Written By: Erin Killion, Director, Client Strategy - Healthcare, Goodway Group
As healthcare marketing continues to evolve, balancing consumer privacy with the need for personalization remains a challenge. With increasing regulations such as the FTC’s Health Breach Data Notification Rule and stricter state privacy laws, healthcare marketers are facing more pressure than ever to stay compliant while still delivering personalized experiences.
This shift has forced marketers to rethink their strategies. In this article, we’ll explore innovative approaches to healthcare marketing that keep consumer privacy legislation in mind. Let’s dive in.
Use Aggregated Data
Data remains at the heart of healthcare marketing, but how its use has changed significantly. Healthcare organizations (HCOs) have to zoom out and focus on broader audience data rather than hyper-targeted, one-to-one approaches that seem too invasive. Marketers must now rely on aggregated data rather than individual user data (such as at the click ID, user ID or device ID level) to make informed decisions since all these kinds of data can be categorized as protected healthcare information (PHI). Instead, look at aggregated metrics like video engagement and overall interest in healthcare services to gauge performance.
Metrics such as overall website traffic, page views, branded search volume and video completion rates can provide valuable insights into consumer engagement without compromising personal data. But don’t just stop there — consider looking at broader organizational goals such as electronic health record (EHR) reports, readmission rates, volume utilization rates or CAHPS scores to tie the results of your marketing back to larger outcomes.
By focusing on aggregated data, you can still measure the effectiveness of your campaigns without risking privacy violations.
Lean on Your Creative
One way healthcare marketers can still deliver targeted, personalized messages while staying compliant is through creative, which essentially will serve as the more hyper-targeted asset while you use broad audience data.
With creative, you can get down into the nitty-gritty of the one-to-one messaging that previous targeting options offered. Leverage your creative to address the pain points of patients; explore what keeps them up at night and any barriers to entry they may run into while seeking care.
Keep the drivers of patient behavior at the forefront of your creative assets and ensure your creative strategy. This approach not only respects consumer privacy but also helps develop more meaningful and effective marketing campaigns.
Put Compliance First
Always work closely with legal and compliance teams to ensure your marketing strategies align with privacy regulations. Each state may have different rules, so it’s crucial to stay informed and apply the most stringent standards across the board. Make sure you’ve defined what your risk tolerance is for in healthcare marketing and consider taking a conservative, risk-averse approach.
Leverage Internal Data
While external targeting may be limited, healthcare organizations already possess a wealth of internal data through patient records, email lists and other channels. Use this data to create personalized messages through compliant channels like email, EHR systems, SMS and direct mail.
Utilize Contextual Advertising
Instead of hyper-targeting, focus on contextual advertising to reach patients when they’re actively searching for relevant information. For instance, placing ads on healthcare-related websites that speak to common patient concerns can drive engagement without violating privacy regulations. By focusing on the broader needs and concerns of patients rather than their specific health conditions, organizations can connect with consumers in a way that feels relevant but not intrusive.
Wrapping Up
As privacy regulations continue to evolve, healthcare marketers must adapt their strategies to maintain compliance while delivering effective, personalized experiences.
Though the landscape of healthcare marketing is becoming more complex, it also presents an opportunity for organizations to rethink how they engage with patients. With the right balance of creativity, compliance and strategic use of data, healthcare marketers can continue to build strong, trusting relationships with their audiences and achieve meaningful outcomes.