In The Know - MEDSEEK News and Expert Opinion on the eHealth Industry

Technology + Marketing = Precision Marketing

Is Your Healthcare Organization Ready?

If you ask most non-marketers what the marketing department at your hospital does and/or the value it provides, you’ll probably get a lot of “uh, umm, uhhhh, not sure” or “spends a lot of money.” I think this video summarizes many people’s perception best.  As an “enlightened stupid marketer” myself, I can recognize the humor and sarcasm in this video, but at the same time it triggers me to think –  how can marketers change this perception?  In particular, since I work in healthcare IT, is there a way that people’s perceptions about healthcare marketing can be transformed? The answer is, YES.  

The retail industry began using precision marketing several years ago with phenomenal results.   The idea behind precision marketing is using predictive analytics technology to personalize the way a consumer experiences your brand based on their individual needs. To put that in healthcare terms – the patients’ needs. According to an article I recently read on MarketingProfs.com, big players like Proctor & Gamble have spent upwards of $15M implementing precision marketing solutions. Obviously, healthcare organizations do not have this kind of dough to sling around, but there is scalable and affordable solution for hospitals of all sizes that is proven to increase Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI) by many fold – MEDSEEK’s ecoSmart Patient Precisioning.

The article elaborates on five key points to consider if you are thinking of making the jump into predictive modeling.

1. Good model outputs depend on good inputs
2. Try to be complete
3. Patience is a virtue
4. Be sure your modeling partner is up to date on academic work
5. Look for user-friendly outputs

Check out the full article for more information. Are you ready to take marketing to the next level?

Anna Powell
Product Marketing Manager

What does the "official" delay in Stage 2 Meaningful Use mean?

Today, HHS announced that they are “officially” delaying the requirement for Eligible Hospitals and Eligible Providers to meet Meaningful Use Stage 2 objectives until 2014. Under the original plan,  those EHs and EPs that met Stage 1 objectives in 2011 would be required to meet Stage 2 requirements in 2013. Now they have another year.

This is not surprising. In June, an ONC workgroup recommended that HHS delay by one year, as the current system almost discouraged participants from filing for Stage 1 in 2011. If they did not participate in the program until 2012, they could wait to meet the Stage 2 standards until 2014 and still be eligible for the same incentive payment. Now, those who are able to demonstrate they meet the Stage 1 requirements during 2011 can do so and get paid sooner, but still have a reasonable amount of time to prepare for Stage 2.

That certainly seems to be necessary, since the final rule on Stage 2 is not anticipated from CMS until mid-2012.

That being said, even though the final rule will not be identical to the recommendations released from the Policy Committee this summer, it is unlikely to vary significantly – and hospitals and EPs should be preparing to implement their Patient Portal today.

 

Kyra Hagan
MEDSEEK Director, Product Marketing