Health Systems Look Outside the Industry to Up Their Digital Marketing Game
// By Jim Samuel //
There is a common thought among health care marketers that the business lags years behind other industries regarding digital marketing and meeting consumer needs. Two health systems have brought in marketing executives from Disney and higher education to help them catch up.
If you have been paying attention for the past couple of years, you know there’s been growing talk in health care about consumerism and digital health. Telehealth, wearable devices, online portals and scheduling, and other technological advances have caused significant changes in how consumers receive their medical care.
It is a trend that has been developing for several years but accelerated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of the industry continues to lag, but some health systems got an early start several years ago when they hired executives from other industries to help them become more consumer-focused and guide their digital transformation.
One of the first was Intermountain Healthcare, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Intermountain went to one of the most consumer-focused companies in the world when it brought in Kevan Mabbutt from The Walt Disney Company in California.
Another was UC Health at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio. That system looked to the nearby Northern Kentucky University when it hired Jim Nilson to create and lead a digital marketing team to advance its digital presence.