3 Principles in Marketing Healthcare to Millennials

A 27-year-old goes to his smartphone and googles the nearest podiatrist. He’s had several ingrown toenails in the past, and he knew what to expect from the simple procedure. He just wanted it done as soon as possible. Because the clinic doesn’t have online scheduling, he calls to make the appointment.

He walks into his appointment and is met with a question from the reception staff, “Did you get pre-approval from your insurance?” Confused, he answers in the negative, saying he’s never had to do that himself before. After some back-and-forth, they gather his insurance information and he goes into the exam room.

The older doctor doesn’t say much but proceeds to numb the toe. After the numbness takes effect, he tells the patient that he plans to remove the toenail down to the root, but not to kill the root entirely. Surprised and a bit irritated, the patient explains his chronic history and that in his experience, when the whole root isn’t taken out, the toenail comes back ingrown. The doctor says, “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. I’ve been doing this a long time.”

The patient feels like he can’t back out now, not with his toe already numbed up. In his head, he’s already making plans to go to another podiatrist to finish the job, even though it doubles the cost.

About a week later, he receives a bill in the mail as well as a letter from the insurance company, asking for more information that the clinic staff didn’t provide. He calls the insurance company to answer their questions, and he has to snail-mail the clinic payment because they have no online payment system.

The Millennial Perspective of Healthcare

The more that story outraged you, the more likely you are from a younger generation. This is a real healthcare experience, related to me recently by a very displeased millennial.

It’s a case study in customer service and bedside manner (which was lacking), but it’s also a case study in how many millennials experience the healthcare system. Healthcare practices can stand out if they apply what millennials expect from healthcare providers—positive digital and personal interaction, transparency, and convenience.

We commonly define millennials as those born between 1981 and 1996. They’ve surpassed boomers in being the largest living generation in the US, according to the Pew Research Center. Millennials already should be a marketing priority for healthcare providers, but as they continue to age, their healthcare needs will mature and increase.

Understanding Millennials

We can understand a few things about millennials that give us insight into what healthcare tools and solutions they appreciate.

Millennials care about their well-being.

When Chipotle announced they wouldn’t use genetically-modified ingredients, social media erupted in millennial applause. But, they’re also 28% more likely to smoke than Generation X. Millennials are interested in opportunities to live healthier lifestyles, but they sometimes aren’t completely committed to it.

Younger millennials like to be connected to their physicians.

Studies suggest that younger millennials are more likely than their older counterparts to like check-in calls from their health providers with reminders for appointments and health advice. That personal attention and access, even if it’s through technology, is appreciated.

Many millennials remain uninsured.

Despite efforts in healthcare reform, many millennials remain uninsured. While the overall average is 25%, 34% of younger millennials and 27% of older millennials are uninsured. The price of products and services may be a larger decision-making factor than with older-generation patients.

Here are 3 key principles to consider in your healthcare marketing strategy for millennial audiences:

1. Making Connections: Digital and Human

Your investment in digital outreach to younger generations is crucial in making connections between their healthcare priorities and your practice.  

One way to enhance your online presence is to create a Google My Business profile. Google favors this type of profile in searches, and your business can be displayed prominently in search results.

Some companies are overly worried about which social media platforms to participate in. They think they have to be on the newest and trendiest platform, like TikTok, to reach younger audiences. The platform isn’t as important, however, as the quality content you put on those platforms. Stick to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter—those aren’t going away. Use those platforms to convey messaging that speaks to the concerns younger generations have (like the ones in this article).

You may also consider investing in paid healthcare marketing on social media. This allows you to specifically target millennials in your local area with social media ads about offerings and services that cater to their needs. If your healthcare marketing strategy encourages users to participate, you’ll build great relationships. Brands like Northwestern, Mayo Clinic, and MD Anderson are already tapping into the power of user-sourced content.

Human connections are just as important as digital ones.

Despite stereotypes of millennials going all-digital, they still want a human connection. For healthcare, this means being able to talk to a human being when they have a question or concern or feeling like they’re truly being heard by their doctor, unlike how the patient felt with the podiatrist in the opening story.

Do you have phone lines that are answered by real people? The ability to chat, even if it’s online, 24/7?

2. Transparency

Millennials grew up surrounded by advertisements, hard-sell language, and healthcare providers being unclear or mysterious when it comes to cost. They are experts at spotting and ignoring old-fashioned attempts to sell them something or evade conversations about prices. Let’s change that.

With high student loans and credit card debt, money is top of mind when making healthcare decisions. According to Hit Consultant, 41% of millennials are likely to request cost estimates before undergoing treatment. Affordability ranks high on the list when choosing a healthcare provider, right alongside transparency.

Though your prices are oftentimes nonnegotiable, you can still be transparent about it. Make it easy to access billing online, with itemized lists so they can see exactly what they’re paying for. Discuss costs honestly with your patients, and you’ll build a trusting relationship that lasts.

3. Convenience

According to Accenture, 40% of millennials say they’re more likely to choose a provider that offers the ability to book, change, or cancel appointments online. The demand for convenience has caused many hospitals to introduce patient portals for quicker access to medical records, billing, and appointment scheduling. Mailing paper bills as an only option doesn’t cut it anymore. In the long run, these convenient technology solutions save you time and money as well.

Making sure your website is easy to navigate and fast is crucial for patient acquisition. Because 93% of US millennials own a smartphone and 53% of website visits are likely to be abandoned if pages take longer than 3 seconds to load, according to Google, it’s important to ensure your site is optimized for mobile viewing and loads quickly.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that millennials don’t just expect a great product or service. They expect a great experience.

Go through the process of customer acquisition and the healthcare experience you offer from the perspective of someone like the patient from the opening story:

• Are you making them jump through hoops to see you?
• Are you communicating what they should expect coming in and what you expect from them?
• Do they feel like they’re being heard, or do they feel that your practice puts their health on the backburner?
• Is the process easy, smooth, and convenient for them?

Millennials may sometimes seem entitled, glued to their phone, and demanding. On the other hand, is it wrong for patients to expect more of their healthcare providers? When the tools are readily available to do so, is it unjustified to think that healthcare should be more accessible and transparent? Of course not.

Millennials issue the call for healthcare businesses and marketers to do and be better. If you answer the call, you have a large pool of patients for life.

Let’s Connect

Schedule a free consultation with Connect Healthcare Consulting to start on your marketing and business development strategies that will attract millennials and others alike.