Our CEO's 5 Biggest Takeaways from SHSMD Connections 2022
Our DECODE team spent a few days earlier this month at SHSMD Connections Conference in Washington, D.C, and Kathleen Perley, our CEO & Founder, came away with some thoughts. Thoughts that we're now sharing with you. Check it out:
In addition to seeing good friends again and getting a few good nights' sleep away from the kids, SHSMD is always a great way to get a pulse on healthcare marketing and advertising trends.
Below are the five major takeaways from #SHSMD22:
Doing Less with More
Every person we met faced smaller budgets but big objectives to drive volume. They are looking for new opportunities to drive bigger results with smaller budgets, such as leveraging new data sources to ensure less of the budget is wasted.
Collaboration to Combat Societal Determinants of Health
I was blessed to sit at an excellent table for a session called "The Great Rethink," which focused on the social determinants of health. It talked about how health systems need to partner with community organizations — and even competitors — to deliver on their calling to create wellness in the communities they serve.
Our group also discussed the pandemic's possibly only positive moment: communities coming together for the common good by improving access to care and meeting basic needs. We also talked about the eventual shift from sharing PPE to addressing major health issues impacting community well-being (and hospital outcomes), like mental wellness and food deserts.
Physicians are overwhelmed, exhausted, and struggling to keep up with the information overload...
Consumer Health Experience, Not Just Patient Experience
Every industry has changed drastically since the pandemic with new sets of expectations from consumers.
One presentation argued that the existing "patient experience" model — which begins and ends with care — is outdated. Instead, a more holistic "customer experience" that considers everything, from scheduling the care to the front office to the patient room to post-visit and follow-up care, is necessary to connect with potential consumers.
Healthcare marketers need to look at how their consumers compare their experience at their facilities to their healthcare competitors and consumer experiences like traveling or shopping. They should incorporate key learnings and apply them to the patient experience.
Repetition is Key to Connecting with Physicians
Physicians are overwhelmed, exhausted, and struggling to keep up with the information overload that comes with more scholarly medical literature published than ever before. When focusing on physician communication, it's vital to highlight repetitive messaging and make communication easier via small, digestible pieces in video or audio format.
Short of Staff and Time
Every industry has seen the impacts of the Great Resignation, but it's hit the healthcare industry especially hard. From challenges like finding nursing and allied health professionals — resulting in services and locations closing — to burnt-out marketing and communications teams being asked to do more with less, the industry is short on time and people.
Finding the right people isn't easy, but the effort is worth it. Fortunately, there are some pretty clear and actionable ways to connect and stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Overall, SHSMD Connections 2022 was a great look into the healthcare industry's challenges and a true dose of inspiration from so many bright individuals coming together to raise and develop out-of-the-box solutions that address the industry's current challenges.
Interested in learning more about what we learned at SHSMD and the future of healthcare marketing? Let's chat.