How to Market Your Medical Practice Using Telemedicine

The Coronavirus Pandemic has definitely forced more medical professionals to explore using telehealth as a way of continuing to serve their patients. But marketing experts are predicting that with the passing of COVID-19, the demand for virtual appointments will not die, but only increase.

Even before the end of the pandemic, doctors are beginning to market their practices as providing a more enjoyable experience with this new capability of virtual appointments. The shift from necessity to convenience is already happening and those who don’t quickly adopt the use of telemedicine will soon fall behind the competition.

That’s why we’ve put together a practical checklist for how to get started with telemedicine so you can retain your current patients as well as attract new ones: 

(1) Choose a HIPPA Approved Platform

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has released a list of approved telehealth platforms that are in compliance and may be used to conduct telemedicine appointments.

These approved platforms include:

• Skype for Business / Microsoft Teams
• Updox
• VSee
• Zoom for Healthcare
• Doxy.me
• Google G Suite Hangouts Meet
• Cisco Webex Meetings / Webex Teams
• Amazon Chime
• GoToMeeting
• Spruce Health Care Messenger

Please carefully read what the HHS has said about these platforms before making any decisions.

(2) Pre-answer Their Questions About Telemedicine

How you properly present telemedicine to your patients is key. Here are some ideas of what questions or concerns that might be on their minds. Take some time to write answers in your own words. 

Telemedicine Doesn’t Replace Medical Treatment

Some patients may think that this is a second rate type of medicine that is being pushed upon them, when in reality it’s a chance to avoid unnecessary trips to the doctor and long waits just to receive some brief advice or a prescription that can easily be conducted over a video call.

When the patient needs to be seen for a physical examination or treatment, then telemedicine is obviously not an option.

Types of Telemedicine Appointments

Patients are going to wonder if their type of appointment qualifies for video calls instead of office visits. Make a list of specific examples that are acceptable for telemedicine at your practice such as:

• New patient introductory consultation
• A patient with an existing or established problem that can be dealt with virtually 
• A post-op appointment that doesn’t require physical treatment
• Discussing home remedies
• Answering questions of another doctor who is also seeing the patient
• Obtaining lab orders or prescriptions
• Ongoing routine sessions like teletherapy

Make sure to encourage them to call your office if they have questions about their unique situation.

Make it Clear that It’s Covered

Most insurance companies began covering telemedicine services back in March of 2019. This is a huge marketing point that should be front and center.

How It Works

Include step by step instructions of what patients can expect and how to use the telemedicine platform. This eases the concerns of your patients and makes them more comfortable with the idea of using this new method of medicine.

Once you’ve put your thoughts on paper, your content will be used on your website in the next step. Don’t worry about getting your writing perfect. Once you’ve given it your best shot, a marketer can review and optimize it for you.

(3) Build a Telemedicine Page on Your Website

Now that you’ve explained the ins and outs of telemedicine, you need to add a dedicated page to your website where visitors can learn more and schedule an appointment.

Key elements that you should include on this page are:

• Patient testimonials (Use what you already have - don’t wait for specific telemedicine testimonials. Switch them out once you do receive positive feedback specifically about this service.)
• Why Patients Love Us (In a few sentences or several bullets you should describe how your medical practice is unique and why patients keep coming back.)
• Content sections explaining: supported types of telemedicine appointments, the reason you offer telemedicine as an option, how it works, and that it’s covered by insurance
• Clear calls to action in multiple places on the page for patients to schedule their appointment today
• A form to receive the patient’s information
• A thank you page that is shown to the patient once they submit the form (this is important for proper conversion tracking)

Have your marketing team put together a clean design that walks the patient through the above content elements in the order that makes the most sense for the best user experience.

(4) Launch a Facebook Ad Campaign

The outbreak of the pandemic has created a very unique situation in today’s marketing environment. Activity online has increased by more than 70% since most individuals are stuck at home. Also, with the uncertainty still ahead, some businesses have pulled their advertising spend, which has dropped the price per click of Facebook ads.

One guaranteed way to get ahead of the curve and begin refilling your patient pipeline is through Facebook Ads that promote your telemedicine service.

Have your marketing team create a 15-30 second promo video as well as several "still" graphics that you can use for your Facebook ads. They can help you write marketing ad copy that is to the point and intriguing. Then, they will run a beta test to see which ads are the top performing and what adjustments can be made to optimize the campaign.

Before you launch your ad campaign, you’ll also want to install the Facebook tracking pixel code on the back end of your telemedicine page or via your Google Tag Manager in order to obtain accurate conversion tracking.

(5) Consider Hiring the Professionals

We know that putting together a seamless marketing campaign isn’t easy work for you or your internal staff. That’s where we come in.

Wexler is a full service digital marketing agency. We help our medical clients generate more leads and elevate their brand by creating eye appealing campaigns that drive return on investment.

Want to explore getting help with your telemedicine marketing needs? The next step is to request a complimentary consultation here. There are no commitments and at the very least we’ll provide you with some free and valuable advice before we part as friends.