mind can help you stay ahead of the game now and in the future.