Be Relevant in the Micro-moments

Having a career in healthcare communications for over two decades, I have had the privilege of working with some incredible physicians. What has been eye-opening to me is how much ‘gets in the way’ or distracts them each day from doing what they ultimately want to do: deliver great care and help patients. Some of these distractions or pressures I’ve heard physicians state include:

….Helping patients find a diagnosis for mysterious persistent health challenges.

….Assisting them with the proper treatment plan and medication.

….Arguing with insurance companies that the treatment plan I outlined is necessary.

….Finding the appropriate specialist to help diagnose and hopefully treat my patient’s rare condition.

….Regularly confronted by patients consulting Google and are sure of their selfdiagnoses.

….Meeting my RVUs and performance requirements.

….Frustrated by some patients and their lack of accountability to the treatment plan.

….Overburdened with paperwork and charting.

….Challenged to work in an environment that is still very much fee for services but also value-based.

….Struggling with leadership and decisions being made at corporate health system offices states away that impact my patients and my work environment.

….Learning and re-learning multiple systems and processes that are changing with health system initiatives, billing, EHR, etc.

Our healthcare system is a pressure cooker for providers and their support staff. They are burdened by increasing expectations, and it’s not new news that this is a root cause of burnout.

So, how can we get a provider's attention when they have limited bandwidth?

Here are three things to consider as you seek to engage providers.

1. Get To Know Them.
   It’s like going on a first date…you would never show up without doing your homework. Initially, seek to understand who your HCP audience is and how they want to be communicated with. It’s the starting point to getting you the date, showing you care enough to learn the basics. Data is everywhere. In fact, we have so much data at our fingertips that most people say it’s paralyzing. It is crucial that you understand your target and how they want to be communicated with when considering your marketing and communication strategy. Don’t get overwhelmed by the sources of data that flow all around you. At Relevate Health, we have a proprietary engine that allows us to compile and translate so that you will easily understand the preferences and needs of the targeted providers. We make sure data do not bog down clients…instead, we use it to fuel actionable execution and impact for customers.
2. Connect through messaging.
   You’ve got to connect. Like you and me, we desire relevant communication, disengage in conversation, or read resources. Could you imagine going on a first date and saying you don’t like to talk politics, and then all your date talks about is politics? Understanding the providers’ preferences, what they know, and what they don’t know is essential. How they respond will allow you to continue to tailor their journey in your communication strategy and deliver the information they need.
3. Humanize your strategy.
   While they are modern-day superheroes, we should remember that these providers are human. Busy people that most likely have micro-moments for us to relay a message that resonates with them. Sound familiar? I know the credibility of those who are communicating with me is essential. Are they a trusted source, or perhaps someone I know? I am way more likely to pay attention if the messenger is respected or revered as a subject matter expert. This should translate into deploying appropriate responses, resources, and marketing tactics. Make yourself a known and trusted source.

At the end of the day, partnering with organizations that can think through smart strategies backed by insights and data to deliver quality content where, when, and how a provider prefers will make you stand out among the crowd. Who you partner with to actually execute the plan is key. So go ahead….and double-down on your first date preparation, leveraging the three tips above. You may even get that second date!